The Petritegi cider house in Astigarraga wins the V Popular Cider Contest of Euskal Herria

Second place went to Cider House Lizeaga de Astigarraga and third place to Cider House Urdaira de Usurbil.

Organized by Sagardoa Route - Association of Cider Houses of Gipuzkoa, this fifth edition has been held. 43 cider houses from Euskal Herria have participated in this edition, held in Ergobia (Astigarraga), and more than 325 diners have served as a popular jury, while enjoying the good atmosphere and good cider.

This is the fifth edition of the Euskal Herria Popular Cider Contest, which recovers an ancient tradition of cider houses that was lost years ago. Sagardoa Route, Association of Cider Houses of Gipuzkoa and organizer of the event, affirms that each year the participation of both the cider houses and the diners who serve as the popular jury is greater. And they declare that "This is a cause for celebration for those of us who promote the culture of cider."

A different contest, a popular contest

Who better than the consumer to taste the different ciders? It has been "the people" who have decided which are the best ciders this year in Euskal Herria. Diners do not need any preparation or knowledge to participate. They only have to be open to one thing: enjoying cider, because one of the main objectives of this popular contest is to give consumers back the illusion of cider.

This event is mobile, each year it is held in a different place. In this edition, the final took place in Ergobia, but earlier in September, 4 semi-finals were held in 4 other towns in the Basque Country where about 200 more people participated. These semifinals have taken place in towns with a long cider tradition, such as Aduna, Orio and Lizartza, but also in others where the cider culture is not as widespread but is increasingly attracting more interest, such as Zornotza.

In each of these semifinals, held in frontons, gastronomic societies, town squares, etc. Two of the ciders were decided that would later go to the final. In this way, 8 ciders directly became part of the 12 finalists, and the remaining 4 passed according to the average score obtained.

Awards for the cider houses and for the jury

As news, this year the journalist Izaro Iraeta, in addition to presenting the event, has done the honors of reading the final classification during the awards ceremony.

Another novelty for diners is that, in addition to enjoying a dinner with a menu prepared with local products, a batch of the 12 finalist ciders has been awarded to each member of the table who awarded the most points to the winning cider.

Great excitement during the final

The ciders have been served one by one to the tables so that the diners could taste them and rate them. The intrigue to know the name of the finalist cider houses has continued until the end, with the awards ceremony, where the names of the twelve finalists in alphabetical order have been announced first. Afterwards, the winning cider houses of the semifinals were announced and finally, with their nerves on the surface, the first three were named and they were presented with the prizes: a basket of local Hazi products, present from the City Council from Astigarraga and the txapela for the winning cider house.

Local produce

The menu has been based on high quality local products thanks to the collaboration that the Gipuzkoa Natural Cider Association has with Txomin Parrilla, Basatxerri and Lurlan. The menu has been as follows:

• Sliced ​​Pork from Caserío Urdetxe: Ham and Txorizo
• Salad made with Eusko Label products: Lettuce, tomato, chives, Lumagorri chicken, Euskaber boiled egg and Eusko Label Agiña olive oil
• Ajoarriero: Cod garlic with Euskaber egg cooked at low temperature
• Txuleta with Eusko Label Ekain: Grilled Txuleta
• Dessert: Idiazabal cheese with apple sweet

The awards

The first three classified have received:

• A batch of Eusko Label products and products with the Basque Country Denomination from the HAZI Fundazioa Foundation.
• A SAGARDOA ROUTE badge, as a plaque and reminder so that they can display it in their cellars.
• The gift that the Astigarraga City Council has wanted to make.

Peoples and institutions support cider

This contest has been possible thanks to the wide network of collaborating municipalities with which the Sagardoa Route has; and the support and commitment of the Basque Government, the HAZI Fundazioa Foundation, the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa, the town councils and friends of ADUNA, LIZARTZA (Sociedad Txirrita), ORIO (Sociedad Aldapa) and ZORNOTZA (Sociedad Edurmendi) where the grand final was played. .

CLASSIFICATION

1. Petritegi (Astigarraga)

2. Lizeaga (Astigarraga)

3. Urdaira (Usurbil)

FINALISTS (alphabetical order)

 a)  Aburuza (Aduna)

b)  Akarregi (Hernani)

c)   Egi-Luze (Orereta)

d)  Gaztañaga (Andoain)

e)  Oiharte (Zerain)

f)    Rezola (Astigarraga)

g)  Satxota (Aia)

h)  Uxarte (Zornotza)

i)    Zabala (Aduna)

Sidrerías clasificadas en cada semifinal directamente:

Las sidrerías participantes:

En esta quinta edición han participado 43 sidrerías de 20 municipios:

1.      ABURUZA (Aduna)

2.      AGINAGA (Usurbil)

3.      AKARREGI (Hernani)

4.      ALBERRO (Hernani)

5.      ALORRENEA (Astigarraga)

6.      AÑOTA (Azpeitia)

7.      ARAETA (Zubieta)

8.      ASTARBE (Astigarraga)

9.      ASTIAZARAN (Zubieta)

10.    BELTZENIA (Urruña)

11.    BEREZIARTUA (Astigarraga)

12.    CALONGE (Donostia)

13.    EGILUZE (Errenteria)

14.    EGUZKITZA (Tolosa)

15.    EKAIN (Zestoa)

16.    ELUTXETA (Urnieta)

17.    ETXEBERRIA (Astigarraga)

18.    EULA (Urnieta)

19.    GAZTAÑAGA (Andoain)

20.    GOIKOETXEA (Lizartza)

21.    IPARRAGIRRE (Hernani)

22.    IRIGOIEN (Astigarraga)

23.    ITXASBURU (Hernani)

24.    IZETA (Aia)

25.    LARRARTE (Astigarraga)

26.    LARRE-GAIN (Hernani)

27.    LIZEAGA (Astigarraga)

28.    OIANUME (Urnieta)

29.    OIALUME ZAHAR (Astigarraga)

30.    OIARBIDE (Astigarraga)

31.    OIHARTE (Zerain)

32.    OLA (Irun)

33.    ORDO ZELAI (Oiartzun)

34.    OTSUA ENEA (Hernani)

35.    PETRITEGI (Astigarraga)

36.    REZOLA (Astigarraga)

37.    RUFINO (Hernani)

38.    SATXOTA (Aia)

39.    SETIEN (Urnieta)

40.    TXIMISTA (Ordizia)

41.    URDAIRA (Usurbil)

42.    UXARTE (Zornotza)

43.    ZABALA (Aduna)