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Barley Wine aged in Wood
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 Beer,
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Awards
Description: Categoria 16: Birre affinate in legno
1° classificato BIRRIFICIO DEL DUCATO L’ULTIMA LUNA
Publisher:
Great Italian Beerfestival 2011
Press
Publisher:
La Cucina Italiana
Date Published:
05/10/2012
Description / Excerpt:
"Perched at 1,000 feet above sea level, Bricco di Neive, population 60, overlooks some of the most prized vineyards in Barbaresco. In Piedmontese dialect, bricco or bric refers to the highest peak of a group of hills in the region. For generations, locals, including famed winemaker Bruno Giacosa, have spent their days crafting some of Italy’s finest wines here. While many climb these remote hills to taste the fruits of their labor, this small province also has become a destination for another prize, one that draws crowds of up to 300 on any given Saturday. They come from around the world to drink the beer at the brewery, bar and restaurant CitaBiunda.
This craft beer outpost is responsible for elegant brews like BiancaNeive, a rich wheat beer with pronounced aromas of banana, orange peel and coriander, and SensuAle, a corpulent amber ale with surprisingly complex aromas. They, among others, are the handcrafted products of Marco Marengo, a 32-year-old brewer from nearby Alba, who started CitaBiunda with his childhood friend, Stefano Lombardi, in the center of Neive five years ago.
Today, Marengo produces 35,000 liters per year, and he’s not alone. There are currently more than 430 microbreweries operating in Italy, and this number is expected to reach 500 by the end of the year. Fifteen years ago, annual consumption of artisanal beer was about 4,200 U.S. barrels—today it is 383,475 U.S. barrels, says Teo Musso, owner of the Le Baladin brewery, bar and restaurant empire. Quite a wave, considering the first bottles of craft Italian beer appeared on the market in the mid-1990s.
From Torino to Taormina, “birra artigianale”—unpasteurized and unfiltered beer made on a small scale from quality ingredients—has won the hearts of the food savvy. It is a trend that few saw coming in a notoriously wine-centric culture. But a combination of creative, bold brewers, regulatory freedom and a fan base with a receptive palate has catapulted it into the spotlight of the contemporary Italian food scene..."
Credits:
Marisa Huff
URL:
http://lacucinaitalianamagazine.com/article/the-new-birra-italiana
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Picture: bottle label
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