Beer in Italy: history, traditions and breweries
For a long time purely a wine country, but since the 1990s home to one of Europe’s most creative craft beer scenes.
History
The oldest traces of beer in Italy come from Pombia in Piedmont: in a grave from the 6th century BC researchers found the remains of a beer made from grain. The Romans, on the other hand, preferred wine and saw beer as a drink of barbarians.
The first large breweries appeared in the 19th century: Menabrea in Biella and Peroni in Vigevano (both 1846), Forst in South Tyrol (1857) and Moretti in Udine (1859). Peroni moved to Rome in 1864.
In the 20th century beer became popular in Italy above all as a refreshing summer drink and with pizza. In 1963 Peroni launched Nastro Azzurro, which soon became known abroad as well.
The craft beer movement began in 1996: Teo Musso brewed his first beers at his pub Le Baladin in Piozzo in Piedmont, and Agostino Arioli opened the Birrificio Italiano near Como. Today there are hundreds of small breweries in Italy.
In 2016 Italy defined by law what a “birra artigianale” (craft beer) is: beer from small independent breweries producing at most 200,000 hectolitres (about 170,434 US barrels) a year, neither pasteurised nor microfiltered.
Traditions and drinking culture
Italian brewers link beer with food and wine. Italian grape ale is brewed with grape must and is now recognised as a style of its own. Beer is often served with meals, frequently in wine-style glasses.
In the north, especially in South Tyrol and Friuli, the beer tradition is old and closely linked with Austria and Bavaria.
Fun facts
- When Luigi Moretti founded his brewery in 1859, Udine was still part of the Austrian Empire.
- The moustached gentleman on the Birra Moretti label is said to have been photographed in a trattoria in 1942. As his reward, all he asked for was something to drink.
- Nastro Azzurro means “Blue Riband”: the name recalls the Italian liner Rex, which won the Blue Riband for the fastest Atlantic crossing in 1933.
- Menabrea in Biella is the oldest Italian brewery still in operation.
- The Italian Grape Ale, a beer brewed with grape must, has been listed as an Italian style in the BJCP guidelines since 2021.
Typical beer styles
Beer cities and their stories
Biella
Menabrea, founded in 1846, is considered the oldest brewery still operating in Italy.
Udine and Tricesimo
Luigi Moretti founded his brewery in Udine in 1859. According to the brewery, in 1942 Lao Menazzi Moretti photographed an elderly moustached guest at the Trattoria Boschetti in Tricesimo – and the picture went on the label.
Rome
Peroni moved from Vigevano to Rome in 1864 and, with brands such as Nastro Azzurro, became one of Italy’s best-known breweries.
Algund near Merano
The Forst family brewery has been brewing in South Tyrol since 1857.
Piozzo
Teo Musso started brewing here in 1996 at his pub Le Baladin. Baladin became one of Italy’s best-known craft breweries.
Lurago Marinone near Como
Agostino Arioli opened the Birrificio Italiano here in 1996. His Tipopils is regarded as the model for “Italian Pils”, a lean, very aromatically hopped pils.
Pombia
In a grave near this village on the Ticino river, archaeologists found the remains of a beer from the 6th century BC – the oldest evidence of beer in Italy.
Breweries and their stories
Menabrea
Considered the oldest brewery still operating in Italy; it brews at the foot of the Alps in Piedmont.
Known for: Menabrea Bionda
Peroni
Francesco Peroni founded the brewery in Vigevano; it has brewed in Rome since 1864. Today Peroni belongs to the Japanese group Asahi.
Known for: Peroni, Nastro Azzurro
Birra Moretti
Luigi Moretti founded the brewery when Udine still belonged to Austria. The man with the moustache on the label became Italy’s best-known beer symbol. Today Moretti belongs to Heineken.
Known for: Birra Moretti, La Rossa
Forst
Family brewery in South Tyrol.
Known for: Forst Premium, Sixtus
Baladin
Teo Musso turned his pub into a brewery and put Italian beer on the table in wine bottles.
Known for: Isaac, Nora
Birrificio Italiano
Agostino Arioli’s brewery created the model for Italian Pils with its Tipopils.
Known for: Tipopils
Timeline
- around 560 BCPombia
The remains of a grain beer survive in a grave near Pombia in Piedmont – the oldest evidence of beer in Italy.
- 1846Biella
Menabrea is founded in Biella at the foot of the Alps – Italy’s oldest brewery still operating.
- 1846Vigevano
Francesco Peroni founds his brewery in Vigevano.
- 1857Algund near Merano
The Forst family brewery starts brewing in South Tyrol.
- 1859Udine and Tricesimo
Luigi Moretti founds his brewery in Udine – at the time the city still belongs to the Austrian Empire.
- 1864Rome
Peroni moves to Rome and becomes one of Italy’s best-known breweries.
- 1942Udine and Tricesimo
A moustached guest is photographed in a trattoria in Tricesimo – the picture ends up on the Birra Moretti label.
- 1963Rome
Peroni launches Nastro Azzurro, named after the Blue Riband won by the liner Rex.
- 1996Piozzo
Teo Musso brews his first beers in his pub Le Baladin – the start of the Italian craft beer movement.
- 1996Lurago Marinone near Como
Agostino Arioli opens the Birrificio Italiano. His Tipopils becomes the model for Italian pils.
- 2016whole country
A law defines “birra artigianale”: beer from small, independent breweries, neither pasteurised nor microfiltered.