Luis Álvarez from Mieres del Camín wins the Homemade in Wood Cider Contest

The event was held within the activities of the First Cider of the Year that today closes its ninth edition with an attendance of 9,500 people during the four days.

LA SIDRA.- 20 people signed up to participate in the VII Edition of the Homemade in Wood Cider Contest that takes place every year within the activities that take place within the First Cider of the Year festival. This year the Luis Luis Alvarez won the first place. Previously he had already participated in the contest, finishing third last year and in 2016 he was also the winner. This 2018 returned to be his edition his cider excelled pver the others presented. The second place was for Josemer Oviñana from Uviéu, followed by Ángel Marcos from Pumarín, Xixón. The fourth and fifth place went to José Luis Fernández from Pinzales, Xixón (although he is from Pola L.laviana) and Ricardo García from Deva, Xixón; respectively. The first place obtained a wooden cask of 150 liters. The second, a set of hydrometers and thermometer; the third 500 premium quality corks. From first to fifth place they received a diploma. The winner will be part of the tasting jury the following year.

The jury was composed byXuaquín Fernández; Pedro Baldo, cider pourer of El Duque, Manuel Gutiérrez Busto -president of the jury and also a collaborator of  LA SIDRA magazine-; the taster Rosa María Valdés; and Juan Carlos Valdés  L’Allume cider mill. The pouring was carried out by Jorge Neagu from La Montera Picona, winner in the local category of the Official Championship of Cider Pourers of Asturies in the contest of Xixón that was held in 2017.

The contest began at one in the afternoon. First there was a preselection round in which the five ciders that were going to go to the final were chosen. After a pause, the jury returned to taste the selected ciders. Two draws marked the final: to choose the third and fourth place; and also to choose the first and the second. Finally, Luis Álvarez was the winner. The tastings were blind.

So for the seventh consecutive year this contest was held, the only one of its kind. It is aimed at non-professional cidermakers who use the traditional system of making cider in wooden casks with the aim of giving an impulse to the use of this material for its production, which is gradually falling into disuse due to the generalization of deposits of fiberglass and stainless steel. It is also one of the few existing that has Asturian range since most of those held are limited to the council in which they are carried out.

Today was also the day in which a collaboration was made with ’30 days on bike ‘. This association made a tour of the city that ended at the Muséu del Pueblu d’Asturies. Its members were able to enter the PSLA for free, and to join their claim, the Asturies XXI Foundation allowed all other people who had their bicycles to access the Muséu del Pueblu d’Asturies for free. Thus, the IX edition of the PSLA ended, which this year, despite the time, obtained a good attendance since they enjoyed this celebration around 9,500 people.

(The photo of the jury is in the order described in the second paragraph)