--- title: "Sidra 1888: Tasting Notes and Recommended Pairings" description: "Sidra 1888 is the 5% cider Sáenz Briones makes from red apples in Argentina's Alto Valle de Río Negro, at a company owned by CCU since 2010." url: https://www.thebeertimes.com/en/sidra-1888-tasting-notes-and-recommended-pairings/ date: 2026-10-11 modified: 2026-10-11 author: "Carlos Uhart M." image: https://www.thebeertimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Botella-y-vaso-de-sidra-1888.png categories: ["Opinion"] tags: ["Argentina", "CCU", "Cider", "Opinion", "Tasting Notes"] type: post lang: en --- # Sidra 1888: Tasting Notes and Recommended Pairings Sidra 1888 is the 5% cider that Sáenz Briones makes in the Alto Valle de Río Negro from red apples grown in Argentine Patagonia. Its name matches the year the company began operating, and the company has belonged to Chile’s CCU since 2010. ![Sidra 1888](https://www.thebeertimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Botella-y-vaso-de-sidra-1888.png)*Sidra 1888* Sáenz Briones also owns the Real and La Victoria ciders. The 1888 is made from 100% red apples selected and harvested in the Alto Valle de Río Negro and is naturally sweetened, and its main ingredient is the region’s Red Delicious apples. Contenido - [General Information](#General_Information) - [Tasting Notes and Impressions](#Tasting_Notes_and_Impressions) - [1. Appearance](#1_Appearance) - [2. Aroma](#2_Aroma) - [3. Flavor](#3_Flavor) - [4. Mouthfeel](#4_Mouthfeel) - [5. Overall Impression](#5_Overall_Impression) - [Suggested Pairings](#Suggested_Pairings) - [1. Main Courses](#1_Main_Courses) - [2. Cheeses](#2_Cheeses) - [3. Vegetarian Dishes](#3_Vegetarian_Dishes) - [4. Desserts](#4_Desserts) - [Frequently asked questions (FAQ)](#Frequently_asked_questions_FAQ) - [1. Why is the cider called 1888?](#1_Why_is_the_cider_called_1888) - [2. How much alcohol does Sidra 1888 have?](#2_How_much_alcohol_does_Sidra_1888_have) - [3. What do drinkers think of Sidra 1888?](#3_What_do_drinkers_think_of_Sidra_1888) - [4. What apples is Sidra 1888 made from?](#4_What_apples_is_Sidra_1888_made_from) - [5. How should Sidra 1888 be served?](#5_How_should_Sidra_1888_be_served) - [Recommended](#Recommended) ## General Information **Name:** Sidra 1888 **Producer:** Sáenz Briones (CCU) **Origin:** Alto Valle de Río Negro, Argentina **Style:** Common Cider **ABV:** 5% **Sweetness:** Sweet **Calories:** Not declared **Apples:** Red Delicious **Glassware:** Flute or balloon glass ## Tasting Notes and Impressions The 1888 is a semi-sweet, light and sparkling cider, easy and refreshing, built around sweet red apple. It is a cider for toasts and hot days rather than for a long meal at the table. ### 1. Appearance Light yellow and crystal clear, with lively effervescence and a white head of low retention that dissolves a few seconds after pouring. ### 2. Aroma The nose brings sweet, fresh apple, ripe red apple, over a faintly yeasty background that shows when the bottle is opened. ### 3. Flavor Sweet and light from the entry, with ripe red apple in the foreground and a sweetness that leads without becoming cloying, it moves on with little acidity and the faintest astringency toward a medium-length finish, soft and still sweet. ### 4. Mouthfeel Light body, sparkling, with lively carbonation that refreshes and lightens the sugar, and a barely perceptible astringency that never dries the mouth. ### 5. Overall Impression The 1888 is a friendly, unpretentious cider, sweet but not cloying, that works very cold for a New Year’s toast or on a hot day, although its sweetness and simple profile do not invite opening one bottle after another. Anyone looking for the acidity and complexity of a natural cider will not find them here. ## Suggested Pairings Its sweetness and bubbles bring it close to holiday flavors, but it also works with savory dishes that have some fat or a touch of salt. ### 1. Main Courses A roast pork leg or vitel toné, two classics of the Argentine Christmas table, find a natural partner in the 1888, because its sweetness goes with the meat and the bubbles cleanse the fat of the sauce between bites. ### 2. Cheeses A soft cheese such as Argentine queso cremoso or a young brie goes well with its fruit, and a mild blue cheese creates a salty and sweet contrast that lifts the apple. ### 3. Vegetarian Dishes A green leaf salad with apple, walnuts and goat cheese extends the cider’s fruity profile, and vegetable empanadas with a touch of cumin gain freshness from its bubbles. ### 4. Desserts Holiday pan dulce and dried fruit are its natural territory, while an apple pie or vanilla ice cream works as long as the dessert is not sweeter than the cider itself. ## Frequently asked questions (FAQ) ### 1. Why is the cider called 1888? The name matches the year Sáenz Briones, the Argentine company that makes it, began operating. The company also owns the Real and La Victoria cider brands. ### 2. How much alcohol does Sidra 1888 have? It is 5% alcohol. That is slightly above the 4.5% minimum the Argentine Food Code requires for a drink to be called cider. ### 3. What do drinkers think of Sidra 1888? On Untappd it has more than 100 ratings, with an average of 3.59 out of 5. Those who try it describe it as sweet but not cloying, light and refreshing, with a red apple aroma, and several note that it is too sweet to be considered a dry cider. ### 4. What apples is Sidra 1888 made from? It is made from 100% red apples selected and harvested in the Alto Valle de Río Negro, and its main ingredient is the Red Delicious variety. The cider is naturally sweetened. ### 5. How should Sidra 1888 be served? The brand recommends drinking it very cold, even over plenty of ice, and suggests adding a slice of lemon or a few drops of bitters. For our part, we recommend a flute to preserve the bubbles, or a balloon glass if it is served over ice. ## Recommended - [What Is Cider? History, Production, Varieties and Main Characteristics](https://www.thebeertimes.com/en/what-is-cider-history-production-varieties-characteristics/) - [The Revival of Chilean Cider, A Journey from Its Origins](https://www.thebeertimes.com/en/the-revival-of-chilean-cider-a-journey-from-its-origins/)