Sidra Natural Panizales
This is a bold, full bodied cider. The standard for Asturian cider is to be well balanced, and even a bit understated. Subtlety is the name of the game in most expressions of sidra natural. Sidra Panizales bucks that trend here, in spectacular fashion. This is a bold, aggressive cider, but thoughtfully so. Showcasing the apples from their own orchards, many being very local landraces, they worked hard to design a mouth watering cider that is very up front and direct. I like to think of this as a sidra natural for the IPA lover.
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 | Straw (03 SRM) |
| Clarity | Bright |
| Espalme | Panizal: lively carbon dioxide, well balanced |
| Pegue | Slightly Cloudy. A small amount of yeast haze. |
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 | This is a very forward cider, full of vim and vigor |
| Finish | Long (30+ Seconds) |
| Balance | Fechu: A full bodied cider with high alcohol content and a strong flavor |
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 | Alma: Balanced alcohol |
| Apple Flavors | Apple forward |
| Acetic Flavors | Machu: A very full bodied cider with much more acetic notes and very little sweetness. |
| Astringent Flavors | Secante: refreshingly dry and stimulating to the palate. |
Tasting Notes
Very fruity and effervescently apple flavored. The acetic tastes, like the tannins, are entirely in the service of a big apple punch.
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.
