Firenze Brewpub (Il Bovaro)
After we left Rome we hit the Cinque Terre area, known for their regional wine, grappa, limoncino, and herbal liqueurs. Not so much the beer. I had the best Irish Coffee in the hotel bar. I had glasses of dry red and white wine by the sea. The drinks were great.
Then we moved back inland, to Firenze (Florence). By the hotel was a Bavarian-style brewpub (La Birreria Artigianale Il Bovaro), drawing you in with their shiny stainless-steel their tanks visible through the window. Over a table of pizzas and pasta we ordered two of their three beers (the third was a pils).
My observations/opinion...Craft brew is growing in Italy from what I understand. In my very limited experience, it still lacks a lot of that complexity and flavor that we have in the extensive brew market in the states. You also have to account for the core of the market being light lagers, so any expansion will be to a market used to that style.
Axel
Birra chiara doppio malto tipo ale gusto speziato corposo con luppoli aromatici. (Clear double-malt lager, full-bodied with a spicy taste, aromatic hops.) | ABV: 7.1%
Look and Smell: This was a Belgian-style brew. This straw-colored brew had a frothy white head. It smelled sugary and musky.
Taste: I tasted crisp sweet apples and other sugars.
Titan
Birra rossa gusto deciso con sentore affumicato. (Amber with hints of smoked flavor.) | ABV: 6.3%
Look and Smell: This dark red brew had a slightly off-white head made up of tiny bubbles.
Taste: It was malty with a slight roast/smoke. It was a bit watery, but more complex than many local beers.
Then we moved back inland, to Firenze (Florence). By the hotel was a Bavarian-style brewpub (La Birreria Artigianale Il Bovaro), drawing you in with their shiny stainless-steel their tanks visible through the window. Over a table of pizzas and pasta we ordered two of their three beers (the third was a pils).
My observations/opinion...Craft brew is growing in Italy from what I understand. In my very limited experience, it still lacks a lot of that complexity and flavor that we have in the extensive brew market in the states. You also have to account for the core of the market being light lagers, so any expansion will be to a market used to that style.
Axel
Birra chiara doppio malto tipo ale gusto speziato corposo con luppoli aromatici. (Clear double-malt lager, full-bodied with a spicy taste, aromatic hops.) | ABV: 7.1%
Look and Smell: This was a Belgian-style brew. This straw-colored brew had a frothy white head. It smelled sugary and musky.
Taste: I tasted crisp sweet apples and other sugars.
Titan
Birra rossa gusto deciso con sentore affumicato. (Amber with hints of smoked flavor.) | ABV: 6.3%
Look and Smell: This dark red brew had a slightly off-white head made up of tiny bubbles.
Taste: It was malty with a slight roast/smoke. It was a bit watery, but more complex than many local beers.
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