Txotx Season — Cider Houses Open in Gipuzkoa

The Basque cider season: a unique gastronomic ritual

The txotx season is one of the great moments in the Basque gastronomic calendar. From January to April, cider houses open so the public can taste the new cider straight from the barrel.

The ritual that turns cider into ceremony

The ritual is always the same, and its simplicity is what makes it perfect:

• The cider-maker shouts "txotx!" and opens the tap of the oak barrel
• Diners approach with their glass and fill it from the arc of cider
• The glass is filled only one third: the air column oxygenates and activates the natural effervescence
• You must drink immediately, before the cider "dies"

The cider house menu: five courses, one tradition

1. Chorizo braised in cider
2. Salt cod with green peppers
3. Salt cod omelette
4. Aged beef txuleta on the grill — the most eagerly awaited dish
5. Idiazabal cheese with walnuts and quince

Where to go: the best areas

The highest concentration of sagardotegias is in Astigarraga, 7 km from Donostia. Book days ahead — places fill within hours during the peak season of January and February.