From the Luciani brothers’ vision to the Barley Festival, a journey through culture
of Italian beer.
In Pedavena, in the province of Belluno, beer is not just a drink: it is part of the
local history and the relationship between business, landscape and community. In this corner of the
Veneto,at the foot of the Dolomites, Italian Traditions retraces the story of one of the
most representative realities of the Italian brassic tradition, born in the end
of the nineteenth century and still today linked to an imaginary fact of historic rooms, large
popular tables and festivals.
The origins of the Factory date back to Luigi, Sante and Giovanni Luciani. Coming from
Canale d’Agordo, the three brothers identified Pedavena as a suitable place for their
project: the country offered an abundance of spring waters, a favorable position
with respect to communication routes and useful conditions also for the supply of the
ice, an element then fundamental for the production and conservation of the
beer. Work began in 1896 and in 1897 the plant went into operation, giving shape to
an initiative that combined entrepreneurial intuition and mountain roots.
A space intended for reception was soon created next to the factory.
The initial idea of adding a Tyrolean chalet to the complex, designed to house the
visitors and serving the beer brewed on site, over time it transformed into a real beer hall.
In 1937 the rooms were expanded with new rooms dedicated to tasting and
to entertainment, while the factory continued to grow as a reference
productive. Today, the Pedavena Brewery is listed as the largest in Italy.
Pedavena’s story, however, was not linear. After corporate transitions and moments
difficult, 2006 marked a turning point: Birra Castello acquired the site, opening a new phase
for the brewery and its relationship with the territory. Since then the Belluno complex has
strengthened its role also through the valorization of its heritage. In
2013 the beer museum was opened, which helps transform the visit into
an experience linked not only to taste, but also to work culture and
local tradition.
The link with the Dolomites also remains central to raw materials. The recipes of the line
Birra Dolomiti, for example, use Italian cereals and selected hops; among the
ingredients also include malt obtained from barley grown in the area, the fruit of a
integrated supply chain project born in 2006 with an agricultural cooperative active in several
municipalities in the province of Belluno.
This connection is also found in the Barley Festival, one of the events
most anticipated summers in Pedavena. The 2026 edition will take place from 10 to 12 July and will have a
particular significance also for the reference to the twenty years since the rebirth of the Factory. The
program includes three days of initiatives in the park and in the beer hall spaces, between
opening of kiosks, DJ sets, outdoor concerts, tastings with experts, visits
guided tours, workshops, children’s activities, markets with typical and artisanal products, the
Birra Castello padel tournament and the arrival of the brand-related gravel ride.
Pedavena’s story, however, was not linear. After corporate transitions and moments
difficult, 2006 marked a turning point: Birra Castello acquired the site, opening a new phase
for the brewery and its relationship with the territory. Since then the Belluno complex has
strengthened its role also through the valorization of its heritage. In
2013 the beer museum was opened, which helps transform the visit into
an experience linked not only to taste, but also to work culture and
local tradition.
The link with the Dolomites also remains central to raw materials. The recipes of the line
Birra Dolomiti, for example, use Italian cereals and selected hops; among the
ingredients also include malt obtained from barley grown in the area, the fruit of a
integrated supply chain project born in 2006 with an agricultural cooperative active in several
municipalities in the province of Belluno.
This connection is also found in the Barley Festival, one of the events
most anticipated summers in Pedavena. The 2026 edition will take place from 10 to 12 July and will have a
particular significance also for the reference to the twenty years since the rebirth of the Factory. The
program includes three days of initiatives in the park and in the beer hall spaces, between
opening of kiosks, DJ sets, outdoor concerts, tastings with experts, visits
guided tours, workshops, children’s activities, markets with typical and artisanal products, the
Birra Castello padel tournament and the arrival of the brand-related gravel ride.