Sidra asturiana: natural cider pouring

Asturias, Spain

Asturian natural cider (sidra natural) is still, sour, and completely without carbonation — the complete opposite of commercial cider. It is poured from height (the escanciado) to aerate and develop its volatile aromatics, producing a moment of foam that must be drunk immediately. The pouring arm extends the bottle above head height; the glass is held at knee height; the stream falls 60-80cm. This is not performance. The aeration genuinely transforms the flavour: the oxidised, sour, complex character of the cider opens up in the stream of air. Drunk without this technique, sidra tastes flat and acidic. With it, the apple esters emerge, the mouthfeel brightens, and the sourness integrates.

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