As an italian having started drinking craft about 10 years ago, the scene has developed immensely and quality is very high now. Great american style beers even from recent breweries (Mister B, Eastside) and the solid names like Hammer, CRAK. The list is very long and you can easily find great examples of every style. Want a lager? Elvo is the master of any lager style!
I dunno what you drank but I assure you are completely wrong about the italian scene. Prices are high compared to other countries tough, but not that high as some nordic states.
As for Panil, I know they mainly make sours but I have hardly seen any of their beers in the last years.
I agree, Iāve been to Italy 5 times in the last few years, I travel weekly to Amsterdam, Paris, Munich and the Nordics, craft beer is similar in price in Italy as Paris and Amsterdam now, whilst Oslo is for sure the most expensive, I have encountered, you could say unreasonable. Amsterdam has got more expensive, Paris always was. In Italy last month in Sicily I was paying 5 to 7 euros a bottle in a restaurant.
Which is cheap compared to the 7,80 for a 33clbottle or 7 euros for a 0,25 cl on tap in Amsterdam.
Still, it would be interesting to know which craft beer you managed to find in a restaurant in Sicily.
On a side note, in restaurants even shitty Peroni/Moretti cost 5 euros or more
Six years ago they told me that Renzo Losi left Panil and opened his own brewery (Black Barrels).
I was wondering what was left at Panil, because Renzo created the brewery, also beer was their secondary business anyway.
After a quick check, it seems that Black Barrels is closed now, and also no new beers have been added to the Panil lineup for many years.
I couldnāt find any recent reference to Renzo Losi, no articles, no activity on Panil media, his FB account is closed; almost as if heās dead.
Iād be curious to know moreā¦
My price comparison is primarily to the USA but also European travel in the UK and Germany I. The last 5 years. A 33 cl bottle of something like a cream ale or a brown ale is far more expensince in Italy from what I saw. Add to that what I found to be a lack of innovation. Styles that were common in the North American craft beer scene 15 years ago when a brewery could open with a brown, and Amber, a stout and a pale ale. Add to that you are paying 3 to 4 Euro for these what I think are lesser styles and I think the price difference is clear.
Being back to Rome for the holidays, I wanted to share this with you. Is Italian craft beer expensive yet?
2 euro for a 0,2 cl of Italian beers (tap). No matter the style. (Exception Is the impy stout, from Poland)
9 beers plus a mix of street food for 20 eurosā¦
1 Like
Looks like Iāll be Sicily in June. My goal is to try an Italian Grape Ale the rest will be gravy
Rome must be an exception as I was in Bari and Verona last month with even most basic Italian beers costing ā¬4. Thatās not even touching on the matter I used to buy Baladin XyauyĆ¹ variances for ā¬25 in 2010 and now they are ā¬35-40. I was hoping to stick up, but only walked away with one and another barleywine they make.
The craft beer revolution reached Rome (and Milan) already in 1994, thatās why in those towns you can find craft beer almost everywhere - with decent prices.
In Rome the average is 5 euros for a 0,3 (tap). Bottles/cans might be more expensive though. But if you know where to go, you can have Italian craft beers for 10 euros/liter.
Anyway, when a Peroni/Moretti/Heineken costs 5 euros for 0,5, I find always more interesting to spend 5 euros for a 0,3 of a good Italian craft Lager (Elvo, Birrone, Zahre, Mukkeller).
The prices for Baladin increased, thatās true. I found the XyauyĆ¹ FumĆØ Teo Musso Riserva in Poland for about 75 euros. Anyway, Baladin is sooooo early 2000ās. In a couple of days we are into the 2020ās, time to discover new Italian breweries 
Baladin Barleywine make me OTM! Iām okay with that. Also @Grumbo shared a Panil BarriquĆ©e with me Saturday that was amazing.
For the Italian Grape Ale, if you are planning to go to Siracusa, there is a micro brewery called Birrificio Malarazza, he does a good Italian Grape Ale called Mosca Bianca, the brewery tap is also classy and the owner very friendly, giving a tour and sampling, you can drink taps and he also sells bottles. Iāve been to Sicily a fair bit, happy to offer some tips if needed.
Thanks mate. Yea Iāve never been to Sicily but itās a family holiday (kids and old folks) so hence why my beer goal is modest no idea what Iāll get to. Staying in Taormina for like 5 nights, Patti for 2 and maybe a night or two in Palermo since that is where flight arrives (only direct from US).
In Taormina these beers are good, locally at Etna, https://www.ratebeer.com/brewers/birrificio-dell-etna/21242/
They do a Grape Ale; Birrificio dellāEtna Polyphemus. Di Bastoni was a good place for beers, including this one : https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g187892-d605293-Reviews-Re_di_Bastoni-Taormina_Province_of_Messina_Sicily.html
1 Like
