--- title: "Trabanco Sidra Natural: Tasting Notes and Recommended Pairings" description: "Trabanco Tradicional is the yellow-label natural cider of a Gijón house making cider since 1925, fermented with natural yeasts mostly in chestnut casks." url: https://www.thebeertimes.com/en/trabanco-sidra-natural-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-Trabanco.png categories: ["Opinion"] tags: ["Asturias", "Cider", "Opinion", "Spain", "Tasting Notes"] type: post lang: en --- # Trabanco Sidra Natural: Tasting Notes and Recommended Pairings Trabanco Sidra Natural Tradicional is the yellow-label cider of the house founded by Emilio Trabanco, which has been making cider in Lavandera since 1925, and one of the natural ciders of Asturias. ![Trabanco Sidra Natural](https://www.thebeertimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Botella-y-vaso-de-sidra-Trabanco.png)*Trabanco Sidra Natural* Unlike sparkling ciders such as [El Gaitero Clásica](https://www.thebeertimes.com/en/el-gaitero-clasica-tasting-notes-and-recommended-pairings/), natural cider has no added gas and is served escanciada, poured from height to aerate it and awaken its character. Trabanco makes it from cider apple varieties whose must ferments with natural yeasts, mainly in chestnut wood casks. 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. What do drinkers think of Trabanco cider?](#1_What_do_drinkers_think_of_Trabanco_cider) - [2. What is the espalme of cider?](#2_What_is_the_espalme_of_cider) - [3. How is Trabanco natural cider served?](#3_How_is_Trabanco_natural_cider_served) - [4. How long has Sidra Trabanco been around?](#4_How_long_has_Sidra_Trabanco_been_around) - [5. What is the difference between natural cider and sparkling cider?](#5_What_is_the_difference_between_natural_cider_and_sparkling_cider) - [Recommended](#Recommended) ## General Information **Name:** Trabanco Sidra Natural Tradicional **Producer:** [Sidra Trabanco](https://www.sidratrabanco.com/) **Origin:** Gijón, Asturias, Spain **Style:** Spanish Cider **ABV:** 6% **Sweetness:** Dry **Calories:** Not declared **Apples:** Bitter, acidic and semi-acidic **Glassware:** Cider glass ## Tasting Notes and Impressions Trabanco Tradicional is a dry, acidic, almost still natural cider, with the rustic and slightly vinegary edge of Asturian pouring cider. It is not a cider for every palate, but it is one of the most approachable of its style. ### 1. Appearance Bright yellow, with barely perceptible gas in the bottle, and when poured from height it forms a good espalme, that crown of foam that opens as the cider breaks against the glass and does not last. ### 2. Aroma The nose is dry and rustic, with ripe apple, wood notes, a background of slightly overripe apple and a light acetic touch that pouring from height helps release. ### 3. Flavor The entry is dry and acidic, with apple in the foreground and a lively acidity with lactic nuances, mid-palate the wood and a vinegary edge reminiscent of an old lambic appear, and the finish is dry and short. ### 4. Mouthfeel Medium body, practically no carbonation once poured, with marked acidity and dry tannins shaping the structure. ### 5. Overall Impression Trabanco Tradicional is a good gateway to Asturian natural cider, dry, acidic and with the rustic character typical of the style, although its acetic touch and overripe apple notes may puzzle anyone coming from sweet sparkling ciders. Poured from height, fresh and with food in a sidrería is where it makes the most sense. ## Suggested Pairings The dryness, tannins and acidity of natural cider make it a natural companion to Asturian cuisine, especially dishes with fat, salt or seafood. ### 1. Main Courses A fabada asturiana or a cachopo finds its classic counterpoint in this cider, because the acidity and dry tannins cut through the fat of the compango meats and the breading, and each culete cleanses the palate for the next bite. ### 2. Cheeses A Cabrales or a Gamonéu, two Asturian blue cheeses, are balanced by the dryness of the cider, which softens their intensity, while an aged cow’s milk cheese gains freshness from its acidity. ### 3. Vegetarian Dishes Mushrooms sautéed with garlic or roasted peppers work very well, since the cider’s aromatic herb notes accompany earthy and vegetal flavors. ### 4. Desserts Fresh cheese with honey or a not-too-sweet apple tart is the best choice, because a dry cider like this one does not go well with very sugary desserts. ## Frequently asked questions (FAQ) ### 1. What do drinkers think of Trabanco cider? On Untappd it has more than 4,400 ratings, with an average of 3.64 out of 5. Those who try it highlight that it is dry, acidic and almost still, with notes of wood and slightly overripe apple, and several recommend it as a first natural cider, although others find it too acetic. ### 2. What is the espalme of cider? It is the foam that forms when natural cider is poured from height and breaks against the glass. Trabanco highlights the good espalme of its traditional cider, a crown that forms as it is poured and does not last. ### 3. How is Trabanco natural cider served? It is poured from height, from the bottle held up high into a wide glass held at waist level, in small amounts called culetes that are drunk right away. This pouring, known as escanciado, aerates the cider and releases its character. ### 4. How long has Sidra Trabanco been around? The house has been making cider in Lavandera, Gijón, since 1925, and its founder was Emilio Trabanco. In 1963 his children Vicente and Alicia took over, and the family tradition has been passed down to the current generation. ### 5. What is the difference between natural cider and sparkling cider? Natural cider keeps only the residual gas from its fermentation and is poured from height. Sparkling cider has added gas or gas from a second fermentation, and it is served like a sparkling wine, often with some sweetness. ## Recommended - [The Culture of Asturian Cider, Production, Consumption, and Denomination of Origin](https://www.thebeertimes.com/en/the-culture-of-asturian-cider-production-consumption-and-denomination-of-origin/) - [El Gaitero Clásica, Tasting Notes and Recommended Pairings](https://www.thebeertimes.com/en/el-gaitero-clasica-tasting-notes-and-recommended-pairings/)