Welcoming sign at Pub 27 in Pompeii
Birra Moretti Lunga Maturazione at Milano Centrale train station.
Date: October 13, 2018
The Story— Moretti got its start when Udine was still part of the Austrian Empire and production bounced around until 1996 when Heineken bought the brand and continues to brew Moretti brands in its four Italian breweries. The original Moretti breweries now produce the Birra Castello brands.
Still, this beer shows that even the big guys, when well motivated, can brew good beers. We’re reminded of the sole night brewer at National Premium at Baltimore changed the hopping schedule to fill the last stages of the brew — resulting in a not so bitter but beautifully hop aroma and flavor. You could absolutely tell a beer that had been brewed on his shift even on their huge brew kit.
Craft beers are crazy popular in Italy today, and some corporate shirt has unleashed a brewer to develop a strong aged ale that is worth savoring. We found it — at a price — at the Roadhouse Restaurant in the Milan train station. It’s on the upper deck and gives a fantastic view of the dozens of tracks as trains come and gol
The Beer–Remarkably complex aroma. Pale malt, the ale fruit is rich, and the end balances well with metal growing in the aftertaste. When it’s very cold it tastes like a very strong pils. Closer to room temperature it’s a good Belgian gold.
Value — good to very good. About five bucks for a standard bottle for a well above average beer.
This week we return to HIGHLIGHTS OF EUROPE– Surprisingly good beer in “bad beer cities.” The best we’ve found in researching our next book – a guide to great beer in European tourist cities. (Planned publication 2019.) We’ll shift back to great American beer finds next week.
Next week we return to the US to highlight some great beers we’ve found in researching out first US Beer publication: Brews and Snooze-– Breweries you can visit and walk back to a fine place to spend the night. Look for it in 2019.
About these posts: We taste and evaluate over a thousand beers every year. The beers posted here rank in the top quarter of those tastings. Values: “fair” is a good beer at an above market price, “good” is worth the money, “very good” is a bargain, and “excellent” is a steal.
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