Often Overlooked Italian Beers That Deserve Recognition Italian beers like Peroni Nastro Azzurro and Birra Moretti are well-known in countries besides Italy, but there are many other beers from the country that undoubtedly deserve recognition.
So, here are some of the most overlooked ones you should consider trying. You may need to travel to Italy to try some of them. But that is hardly a hardship!
Menabrea is made with water from alpine springs and glaciers, alongside other ingredients of course. The beer is even aged in caves that are located near the Italian brewery. So, you will not find another beer quite like Menabrea.
The blonde lager is the most popular. But a tasty darker amber version of the beer is also available.
In the Italian region of Sicily, Birra Messina is incredibly popular, but it is often overlooked outside of the area.
Made by master brewers, Messina beer is a brilliant-gold lager that has an alcohol content of 4.7%. Although it has a bitterness and dry finish, the flavours are balanced well to create a very refreshing and delicious drink.
This delicately bitter beer has a rich and dark profile. In fact, its chocolate-coloured foam is rather reminiscent of a cappuccino. Therefore, there is perhaps no better beer that sums up the flavours of Italy.
Lambrate Ghisa is a stout-style beer with notes of cocoa, liquorice and fruit. It has an alcohol content of 5%.
Its distinctive and delicate flavours are achieved by the brewing process of toasting the malts; resulting in a smoky, bitter but sweet taste with hints of coffee.
The craft brewery scene is thriving in Italy as it is in many other locations throughout the world. The Cà del Brado brewery arguably makes the finest craft beers in the country. One of its best is Û Baccabianca, which is a grape ale.
Italian grape ales are very popular in Italy but not very well known outside of the country. The distinct Italian beer style is characterised by the variety of grapes that are used during the brewing process.
Seeing as Italy produces some of the finest wine in the world, it is perhaps not surprising that grapes are also used for brewing beer in the country.
Û Baccabianca is fermented with Grechetto Gentile grapes that come from the well-known wine-making region of Emilia-Romagna. The beer is then aged in barrels for a period of six months, along with yeast obtained from the skins of the grapes.
If you get the chance to try Û Baccabianca, you will not regret it. And if you find you develop a taste for grape ale, there are plenty of other grape ale varieties to try in various regions of Italy.
While a trip to Italy will enable you to try a wide variety of Italian beers that are often overlooked but deserve wider recognition, you can purchase many Italian beers in stores and online in many countries around the world.
Indeed, finding the best beers from Italy, your home country, or from around the world is easier than ever before in this digital age.
For instance, finding your favourite beer on untappd.com is simple. Just search for the type of beer you are after, such as “Italian”. You can also use the platform to locate breweries and venues.
You can even keep track of the beers you try and expand your palate by trying new and different styles.
If you do decide to travel to Italy to try the country’s selection of local beers, here are some of the best bars to visit:
Salute!
