Welcome to Italian Beer Appreciation 2026! This thread is open to Italian beer and Italian-style beer from anywhere in the world — whether brewed in Italy or inspired by Italian brewing traditions and techniques. As a general guide, styles and categories often discussed here include (but aren’t limited to): Italian Pilsner Italian Grape Ale (IGA) Italian-influenced farmhouse and saison styles Italian takes on classic European styles Historically inspired or regional Italian beers Italian brewing has grown into its own voice over the years, often emphasizing balance, drink-ability, and how beer fits at the table — and it’s been fun to watch that evolution continue. Whether it’s a longtime favorite or something new you’ve recently tried, feel free to share and enjoy. Verdi Imperial Stout — a longtime favorite from the 2012–2013 era. I used to order cases when I could and even managed to find a bottle out in Wyoming, which felt pretty surreal at the time. Sharing the photo here as a nod to one of the Italian beers that left a lasting impression.
It will be interesting to see how many posts occur in this thread of the so called Italian Pilsner vs. other types of Italian beer. Salute!
Fair point. From my perspective, Italian Pilsner seems to get most of the attention, but I’m curious to see how much of the broader Italian beer landscape comes up as well.
I am curious as well. Perhaps your enthusiasm will motivate BAs to bring their piggy bank to a specialty beer store and buy one bottle of an Italian craft brewed beer. Cheers!
I’m curious as well. For me, the interest is seeing where genuine curiosity leads rather than motivating purchases. If it helps lower the barrier for anyone who’s interested, I’m always happy to share bottles when I can. Cheers!
Adding one more angle to the mix: today I’m enjoying an Italian-style Pils from Untitled Art, done as a non-alcoholic beer. For me, it’s another example of how Italian-influenced brewing ideas (balance, bitterness restraint, drinkability, and food-friendliness) can translate across formats — whether full-strength, lower-ABV, or NA. It still scratches the same curiosity itch for me: how the style expresses itself, rather than how hard it hits. I did enjoy this one very quickly I might add! I’m genuinely interested to see where this thread goes beyond just Italian Pilsner — including how people are engaging with Italian beer at the table, in whatever form that takes. Salute! Macro shot:
I like the shape of the bottle in the pic of the opening post. Is that bottle style prevalent with Italian beers?
Oh thats a fantastic question, Papa! It mostly is! Here is another play on the bottle from above from Baladin:
Call me a cynic but the choice of interesting shaped bottles is part of a business plan to ‘justify’ elevated prices. Some spirits companies do this as well. Cheers!
That’s a fair and understandable take — and I don’t think it’s wrong to be cynical about packaging in general. Bottle shape can absolutely be part of positioning and pricing, just like label design or glassware. In the Italian context though, some of these shapes predate the modern craft market and come more from wine, spumante, and table traditions than from beer hype alone — Baladin being a good example of borrowing deliberately from that culture early on. Whether that justifies the price is always up to the drinker, of course — but I still find it interesting how those design choices reflect how beer is meant to be perceived and consumed, not just sold. Cheers!
IDK, it seems to me that if this style of bottle is prevalent in Italy, then it could be considered a signature look for the Italian beer industry to outsiders. But it looks like the macro brewers have chosen not to join in on its use. The macros are the only Italian beers that I see in the imports section of the two stores that I frequent, but you're right that bottle shapes can be mostly marketing gimmicks.
FWIW, those Italian macro beers in ‘regular’ bottles are waaay cheaper than those Italian beers in fancy bottles. Cheers!
That’s a fair take, and I agree it can come across as a kind of signature look — especially when craft examples stand out more than the macros most people see day to day. What I find interesting is how, in Italy, those choices often overlap with tradition and table presentation rather than just shelf differentiation. Appreciate the perspective — cheers!
All fair points, and I really appreciate everyone taking the time to share their perspectives here. Pricing, presentation, and access definitely shape how we each experience these beers. This mix of viewpoints is exactly why I wanted to start the thread — thanks for engaging thoughtfully. Cheers!
An Italian non-pilsner: Tohki-shu, an imperial saison with yuzu. From Birra Toccalmatto, in collaboration with Nøgne Ø.
I would be curious to know what the biggest market is for Italian "craft" beer. I'm in Italy right now (Florence and Pisa today; Naples, Rome and Messina the past few days), and interest in anything "crafty" seems to be pretty limited. I've yet to see anything that looks like a taphouse, and beer in cafes and restaurants seems to largely consist of Stella and domestic macro lager products. I've seen a few imports in various wine shops, but very few Italian saisons, pils, pale ales and the like In Florence I plan to hit up Alessi, a very prominent wine and liquor store, and will check to see what they have on offer. At this point however, I get the impression that there is little interest here in anything that isn't yellow and innocuous.
What you’re seeing is pretty typical for Florence and Pisa. Italian craft beer doesn’t really show itself in cafés or most restaurants, especially in tourist-heavy areas — it tends to live in specialty shops and a small number of dedicated beer bars. In Florence, you might want to check places like Alessi (a solid instinct), Beer Spot Firenze, or smaller neighborhood spots such as Il Santino where Italian bottles sometimes show up alongside wine. They’re low-key and easy to miss if you’re staying near the main sights. If you’re specifically looking for brewpubs in Florence, two worth knowing are Archea Brewery and Fermento 1889. Both are low-key, neighborhood spots outside the main tourist corridors, with on-site brewing and food — very different from the U.S. taproom model, but about as close as Florence gets. Pisa is even quieter, but places like Orzo Bruno (a bottle shop) are where Italian saisons, pils, and pale ales are more likely to appear rather than on restaurant menus.
I did notice this was a Toccalmatto but didn't realize it was a collaboration with Nøgne Ø! This sounds great with yuzu!
What you call "limited" is simply a bit more niche. Especially in centuries-old wine-producing lands, bars and beer shops are a bit rarer and more exclusive... You probably won't come across them while strolling down the main street... but they do require some searching. I assure you that in Tuscany there are big quality breweries, first and foremost Brasseria della Fonte. They're obviously not easy to find due to their production capacity, but there's a real interest in craft beer. But it sells less than wine, so it's easier to find a wine shop on the touristy street. In any case, in Florence, craft beers are served at the bar at "Santo Bevitore" or at the ex "Diorama," which is now the pub of a brewery called "Chianti Brew Fighters," where they mainly serve their own beers, at Km 0.
I really appreciate that context, and I agree — the deep wine history in places like Tuscany naturally shapes expectations and visibility. I think where some beer lovers (especially outside Italy) can get tripped up is expecting Italian craft beer to operate at the same scale or prominence as beer cultures in Belgium or Germany. It feels like a different model altogether — smaller, more localized, and often secondary to wine rather than competing with it. That contrast is part of what makes it interesting to me. Cheers!
