Craft Beer - the regional delights of a cold one

Italy obsesses over origin. Cheese must be local, wine estate-grown, pasta shapes regionally correct.

But when it comes to beer, few stop to wonder where the wheat comes from in the Peronis and Morettis guzzled down each night. 

Italy’s craft beer scene, however, is alive and flourishing. After all, craft beer shares the same values that define Italian agricultural excellence: small-scale production, local sourcing, and a deep sense of place. 

Under Italian law, craft beer must be produced by an independent brewery, capped at 200,000 hectoliters annually, and made without pasteurization or microfiltration.

While there’s no rule requiring Italian-grown ingredients, the Consorzio Birra Italiana (the Italian Beer Consortium) advocates for exactly that, tying beer production back to local agriculture.

Craft beer has also presented itself as a social opportunity. In a country grappling with youth unemployment and rural depopulation, the industry fosters entrepreneurship, supports local economies, and offers an alternative to the tourism status quo.

So let us take you to a couple of great craft breweries in Abruzzo to start! Their approach embodies Abruzzese values: patient, uncompromising, and deeply connected to place.

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The Opperbacco Microbrewery was founded in 2009 in the town of Notaresco. It is set like a small gem surrounded by the Gran Sasso mountains to the west and the Adriatic Sea to the east with olive groves, vineyards and orchards all around. The entire production process takes place in a converted stable just to add to the sustainability quotient.

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Birrifico Maiella was founded in 2008, originally aimed at producing beer for the family. After experiencing some 'bottom brewing' the brewery was moved to higher altitude, under the shadow of Majella mountain and now provides a great venue to experience some truly exceptional and local beers. We'll be going for a beer flight in October!

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Under the watch of an ancient Bourbon fortress - Civitella del Tronto - lies the brew house Birra la Fortezza. Here traditional methods combine with local ingredients; passion and instinct combine with innovation and expertise. Underlying all the production is a belief that beer symbolises conviviality, togetherness and most importantly, enjoyment

And finally a new concept bar that is a great place to wind down and try a variety of beers: Opperbacco &Brothers Beer Project. Opened in 2023 this is a brewery born from a joint venture between Luigi Recchiuti , 54, owner of Opperbacco microbrewery in Notaresco (Teramo), and Matteo De Luca , 28, of Thirsty Brother, a brewery in Atina (Frosinone) in Lazio on the west coast. There's something for everyone, with twelve draft lines to choose from, including both their own and a selection from other producers, and a wide selection in cans and bottles, especially Belgian.