My Sidra Taste Test Adventure
Alright so last weekend I got this itch to find legit amazing sidra after trying some watery store stuff that tasted like sad apple juice. Figured, screw this, I’m hunting real deal Basque-style tartness & fizz. Grabbed my notebook, hit 3 specialty shops downtown, actually took forever finding places that even carry proper sidra – turns out most “cider” here is sweet supermarket junk.
First Stop: Went straight for the classic Basque region bottles everyone online raves about. Looked for that legit cloudy yellow color, poured it high from waist-level (felt fancy as hell, splashed everywhere obviously). This stuff smelled like fresh cut grass & sour apples. First sip? Face puckered up good – like biting green apples but with serious barnyard funk. Not for everyone but man, that dry finish made my tongue dance. Verdict: Serious old-school vibes, legit hardcore sidra experience.
Top 5 Producers I Actually Tried
Here’s who made the cut after chugging way too many bottles (got the burps for days):
- Traditional Basque OG: Bottles look old-school simple, labels peeling slightly. Tiny bubbles, cloudy gold liquid. This one tasted like they squeezed farm apples straight into the bottle – super dry, crazy sour kick with funky undertones. Pair with salty cheese or don’t bother.
- French Fancy Bottle: Shiny label, almost looked like champagne. Poured cleaner but still had that signature cloudiness. More balanced – fruity apple upfront but still dry finish with nice zippy fizz. My friend who hates sour stuff actually liked this one.
- Farmhouse Funky Stuff: Found this at a tiny hole-in-wall shop. Bottle looked dusty, zero info in English. Took a risk. Opened with a huge POP, foam shot everywhere! Taste was wild – super yeasty, earthy like wet leaves, with crazy tart green apple peel aftertaste. Not for beginners but dang, memorable.
- “Natural” Hipster Brand: Pretty minimalist label, pricey though. Really pale color, almost clear. Super subtle – light fizz, soft apple flavor, barely tart. Super easy to drink honestly, felt kinda refreshing but missing that punch I wanted. Good gateway bottle maybe.
- US Small Batch Rebel: Local producer trying Basque style. Cloudy amber color, smelled like overripe apples. First sip – whoa, vinegar tang slapped me! Super dry, intense funky sourness that lingered forever. Not perfectly balanced yet but bold as hell. Respect the effort.
Wrapped it all up comparing them side-by-side (poured little glasses, felt like a wine snob minus the spitting). Learned real sidra ain’t about sweetness – it’s that lip-smacking dryness and funky farmhouse personality. Still got yellow splatters on my kitchen wall from aggressive pours though. Totally worth it.
