Italian craft beer takes the field against the proliferation of fake “peasant” beers made in Italy often approved by major foreign brands. As a guarantee for consumers and for the protection of companies in the sector, the Consorzio Birra Italiana has recently been set up for the protection and promotion of Italian craft beer, a product that has enjoyed great commercial success in recent times by increasingly demanding consumers in terms of origin of raw materials, from hops to barley and respect for craftsmanship. The purpose of the Consortium is the enhancement of the local production chain, creating a more solid relationship between the craft drink and the raw materials, between small beer producers and growers of barley, hops and other complementary raw materials.
The new body calling gathering all the small producers scattered throughout Italy aims to tell and promote, in Italy and abroad, the quality of raw materials and Italian craft beers, true element of distinction and of link with the Italian territory by promoting the cultivation of barley, from which malt is obtained, and hops, the main basic materials for the preparation of the popular drink. The founders are Teo Musso of the Baladin agricultural brewery, Marco Farchioni of the Mastri Birrai Umbri brewery, Giorgio Maso of the Altavia brewery, Vito Pagnotta of the Serro Croce agricultural brewery and Giovanni Toffoli of the Malteria Agroalimentare Sud.
Il The Consortium will therefore support the breweries in the procurement of Italian raw materials, from a traced and guaranteed supply chain with the associates who undertake to use at least 51% of Italian raw material in their productions, creating a supply chain from the field to the mug with an ever closer collaboration with the Italian growers of barley and hops. The success of national beers has already favored the production of Italian malt, which rose to 80 million kilos in 2018.
The production of Italian barley for the beer supply chain – reads a press release released on the occasion – represents an opportunity for agriculture with the recovery of abandoned areas in marginal areas, with a productive and economic redevelopment of those areas. To produce the malt, the barley grains are germinated by soaking them in water and then dried in special ovens, while hops are a climbing plant up to six meters high from which the flower is collected which gives the beer the typical bitter taste. it has antioxidant properties that improve shelf life and favors the persistence of the foam.
The disciplinary of the Consortium for the protection and promotion of Italian craft beer is based on the definition of "Craft Beer" established by law (art. 2 paragraph 4 bis of law n. 1354 of 16.8.1962, as amended by art. 35 , paragraph 1, Law 28 July 2016, n. 154) which indicates the criteria to be respected by the brewery in three key factors: independence of the brewery, production limit set at a maximum of 200.000 hectoliters per year and product integrity which must not be subjected to pasteurization or microfiltration processes. On the consumption front, the Consortium wants to push towards greater transparency of the menus in restaurants, pizzerias, bars or pubs, where too often brands are offered under the denomination of craft beers that exploit names or geographical indications that suggest Made in Italy craft drinks but which in reality - underlines the Consortium - are produced by giants of the sector worldwide. The disciplinary of the Consortium provides that the indication "from Italian agricultural chain" be integrated into the denomination of "Craft Beer", where the use of dry raw material comes mainly from the Italian agricultural chain, that the production and legal headquarters of the plant in which the beer is produced and packaged is located in the national territory.
"The supply chain agreements - underlines the President of Coldiretti Ettore Prandini - are fundamental tools for defending production, guaranteeing sustainable use of the territory, enhancing distinctiveness, ensuring the right distribution of value, strengthening the identity of the country system and conquering new market shares in Italy and abroad with high quality products that have driven the growth of Made in Italy in the world”.
“The movement of Italian craft beer, born around 1996 - declares Teo Musso, President of the Consorzio Birra Italiana - has produced, over the years, an incredible ferment that has involved several generations of entrepreneurs, favoring a significant and concrete growth that has involved an important related companies and workforce. Today we are experiencing a very delicate moment in its development and consolidation and never more than today is it necessary to clarify the concept of craft beer and craft beer from the Italian agricultural supply chain. Strengthening the concept of Italian spirit by preferring national raw materials in the majority of ingredients, I believe is the concrete way to support product differentiation and to consolidate the tradition of a drink that must be considered, above all, a fruit of the earth. Italy is recognized as an excellence in agricultural production and its products, the fruit of transformation, a uniqueness of great value. Why shouldn't beer, an agricultural product, be valued in the same way as the great Italian agricultural products? The Consorzio Birra Italiana was created with the aim of promoting this cultural transition”.
