Sidra Natural Camín
So there are various “tiers” of cider in Asturias. There are hard to find, low production, cult-following ciders. Then you have are ciders you go out of your way to go to a bar that has them. There are the ciders you buy for the house because you like the local product. And there are the ciders that are solid, value for the money propositions that you buy when you don’t have other options. Camín is unashamedly in the latter group. Sidra Trabanco calls it “a reference supermarket cider”. And that is exactly what it is.
Straight down the middle, unoffensive, and unchallenging. It is meant to be drunk with gusto, and enjoyed with gusto. It is accessible, balanced, and smooth.
Appearance
Asturians put great stock in the proper appearance and presentation of the cider. Perhaps more so than anywhere else I’ve ever drunk cider. For that reason, there is a well-developed vocabulary in Asturias for describing the visual aspects of sidra natural.
| Color | Pale Straw (02 SRM) |
| Clarity | Bright |
| Espalme | Panizal: lively carbon dioxide, well balanced |
| Pegue | millions of tiny bubbles, that last surprisingly long. Nice legs, almost Brussels Lace adherence. |
Mouthfeel
Mouthfeel refers to the physical sensations (as opposed to the aromas and flavors) of the cider. It refers to textures that touch the tongue, roof of the mouth, teeth, throat, and to some extent, the aftertaste sensations.
| Body | Medium |
| Sensation | effervescent, slightly dry, mouthfeel. |
| Finish | Medium (15-30 Seconds) |
| Balance | Finu: a cider that is "clean", "clear", and "balanced" - The ideal cider flavor profile |
Aromas & Flavors
Sidra natural has a set of basic aromas and flavors that, to one degree or another, all examples exhibit. Here I rate the relative strength of those basic flavors, and afterwards discuss any additional flavor or aroma components that are noteworthy.
| Alcohol | Strong alcohol taste and aroma |
| Apple Flavors | Apple forward |
| Acetic Flavors | Pleasant balanced acetic qualities |
| Astringent Flavors | Fema: more sweet than tart, with little acidity or astringency, without any strong notes. |
Tasting Notes
Jammy and a little bit lemony, this is nicely aromatic. The flavor is more muted than the aroma, but not in a bad way. Slightly metallic and definitely mineral in character.
About Cider Tasting
This evaluation standard is my own. It is not created or endorsed by any official body in Asturias or elsewhere. I designed it based on the work of the Brewer’s Association and the work of Travis Robert Alexander & Brianna L. Ewing Valliere of the Washington State University Center for Sustainable Agriculture and Natural Resources. It is also informed by the traditional vocabulary used to describe cider in Asturias. You can read more about my methodology, my standard for evaluating Asturian cider, and the descriptive lexicon I use.
