Post 0021 April 3, 2016    It’s officially Il Birrificio di Como, but it markets beer under the name of Malthus.  The beers are pretty good, and sometimes truly excellent, but a trip to the brewery is worth the hassle of the train trip from Milan.

The Italian town of Como was worth a visit even before the brewery opened in an old silk factory.  The lake is beautiful, as are a good many of the rich and famous who hang out there.   You can get a tour of the lake on a boat with a gelateria on board or take a tour of the myriad of churches and centuries-old town buildings.

Malthus exports beer to the US, but it’s mostly a huge multi-roomed brewpub.  The gardens are clean and attractive and there’s even a large indoor room that screens full length movies if your Italian is good enough to follow the plot.

The brewery emphasizes the pub’s German theme and makes a range of lagers and a reasonably good hefeweizen.   Bier Marilyn, an unfiltered lager, is well balanced, slightly grassy and flavorful.  Ironically the best Malthus beer we’ve ever tasted we found in the US – Malthus Baluba, a dark complex strong ale with more chocolate than evident spice.

We’re assuming that the burgeoning craft beer scene in Italy will encourage Malthus to make more of its adventurous brews available on sight if it hasn’t already.   We’ve always visited Como as a day trip from Milan or on the way to somewhere else.   We’ll be staying overnight next time to soak up more of the laid back lake culture.