How do you pour Spanish cider?
Traditional Asturian cider is poured from a height: the bottle is held high above the head and the glass low and tilted, so the stream hits the glass's edge. This pour, called escanciado, awakens the cider's gas and freshens its flavour. Pour a small amount (a culete) and drink it straight away.
Updated
Key facts
- A named pour. The high pour is called escanciado; it is used for traditional Asturian sidra. [1]
- Drink it at once. The culete "should be drunk immediately and continuously to enjoy the taste of the bubbles that have been vitalized by the escanciado". [1]
- Only for traditional cider. Filtered ("new expression") cider does not need to be poured from a height. [2]
Why is Spanish cider poured from a height?
The stream breaks against the rim of the glass. The Sidra de Asturias PDO says escanciado is done "to awaken the carbon and achieve the freshness of its flavor", and that it volatilises part of the acetic acid. [1] [2] BJCP describes Spanish cider's elevated volatile acidity "that traditionally is liberated using an exaggerated pour known as Escanciar". [3]
How do you pour it, step by step?
- Stand straight. Hold the bottle high above your head and the glass below your waist, tilted, in the centre of your body. [1]
- Aim for the edge. The stream should fall straight onto the rim of the glass. [1]
- Pour a culete. No less than 100 ml, into a thin cider glass. [1]
- Drink it straight away, while it is lively, then pour the next one.
- Look at the foam. The PDO describes three signs: "espalme" (the surface foam should disappear quickly and completely), "aguante" (bubbles that persist through the cider) and "pegue" (how the foam clings to the glass). [2]
Related answers: where to buy Spanish cider · whether Spanish cider has alcohol
Find it on Cider Radar
- Asturias: 43 cider makers listed (as of 2026-10-02).
- Spain: 100 makers (as of 2026-10-02).
- Guide: Spanish sidra
- To buy traditional sidra, see where to buy Spanish cider.
- Open the map: app.ciderradar.com · iPhone · Android
Cider, perry, calvados and pommeau are alcoholic drinks. Enjoy responsibly and follow the legal drinking age where you live.
Questions
Do all Spanish ciders need to be poured from a height?
No. The Sidra de Asturias PDO says traditional natural cider is unfiltered and needs escanciado, while filtered cider does not. [2]
How much cider is poured at a time?
The PDO says a culete should be no less than 100 ml, in a thin cider glass. [1]
Is Asturian cider culture recognised by UNESCO?
Yes. "Asturian cider culture" was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2024. [4]
Sources
- El escanciado — Consejo Regulador DOP Sidra de Asturias
- Natural cider — Consejo Regulador DOP Sidra de Asturias
- 2025 Cider Style Guidelines: C1 Traditional Cider — BJCP
- Asturian cider culture — UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage