It use to happen that the new reinaissance of cider consume in Basque country (in the 80's) and their well known reputation to distort the history makes you believe all what they writte about cider....
It´s true that cider culture was always present in Guipuzcoa, one of the basque regions. But it´s also true that cider disappeared in the other 2 basque regions and Navarra already more than 500 years ago. In fact those regions are nowadays wine regions, and just some people is consuming cider again really slowly.
Beginning last century, also cider in Guipuzcoa was decrasing until 80´s, with a production of 1 mill. Liters for all region.
In that time a couple of people force a new age for cider, mixing all traditions, like drinking directly from wooden cask, with cider culture imported from the principal and oldest cider region in Spain, Asturias.
So actual glass, the way of pouring the cider, most of old big wood casks you can find in basque cider pubs, production technologies...cames from Asturias, even when they try to sell the idea that everything is a millenium-old culture of this people.
So..it´s just a tip, be careful with all what they say or you read, specially when it´s written in another language like english.
It use to happen that the new reinaissance of cider consume in Basque country (in the 80's) and their well known reputation to distort the history makes you believe all what they writte about cider....
It´s true that cider culture was always present in Guipuzcoa, one of the basque regions. But it´s also true that cider disappeared in the other 2 basque regions and Navarra already more than 500 years ago. In fact those regions are nowadays wine regions, and just some people is consuming cider again really slowly.
Beginning last century, also cider in Guipuzcoa was decrasing until 80´s, with a production of 1 mill. Liters for all region.
In that time a couple of people force a new age for cider, mixing all traditions, like drinking directly from wooden cask, with cider culture imported from the principal and oldest cider region in Spain, Asturias.
So actual glass, the way of pouring the cider, most of old big wood casks you can find in basque cider pubs, production technologies...cames from Asturias, even when they try to sell the idea that everything is a millenium-old culture of this people.
So..it´s just a tip, be careful with all what they say or you read, specially when it´s written in another language like english.
In spanish they are not so bold with their myths.