Cider traditions on the Northern coast of Spain are among the oldest in the world, if not the oldest. The two regions of cider production are in Asturias and Basque Country, where cider is called sidra or sagardoa, respectively. Asturian and Basque ciders are very different from most American ciders (though more and more US cidermakers have created Spanish-style ciders), with the most defining characteristic being high levels of acetic acid. Sidra/Sagardoa is predominately made from sharp apple varieties and fermented with wild yeast, and appears cloudy with no carbonation. The proper way of pouring traditional Basque and Asturian ciders is to "throw" it, which essentially means to pour it from a bottle being held above your head into a glass being held as low as possible in the other hand - this gives the cider temporary carbonation and better brings out the flavors, and is meant to be gulped down immediately after pouring. Txotx!
Spanish Cider Brands we carry (and their region):
Trabanco (Sidra de Asturias)
Sidra Acebal's El Carrascu (Sidra de Asturias)
Pomarina (Sidra de Asturias)
Cidrerie Txopinondo (Basque Country, France)
R Zabala (
Sagardoa from Basque Country, Spain)
Izeta Sagardotegia (
Sagardoa from Basque Country, Spain)
Bereziartua (
Sagardoa from Basque Country, Spain)
Isastegi (
Sagardoa from Basque Country, Spain)
Órdago Iberiko
(Sagardoa from Basque Country, Spain)
