Last Updated on 18 June, 2026
The first time you drink a truly great Italian craft beer, you probably do the same thing everyone does: you look at the glass, then you just keep drinking without saying a word. Because there’s nothing to say. There’s only the quiet realization that everything you’d been drinking up to that point was just the warm-up.
That’s how it started for me. A quick internet search for “brewery near me” and a bicycle. I had just arrived in Friuli, didn’t have a car yet, my wife was still back in Brazil. Birrificio Valscura was reachable by bike, and that settled it. I had that first sip alone, sitting on a bench somewhere, helmet still in my hand. I had that first sip alone, sitting on a bench somewhere, helmet still in my hand.
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Italian craft beer: a movement born thirty years ago, still going strong
The year that Italian craft beer fans all know is 1996. That’s when a ministerial decree opened the legal door to microbreweries, and within months the names that still define the scene were born: Birrificio Italiano, founded by Agostino Arioli; Baladin, by Teo Musso; Birrificio Lambrate in Milan. People who had traveled, tasted, imagined something different and then came home to build it.
From those first pioneers, the movement never looked back. In 2015 there were 649 breweries; by 2022 there were already 1,326, according to the Unionbirrai/OBiArt Report: a 104% increase in seven years, growth that did not stop even during the pandemic. The fastest-growing part is the agricultural segment, today 290 breweries, 22% of the total: they grow part of their own raw materials, from hops to barley, keeping the entire production chain on their land.
A second important milestone came in 2016, when Italy introduced a legal definition of “birra artigianale”: beer produced by small independent breweries, not pasteurized and not microfiltered. A distinction that sounds technical but says everything: craft beer is alive, in the most literal sense of the word.
Northeast Italy played a fundamental role in this story. Veneto and Friuli developed a rich brewing scene, rooted in the territory and constantly evolving, with breweries that have built strong, recognizable identities of their own.
It’s not just beer. It’s a place
What sets Italian craft beer apart is not just quality: it’s the connection to place. In Veneto as in Friuli, many breweries use local ingredients: hops grown a few kilometers away, Italian malts, raw materials that tell a precise geography. This is not a trend. It’s the way this country has always made good things.
In recent years, hop cultivation in Italy has seen a significant revival. Small agricultural producers have chosen to grow this plant again in areas where it was historically present, giving nearby breweries the chance to make a truly local beer, from root to glass.
The result is a diversity that is hard to find elsewhere. In Friuli you can find beers influenced by the proximity to Slovenia and Austria, where different brewing traditions meet and blend. In Veneto, the region’s gastronomic richness is reflected in beers designed to pair with food, from risotto to aged cheeses. Every beer carries something of the place it comes from, and that is one of the reasons it is worth exploring region by region. If you want to take a closer look at this scene, you’ll find everything in our article on craft beer in Friuli.
What’s in the glass: common italian beer styles
“Craft beer” is not a style: it’s a universe. You don’t need to become an expert to enjoy it, but having some orientation helps. Here are the main styles to know, with some examples we have tasted directly in Friuli and Veneto. If you want to find out how to choose based on your own taste, we have a dedicated guide.
IPA (India Pale Ale)
Bitter, hoppy, with citrus or tropical aromas. This is the style that made many people fall in love with craft beer, and it’s often the first one you encounter walking into a brewery. Grava from Birrificio Birra di Meni, in Friuli, is a good example: intense in aroma, direct in character, hard to forget after the first glass.
Blanche (Witbier)
Fresh, with notes of citrus and spice, low alcohol. Perfect for anyone approaching craft beer for the first time. Opalita from Birrificio Garlatti Costa is the beer we have used to introduce this style to many friends who didn’t know where to start: approachable, clean, pleasant. If you’re looking for something more structured, Minela from Bradipongo, in Treviso, is a blanche with more Belgian character: flavourful, with a complexity that recalls the best versions of the style.
APA (American Pale Ale)
Hoppier and more aromatic than a classic Pale Ale, with the same approachability but a more defined character. The F**k Beer Beep APA from Zuppa di Sasso, in Treviso, delivers: old gold colour, generous persistent foam, floral aromas with honey notes. On the palate it has a firm, dry bitterness with a light sweetness to balance it. The texture is almost rough, in the best sense: a beer that makes itself known.
Stout e Porter
Dark, full-bodied, with aromas of coffee, cocoa, and chocolate. Don’t let the colour put you off: these are often the most surprising styles for first-timers. Re Pino from La Rü, in Cornuda near Treviso, is a Smoked Porter brewed with red spruce shoots harvested from the woods near the brewery. The smoky element is delicate, almost whispered: nothing that will unsettle someone who has never tried a smoked beer before. Stefano, the head brewer, told us the story during one of our visits: he drew inspiration from a recipe he found among his grandmother’s old notes. A story we carried home alongside the bottle, and one that makes what’s in your glass taste even better.
Craft Lager
Yes, lager can be craft too. And when it truly is, it’s a completely different experience from the industrial version. Bionda from Agribirrificio Birrò is an easy-drinking and surprising lager that shows just how interesting this often underestimated style can be. àgro’s Lager is also worth your attention: it sets itself apart from a Pilsner through the absence of bitterness, softer, rounder, and very pleasant to drink.
Saison
Light, spiced, fresh. Born to quench the thirst of farmworkers in the fields, today it is one of the most elegant styles around. àgro’s Saison is a well-crafted golden ale with a pleasant flavour of coriander and spice. The bitterness is present but measured, with a slightly sweet finish. A balanced beer that you can keep drinking without it ever becoming tiring.
How to start your italian craft beer journey
You don’t need to find a specialist shop to begin. Sometimes you just need to look more carefully at the shelf of your local supermarket.
A few weeks ago we found two Baladin beers at Visotto, our go-to supermarket: the Birra Nazionale (the pale one) and the Birra Nazionale Ambrata. Baladin is one of the breweries that wrote the history of Italian craft beer, founded in 1996 in Piozzo, in the Langhe hills of Piedmont. Finding two of their bottles on a supermarket shelf at an accessible price is already a signal: craft beer is closer than you think.
The pale Nazionale caught us immediately. Light gold colour, persistent foam, an unexpected sweet honey aroma with a citrus note underneath. The first sip is genuinely surprising, in the best sense: easy to drink, with balanced carbonation and a softness that makes it approachable even for people who don’t usually reach for craft beer.
The Ambrata, tasted straight after, has a completely different character. Old gold colour, slightly hazy, aromas of spice and a floral touch. On the palate it is velvety. The finish is the most interesting part: a sweetness that opens up, then closes on a gentle bitterness, not aggressive, just enough to remind you that someone put real thought into what’s in your glass.
We drank them at home, with a barbecue, crisps, and polenta. Nothing formal, nothing complicated. And it worked perfectly.
Common questions about Italian craft beer
What is the difference between craft beer and industrial beer?
The main difference lies in the production process. Under Italian law, a beer can only be called craft if it is produced by a small independent brewery and has not been pasteurized or microfiltered during production. This means it stays alive, retaining all the yeasts and flavours that fermentation developed. Industrial beer is treated to guarantee stability and consistency at scale, but loses some of the complexity that makes every craft beer different from the last. If you want to understand in detail what changes between the two, we have a dedicated article.
Where should I start if I have never drunk craft beer?
If you are new to it, Blanche is usually the easiest entry point: light, fresh, with citrus and spice notes, nothing intimidating. APA is another good starting point, with more character but still approachable. The best thing, though, is to walk into a brewery or a good craft beer bar and ask for a taste: the people working there love talking about what they do, and they are usually happy to guide you through the choice without making you feel out of place.
Is there really a craft beer scene in Veneto and Friuli?
Yes, and it is richer than many people expect. Veneto and Friuli have a deeply rooted brewing tradition, with breweries working with local ingredients and precise identities. In Veneto and in Friuli there are producers making beers with character, recognizable, tied to the land. It is not the most talked-about scene in Italy, but it is one of the most rewarding to discover in person.
If you want to take the next step, the advice is the same we would give any friend: walk into a brewery near you, look at what they have on tap, and ask. The people behind these places love talking about what they do. They will often let you try before you choose. You just need to be willing to listen.
Before you go, the takeaways:
- Italian craft beer was born in 1996 and today counts over 1,300 breweries, with a growing share of agricultural producers
- Since 2016 there has been a legal definition: beer produced by small independent breweries, not pasteurized and not microfiltered
- Every beer carries something of the place it comes from: in Veneto and Friuli, local ingredients and recognizable identities make the difference
- IPA, Blanche, APA, Stout, craft Lager, Saison: knowing the styles and a few names helps you choose without getting lost
- You don’t need to go far to start: sometimes all it takes is looking at the supermarket shelf with fresh eyes
