Discover Asturias : The cider factories

Although Spanish cider is the pride of Galicia and Cantabria, it is the flagship drink of Asturias, with over 40 million bottles produced every year. It's drunk at all hours of the day and night in bars and restaurants, and in the street at local festivals. Low in alcohol, it is in fact much more than a fermented nectar made from apple juice, as it represents the Asturian way of life. From the selection of varieties to the way it is served, via festivities and competitions, a whole ritual is organized around cider. With the "Sidra de Asturias" Denomination of Origin, the entire production process is strictly controlled, from apple varieties to pressing and bottling. Each one carries a guarantee seal with a unique number. And it's this whole process that became a Unesco World Heritage Site in 2024.

A highly regulated production

Accounting for around 80% of national production, Asturias is the country's leading cider producer. It has to be said that in this particularly green region, apples are the queens, with over 500 varieties registered on its lands. However, only 76 of these are authorized by the Appellation d'Origine, which are themselves classified into eight categories, according to acidity and concentration of phenolic compounds. They are grown throughout the Principality, on some 930 hectares, particularly around the towns of Gijón, Villaviciosa, Nava and Siero. There are a total of 758 plantations, divided between 358 growers. The entire production process is governed by precise, meticulous specifications, monitored at every stage by the Regulatory Council. It all begins in spring, when the apple trees in blossom release their delicate fragrance, before developing their fruit throughout the summer and completing their ripening in October. From there, during the harvest months, inspectors carry out a plethora of checks on the plantations, monitoring deliveries, plot yields and traceability, among other things. In the llagares (cider cellars), the apples are then sorted, washed, crushed and pressed, according to certain traditional processes. Here, too, controls are rigorous: inspectors regularly monitor the movement of must and cider between presses, from the start of production through to bottling, which itself must comply with certain regulations. Finally, to guarantee the quality of protected products, samples of cider are taken for analysis in an accredited laboratory before the bottles are put on the market. Each bottle is marked with a guarantee seal and a personalized number.

The different types of cider

The "Sidra de Asturias" PDO comprises three different products: traditional natural cider, Nouvelle Expression natural cider and sparkling cider. The first is undoubtedly the most popular with Asturians, as it is consumed in cider mills using traditional methods. It is a fermented cider of an intense straw-yellow, rather transparent color, which does not need to be filtered. It must be "escanciado", i.e. served from a great height to aerate the drink. The technique is quite an art, one that seasoned Asturians master with precision and concentration. It involves holding the bottle aloft, at the end of the right arm, and sticking the left arm to the left thigh, with the glass resting on the palm and clamped between the thumb and forefinger. Once this position has been adopted, the cider is poured from a considerable height, to burst against the glass in a kind of foam, testifying to the good "oxygenation" of the cider. Traditionally, only one culín is served, i.e. just a small quantity, which is not even drunk in its entirety, as the last sip is used to rinse the glass before passing it on to the person next to you. A sacred custom in Asturias, shared in good humor, laughter and sometimes song. This traditional cider can be distinguished from Nouvelle Expression natural cider, which is usually served at the table. It is made in the same way as traditional cider, except that it is filtered before bottling. It is lemon-yellow in color, with green and gold highlights and micro-bubbles. Finally, sparkling cider, which also benefits from this quality label, stands out for its fine bubbles. Unlike the other two, it undergoes a second fermentation either in the bottle or in the barrel. This fermented beverage is pale yellow in color, with golden highlights. In addition to these three PDOs, there are other types of this beverage in Asturias, though less widely consumed. These include sweet cider, organic cider and ice cider, which is beginning to win over the population. The latter is made by freezing the apple or its juice in cider cellars, to reproduce the conditions of frost in an apple orchard. This drink, which retains the acidity of cider while being balanced by a good dose of sugar, is generally consumed with dessert.

Famous cider cellars

With 80 PDO-accredited cider cellars in the region, it's hard to choose whether to drink from a cider cellar(chigre) or buy bottles in the shops. Many houses are renowned for their traditional know-how, handed down from generation to generation by the same family. Every year, the Asturias Cider Regulatory Council organizes a competition for the best Asturian cider, designated according to different PDO categories, to promote them to the general public. In 2020, the traditional Val de Boides natural cider from Llagar Castañón, a family business founded in 1938, was named best in its category. This cider is pale yellow in color, with a fruity aroma balanced by a hint of acidity, and goes well with fish, seafood and meat. In the Nouvelle Expression natural cider category, the top prize went to Pomarina nectar, for the third year running. It is produced by the Gaitero group, one of the flagships of the Asturian cider industry, which has been making cider on the shores of the Villaviciosa estuary in La Espuncia since 1898. Finally, Sidra Quelo's Solaya cider took top honors in the sparkling natural category. This family business, now based in Tiñana, near Oviedo, boasts over 50 years' experience in this field, respecting traditional processes while focusing on quality. In addition to these award-winning brands, there are many others that are showcased at other competitions and festivals. The best way to discover them is to visit the chigres in Gijón, where you'll find them on every street corner, or in Oviedo, at the famous cider boulevard in the central Gascona street. You can also try it in other towns such as Avilés, Navia and Villaviciosa. And last but not least, in December 2024, cider, the process by which it is made, the cultural practices associated with it and the way in which its production has become a characteristic feature of the Asturian landscape were inscribed on Unesco's list of intangible heritage sites.