Cider in Spanish basque country

[Slkalina]

Does anyone know of any cidrerie around the Camino. They are quite a culinary adventure and I would love to have dinner in one

 

[C clearly]

There's a sidrería with restaurant in Astigarraga on the Camino Vasco del Interior. If you walk in October you can see the apples being collected on the way, for the cider making.

 

[trecile]

This article should be helpful

Cider Houses and Restaurants in the Basque Country

Savour the local products in a typical Basque atmosphere

www.guide-du-paysbasque.com

 

[mspath]

This BBC article by Mike MacEacheran dated 14 July 2022 describes the past and present importance of apples, traditional architecture and historic manufacturing of cider in Basque culture.

How a drink fuelled a sea-faring people​

Cider is a staple in the Spain's Basque Country, and its fascinating story goes hand in hand with the Basque desire to conquer the seas.

www.bbc.com

 

[NualaOC]

This BBC article by Mike MacEacheran dated 14 July 2022 describes the past and present importance of apples, traditional architecture and historic manufacturing of cider in Basque culture.

How a drink fuelled a sea-faring people​

Cider is a staple in the Spain's Basque Country, and its fascinating story goes hand in hand with the Basque desire to conquer the seas.

www.bbc.com

That's a very interesting article, @mspath. Thanks for sharing it.
Basque history and culture are fascinating. I didn't know about the cider-seafaring connection.

 

[Dennis Pack]

If you walk the Norte, you will find cider ... or it will find you

 

[Bradypus]

If you walk the Norte, you will find cider ... or it will find you

Not quite the same as visiting a proper sagardotegi though! If someone hasn't had the experience then this Youtube video gives a pretty good idea what to expect. Enormous fun!

 

[backpack45]

Does anyone know of any cidrerie around the Camino. They are quite a culinary adventure and I would love to have dinner in one

There are certainly places in Basque Country where one could find cider, but when we were there we were more interested in their local wines and pintxos. When we continued west and into Asturia where apples are more widely grown, we found it more often. I remember our first real tasting was in Ribadesella along the Norte. Also found it easily in Oviedo, along the Primitivo. Sometimes you'll see a ceramic container with a spout on the outside tables so diners can pour their own. I love how the cider is poured from on high--to aerate/add oxygen. I don't usually keep track of restaurants, but this wonderful place I photographed was along the Calle Jovellanos -- a short street in the center of town that is packed with siderias -- in Oviedo.

 

[howardd5]

Does anyone know of any cidrerie around the Camino. They are quite a culinary adventure and I would love to have dinner in one

There are some good ones in Galacia , where they make my favorite on tap cider.

 

[mattythedog]

There are certainly places in Basque Country where one could find cider, but when we were there we were more interested in their local wines and pintxos. When we continued west and into Asturia where apples are more widely grown, we found it more often. I remember our first real tasting was in Ribadesella along the Norte. Also found it easily in Oviedo, along the Primitivo. Sometimes you'll see a ceramic container with a spout on the outside tables so diners can pour their own. I love how the cider is poured from on high--to aerate/add oxygen. I don't usually keep track of restaurants, but this wonderful place I photographed was along the Calle Jovellanos -- a short street in the center of town that is packed with siderias -- in Oviedo.

View attachment 144421

There was this place in Oviedo I had dinner, but forgot name. Hope my attempt to attach the photos works.

 

[Guateboston]

Does anyone know of any cidrerie around the Camino. They are quite a culinary adventure and I would love to have dinner in one

If doing the Camino Norte just before you enter Villaviciosa you see Cideria El Gaitero. We booked a tour and made it on time to take it. It was great.

 

[LakeMcD]

Can anyone describe the taste of the cider. Is it sweet, sour or dry?

 

[Bradypus]

Can anyone describe the taste of the cider. Is it sweet, sour or dry?

Usually quite dry and sharp. And almost flat - very little carbon dioxide. Hence the elaborate aeration practices. Not like most commercial ciders here in the UK

 

[Camino Chrissy]

We had dinner and cider in Ribadesella on the Norte; a fun night, but I'm not particularly fond of cider. I think of it as being rather sour and dry.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Can anyone describe the taste of the cider. Is it sweet, sour or dry?

The cidra natural I tried was vinergry sour and dry. Peg hated it; I thought it okay but preferred the sweeter more carbonated stuff like back home (the hard cider). The sweeter stuff is, I think, in smaller bottles with metal caps. Cidra natural in bigger bottles with cork stoppers. The stoppers may be cut by the server to restrict the size of the opening to make it easier to pour from high up to add aeration to weaker natural carbonation. It is cheap enough to give it a try even if you don't think you will like it because the server's first pour is entertainment worth the price.

Both types of cider have alcohol.

 

[JabbaPapa]

Not Spanish side, but in the French Basque country, the Albergue at Harambeltz has local artisan cider and beers available for purchase, both of which are excellent. The cider was as good as any Normandy cider I've ever tasted.

 

[JabbaPapa]

The cidra natural I tried was vinergry sour and dry. Peg hated it; I thought it okay but preferred the sweeter more carbonated stuff like back home (the hard cider). The sweeter stuff is, I think, in smaller bottles with metal caps. Cidra natural in bigger bottles with cork stoppers.

Those types of cider, whether Spanish or French, will be very variable in flavour -- though the best of them are hands down better than any industrially produced carbonated ones. They will have better flavour, better texture, and just better everything, really. And you can't tell the difference by looks alone -- some of the best ciders are clear, and some others of the best are cloudy.

As to the less sweet and drier kinds, I personally prefer those to any of the industrial stuff, but in my experience you do need to have sampled a variety of artisan ciders (and poirés) to gain proper appreciation of that variety, so then learn to appreciate the qualities of a very dry cider.

If you're in France again at some point, if you stop over in Paris especially, you may well be able to find some artisan cider in such places as a traditional butchers' shop, a small traditional épicerie, sometimes at a morning food market, etc, and whilst in such places it tends to be "good enough" rather than excellent, that would give you a sense of what cider's supposed to be like.

Probably you could find some in SJPP too, though I've never actually looked for any myself. Because I'm not really a cider person, unless I chance upon the "good enough" or better. Which, down here where I live, is on only very rare occasion.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Because I'm not really a cider person,

Me neither, and don't think I can be converted.

 

[Tincatinker]

In my youth, picking strawberries on the south facing slopes of the Mendips we were fed and “watered”: bread, cheese, mutton stew and cider each day and paid at the end of the pick. Our “share” based on the farmers earn for that crop. The bread, the cheese, the mutton and, above all, the cider came from the farm. On a good year I’d pick three farms following the ripening crop. The cider varied, as it would and should, but I’d get up an hour before dawn and work on my knees till dusk tomorrow just to taste some of those brews again. Last time I passed by Draycott the Red Lion was an “Executive Home” and most of the farms were pocket housing estates. “Eli’s” in Huish Episcopi still had a barrel or two of local brew. They used to carry ten.

Even in Asturias now it’s hard to find a non corporate brew. It’s all filtered, pasteurized and dosed with enough sodium metabisulphate to make you think you must have had a good time judging by the hangover.

@JabbaPapa @Camino Chrissy you don’t have to like the stuff but please join me in mourning it’s passing

 

[Bradypus]

@JabbaPappa, @Camino Chrissy you don’t have to like the stuff but please join me in mourning it’s passing

I love proper dry cider. If there is a decent crop on the couple of small trees in my garden then I make my own in the autumn. I have a crabapple that produces really large fruit too which adds an extra bit of bite. Not vast amounts but about 8 gallons this year. If His Majesty's officials were not quite so keen on stopping it I'd love to have a bash at a Welsh Calvados equivalent!

 

[howardd5]

We had dinner and cider in Ribadesella on the Norte; a fun night, but I'm not particularly fond of cider. I think of it as being rather sour and dry.
View attachment 144616

I agree, but try the on tap Galacia cider completely different and delicious