Any beers worth trying from Italy and San Marino

Hello, I will be able to get about 4-5 beers from Italy and San Marino in a few weeks as I have a relative that will go in a visit there for a few days. What beers would you recommend me? Are there any good or interesting beers brewed in Italy or San Marino that are easy to find in a supermarket?

Maybe not in supermarkets, but there are several interesting italian beers to try, expecially in the North.

Anything from Extraomnes and Toccalmatto, for examples. If in North East I would ask for Foglie D’Erba, Retorto, Zahre.

If you could give me more context on where in Italy your relative will travel, I can try to give you more detailed info :wink:

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Thank you very much , the trip will be in Rome and San Marino.

Rome? Give me time to come back home and I will give u a lot of addresses/suggestions (I’m from Rome myself)

It’s me again.

So, when in Rome do like Romans do.

I suggest you these two beershops which are in ciyt center, well connected with public transportation and walking distance from some sightseeing:


Interesting breweries to try which are available in Rome:

Extraomnes, Toccalmatto, Hilltop, MC77, Menaresta, Rebel’s, Hammer, CR/AK, Opperbacco.

You can find an interesting travel report I wrote last time I’ve been to Rome, with the beers I had. HERE

This could maybe help you to have an idea of what’s around there.

BTW, please avoid Birra del Borgo, Amarcord and Baladin. They are readily available in supermarkets, but they are either macro or thread very very bad. Not the best beers/breweries to discover the italian craft beer scene

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I am currently drinking this: https://www.ratebeer.com/beer/brewfist-prairie-artisan-ales-spaghetti-western/250046/97853/

It’s a lovely Imperial Chocolate Coffee Porter.

<*))))))><

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Good choice. Their top seller is Brewfist Spaceman (qt01, this could be interesting to bring back home). I remember about 10 years ago it being the best selling IPA in Rome after Punk Ipa. :smiley:

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thanks

thank you for your help, looking forward to trying those in september.

I am a big fan of Panil but couldn’t find it anywhere in Milan two weeks ago. Sadly is seems Italian beer has not progressed at all in the last decade, based on my 2009 and 2019 travels, and in addition to quality issues, it remains unreasonably expensive.

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Re: Baladin
Woh - we had some wonderful Xyauyù in the past (and Nora was pretty good) - what’s changed there?

Birrificio Italiano do some pretty solid brews, in particular their lagers. Tipopils knocks the socks off most other lagers in its weight category.

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Baladin is still good, but would not buy it in supermarkets. This is what I meant :wink:

I agree @JK, not so much about the progression but definitely on the price issue.

<*))))))><

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Johnny’s Off License is a great choice, and there’s a pizzeria nearby called Il Grottino that is both amazing and serves a selection of craft beer. From what I’ve tried CR/AK is one of the country’s top modern breweries (I’d love to hit up their tap room one day), and Loverbeer is AMAZING and worth keeping and eye out for.

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thanks

I agree.
While other beers may be good or excellent, they will just be “another IPA”.
But the XyauyĂą series is a complete other dimension.
They are pricey, but if you get the chance, buy some bottle to bring back home and sip slowly with some friend. You may be able to get a preview while in Rome: the last time I was at Baladin in Milan they were available, small pour from the bottle.

It depends where you buy it.

I live in “arm aber sexy (poor but sexy)” Berlin, and here craft beer is more expensive than Rome. Would you tell?

4,80 euro for a 0,3cl. At least in Rome you pay (in average) 5 euros for a 0,37 and if you are lucky 5 euros for a 0,4. Have you been to Amsterdam lately? Copenhagen? Are you sure craft beer in Italy is still expensive?

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Meanwhile in Sweden - roughly 8-10 EUR or more for a 40cl craft beer in most craft bars.

A 4,5% fruit slushie at Omnipollos Hatt - 40 cl for 14 EUR right now…

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Here it’s a bit cheaper. Catch up a Ryanair flight and enjoy Omnipollo in Berlin

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The price of craft beer should not matter that much to someone who loves beer enough to rate hundreads or thousants of beers. Except of corse if they have a small financial problem. I know that I have spend a lot of money on beer , but it was better buying good beer than drinking the same macro lager over and over again. :smiley: There were a few beers not worth the money , but there were some that were great and that I would buy again at any time.