Basque cider house experience with Sagardobus.

Get to know the authentic Basque cider houses with Sagardobus.

Sagardobus, an online platform specialized in offering experiences in Basque cider houses, encourages us to know the ritual of the Txotx. A tradition of great importance in the culture and history of our people that we, the Basques, enjoy year after year. An experience that we recommend you to enjoy in first person. You will not regret it. The cider house season in Euskadi, also known as the Txotx season, usually starts the Friday before January 20 ( San Sebastian’s day) and lasts until almost May. It is a time of the year when families and kuadrillas gather around the kupelas (barrels in Basque) to taste one of the most traditional menus of our land. As usual, in the cider houses to which Sagardobus transports us, the typical cod omelette, a tasty cod with peppers, a great steak and a good dessert awaits us. All this accompanied by that traditional drink that brings us the apple, the Basque cider, sagardoa in Basque. An impressive combination.

Thanks to Sagardobus, more than 25 cider houses located in Astigarraga, Hernani and Usurbil are just a couple of clicks away from anyone who wants to enjoy our beloved Txotx! Variety and quality. And the fact is that, to the 16 cider houses that allow us to book the package of transport and menu we have to add another 10 that have the service of transport only. Of course, we recommend that you make your reservation in advance, as the best cider houses usually hang the “full” sign quite often.

The Basque cider houses, farmhouses scattered on the slopes of the mountains where cider is made and bottled, invite us to visit their facilities and taste their wines among their own kupelas. A tradition, which finds its origin in the purchase / sale of cider. In the old days, the Basques used to go to these places to buy cider, but not before tasting it, of course. A natural product, handcrafted, which could and can be tasted as many times as you want before buying it. And it was at that moment, when at a long table, standing in front of the barrels, the cider was tasted accompanied by a good hamaiketako (lunch at 11 o’clock in Basque). Nowadays, this custom has evolved. Few are those who dare to buy cider directly in these establishments, many are those who decide to enjoy this drink and the culinary delicacies that accompany it directly in the cider houses. Thus, to the cry of “Txotx!”, dressed with a glass in hand, the Basques crowd in front of the kupela waiting our turn to enjoy the new cider of each year. The first official tasting of the year is usually carried out by some famous personage of our land. An act, which begins with the already famous phrase “Hau da aurtengo Sagardo berria” (this is the new cider of this year in Basque). The cider, a drink that until recently was exclusively for consumption in the 2 or 3 months following its elaboration, evolves differently in each barrel. For this reason, it is recommended to taste cider from different barrels to appreciate the nuances and flavors that each one adds to the cider.

You should know that although the tasting of this alcoholic beverage is one of the great attractions of these experiences, Sagardobus is not only for adults. And it is that, the minors, the smallest of house, also count on a personalized attention on the part of this Basque company. On Saturdays and Sundays during the season, their buses depart from Bilbao, Vitoria Gasteiz and Iruña Pamplona to each of the cider houses listed on their website. A journey, which is usually enlivened with traditional music from Euskal Herria and a great atmosphere. Once in Gipuzkoa, the plan is to have a drink beforehand, taste the traditional cider house menu and enjoy the great atmosphere in the old town of Hernani. An unbeatable plan, are you up for it? Currently, Sagardobus represents the best solution to enjoy the txotx without worries. They take care of everything, we only have to choose the date, the origin of the trip and the cider house we like the most. A real pleasure.

Sagardobus video.

Sagardobus has created an audiovisual that has impressed us so much that we wanted to share it with all of you. A video that, sincerely, represents perfectly what you will find during this adventure in Gipuzkoa. In case you want to know more spaces and experiences like the ones shown in this video we recommend you to subscribe to our YouTube channel, we are sure that some of the destinations that we present will catch your attention.

As you have been able to see, Sagardobus is nowadays the best option to enjoy the Basque cider houses. A great solution for all those people who want to taste the traditional cider house menu without worries. Simple, fast, flexible and quality. Highly recommended. In case you have any questions or suggestions, we recommend you to use the comment system that you will find below these lines, we will try to answer as soon as possible. On egin!