The LA SIDRA 270 editorial calls for international visibility, innovation and cultural recognition to create lasting opportunities for cider producers, cider houses and the people who keep cider culture alive.
LA SIDRA.- “Building a future on cider’s strength” is the editorial in the October 2026 issue of LA SIDRA. Below is an English translation of the editorial, which connects progress across the sector with support for cider houses, professional training and the transmission of culture.
Building a future on cider’s strength
Asturian cider shows a vitality expressed both in its international reach and in the activity of villages, cider mills and cider houses. SISGA, which brought together 346 products from 124 producers in 35 countries in Xixón, is one of the clearest examples of this dynamism and of Asturies’ ability to serve as a meeting point for the world’s cider cultures.
The gathering, promoted by Fundación Asturies XXI, enables people to share knowledge, establish contacts and open opportunities for Asturian producers. Madeira and A Estrada joining Cider Cities during the event shows that these meetings create lasting relationships. Consolidating this work and making the most of its possibilities requires institutional and business involvement that matches the scale achieved.
Another significant advance is the inclusion of ice cider in the Sidra de Asturias Protected Designation of Origin. The Regulatory Council’s excellent work deserves explicit recognition for securing this backing for producers’ research efforts. Adding value to Asturian apples, diversifying the range and reaching new audiences are ways to strengthen the sector. Innovation thus opens new commercial and gastronomic paths rooted in our own raw materials and identity.
Support for cider houses and recognition of the craft
This ability to move forward must also translate into better prospects for cider houses. The proposal for a dedicated tax framework opens a necessary debate about the support received by those who keep a culture recognised as part of humanity’s heritage alive every day. Public authorities must turn that commitment into action, while the sector must organise its demands so that recognition has practical consequences.
Training in the craft of pouring cider, such as the work carried out by Tierra Astur, also addresses a fundamental need: having skilled professionals and ensuring their knowledge is passed on. Giving the craft the status it deserves and recognising it in practice remain essential to cider’s future.
Culture, participation and passing on knowledge
Sidrocoles, homemade cider competitions and the recovery of cider memories from Asturian emigration complete a picture in which culture, participation and transmission go hand in hand. Schools, families and villages renew the bond with apples and cider that gives the whole its meaning.
We have reasons for confidence and initiatives that deserve support. The challenge is to sustain this strength and ensure that international visibility, innovation and cultural recognition become lasting opportunities for those who sustain the sector. Caring for orchards, supporting cider producers and securing the future of cider houses is how we give that commitment real substance.
Photo: LA SIDRA 270, page 11. A view of a cider-house bar.
