Llanes trains homemade cider judges with «Entendíos en Sidre»

The first Entendíos en Sidre course for eastern Asturies takes place this Saturday, 7 November, at Aula de Piedra in Llanes, combining theory and practical training for homemade cider judges.

LA SIDRA.— Assessing homemade cider with knowledge and shared criteria is the aim of «Entendíos en Sidre». Campus Campu and the Asociación de Sidra Caseru del Conceju de Llanes are organising the training project, with support from Llanes Council, to strengthen the preparation of judges at cider competitions and tastings.

The initiative was presented at the town hall on Wednesday, 4 November. Its first training day takes place tomorrow, Saturday, at Aula de Piedra, putting the sharing of knowledge at the heart of Asturian cider culture.

From theory to a mock competition

Sommelier Ricardo del Río will lead the training, covering cider’s qualities and faults and the use of tasting sheets. The diplomas will be endorsed by FASCAS and the Cátedra de la Sidra.

The municipal programme sets arrival for 11 am. Following the theory session and a working lunch, the afternoon covers scoring sheets, a knowledge test and a mock competition. Diploma presentations and an espicha, a traditional Asturian cider gathering, are scheduled for 7 pm.

Twenty participants selected from applications

The organisers will select 20 participants from the application forms received. The advertised price is €30 for FASCAS members and €45 for non-members. The official event listing provides the programme and participation conditions.

Training rooted in homemade cider culture

The project sits within a calendar of cider events with strong local participation. The recent Parres tasting, with 35 ciders entered, reflects the vitality of these gatherings. Elsewhere, events such as the Nava cider competition and tasting combine judging with public participation.

This network also includes the final of the Mundo Collada Awards, which brings together cider makers from different councils. Training judges can help make scores easier to explain and turn competitions into opportunities to exchange knowledge and learn.

Image: course poster published in the Llanes Tourism events calendar.