Sidra Natural Peñón
A century-old recipe, still loved enough that it sells nearly a million liters a year. This is one of the standard reference marks for Asturian cider. If I were to pick a single bottle of cider to give to someone so that they would know what Asturian sidra natural was about, this is the one I would pick.
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 (2 SRM) |
| Clarity | Bright |
| Espalme | Panizal: lively carbon dioxide, well balanced |
| Pegue | tons of tiny bubble,s medium lacing |
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 | prickly and aggressive at the beginning, mellowing quickly to a thick coating of green apple |
| 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 | Alma: Balanced alcohol |
| Apple Flavors | Balanced apple flavors |
| Acetic Flavors | Pleasant balanced acetic qualities |
| Astringent Flavors | Secante: refreshingly dry and stimulating to the palate. |
Tasting Notes
Tart green apples, sour funk, slick mouthfeel, smooth and friendly.
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.
