Genuine, tasty and varied, craft beers in Italy are consumed in large quantities, constituting in recent years in an incredible fashion phenomenon. But what made these beers so special? It is the production based on natural ingredients, such as the barley malt and / or wheat malt (and in some cases also with other malted cereals), basic elements to which are added hops, yeast and water and no chemical element. For this reason craft beer has a limited lifespan compared to artificial one. In industrial production, the product instead is subjected to certain treatments such as pasteurization and filtering, thus inactivating the microorganisms contained in the yeast and then adding the preservatives and stabilizing additives. Those who choose to drink well and with taste, certainly will know the Italian brands of craft beers presented today by Italian Traditions. Here is a ranking of some of the best beers on the market!
Birra Menabrea – From yellow-golden color, it is a beer brewed by the eponymous company with headquarters in Biella, in Piedmont. Under this brand, now owned by the Forst Group, formerly of the Thedy family (heir of the founders of the company), are produced annually about 110 000 hectoliters of beer, part of which is for export to 25 countries. Around Menabrea name develops in parallel the story of an entire dynasty of brewers. The company was founded in 1846 as a laboratory, by the Welf family of origin Walser Gressoney-La-Trinité in Valle d’Aosta and brothers Antonio and Gian Battista Caraccio, originating from Bioglio and holding a café in Biella. It passed into the hands of Menabrea and his sons only in 1872 when the name became G. Menabrea & Figli. More recenton the market is a new product Menabrea, the Strong – Double Malt of 6.5 °, the higher alcohol content among the beers produced. (Via Ramella, Biella tel: 0152522320)
Birra del Borgo – The brewery Birra del Borgo was born in May 2005 in Borgorose, a small town in the province of Rieti, on the border between Lazio and Abruzzo, in the nature reserve of the monti di Duchessa. Leonardo di Vincenzo is the founder and the soul, which competence is now recognized not only within national borders: its beers are in fact already appreciated not only in Italy but also in England, Denmark and the USA. The production is linked to all top-fermented, with a second fermentation in the bottle, “influenced” (as stated by Leonardo himself) from English and Belgian brewing traditions, those most closely related to him. In June of 2014, it was inaugurated a workshop of Birra del Borgo in Rome, where you can buy and taste, choosing your favorite beer among the classic, seasonal and bizarre. (Loc. Piana di Spedino, 02021 Borgorose (RI) +39 06 95222314)
Toccalmatto – It is a beer born in the small town of Fidenza, in October 2008 with a 550-liter plant for boiling. It is the crowning of the founder Bruno Carilli dream, his passion for beers thrives on Belgian and British tradition of a project with three other friends from the beginning to this adventure. Regular guests in taplist of the world’s best local, rewarded and appreciated in nations from brewing secular culture such as Belgium, England and Germany. The beers of this brand are produced at high natural fermentation in all formats, bottles, drums or cask. This is to ensure freshness, shelf-life and taste in evolution. exotic and extreme Luppolature, experiments on yeast and fermentation, exploring new tastes and aromas of fruit, spices, aging in barrels, are some of the features of Toccalmatto, which always occupies and only of character beers. (Via S. Michele Campagna 22, 43036 Fidenza (PR) tel/fax 0524.533289)
Foglie D’erba – In 2008 in Forni di Sopra, in the Friulian Dolomites it was born the brand of beer Foglie D’erba, and continue to grow, including experimentation and application to this very ancient art service. In laboratory by production capacity of 2,000 liters per day are created several brewing specialties, with no compromises in choosing the best raw material available, without resorting to micro-filtration, pasteurization or other devices that would increase the shelf life of products, but would decrease freshness and organoleptic characteristics. Craft beer is “a drop of nature and gives its best when we respect the same freshness, through the foresight in preserving and service, by requesting it in smaller quantities, but more frequently,” these are the words of Foglie D’erba who is careful in guarantee a 100% quality drink. (Via Nazionale 87, Forni di Sopra (UD). Tel: (+39) 347 355 51 97)
Maltus Faber – Maltus Faber is a microbrewery in Genoa, dedicated to the production of quality craft beer, not pasteurized nor filtered and therefore still “alive” and fresh such at the moment of bottling such to that of consumption. The characteristics of these beers, ie the ‘top fermentation and the second fermentation in the bottle, allowing further development and refinement of taste as well as a preservation period of at least a year. Care and artisanal methods of production, attention to quality, link with the territory and the movements of Birraria Culture are the ideas central to the philosophy of this Italian company. The type sweet stout, to the white, amber ale, to brown, to triple and brown extra, the Maltus Faber makes for all tastes! (Via Fegino, 3/U 16161 Genova (GE) Tel. e Fax 010 749.14.40)
