Menabrea

Commercial Brewery in Biella (BI), Piedmont, Italy 🇮🇹
Owned by Forst

Established in 1846

Contact
Via Ramella Germanin n.4, Biella (BI), 13900, Italy
Description
Menabrea is the oldest active brewery in Italy. A top premium brewery, given the melding of three elements: An original beer recipe, quality raw materials and an inherent beer culture.

Birra Menabrea is part of the history of beer in Italy. Founded in 1846 by Mr. Welf di Gressoney and the brothers Antonio and Gian Battista Caraccio, in 1854 the brewery was rented to Giuseppe Menabrea and Antonio Zimmermann, who bought it in 1864. Following the exit of Zimmermann from the company, it was Giuseppe Menabrea who set up the 6 July 1872 "G. Menabrea and sons". At the head of the brewery is Carlo Menabrea until, in 1896, the company passed into the hands of Emilio Thedy and Augusto Antoniotti, husbands of the Menabrea sisters. From that moment on, the Thedy family will lead the company.

In 1991, the company became part of the Forst Beer Group. However, Birra Menabrea retains its strong identity and independence intact. Since 2005 the director is Franco Thedy, the fifth descendant of the family. In 2017, Franco Thedy gave the go-ahead for the expansion of the Brewhouse with advanced features and a spectacular visual impact. Inauguration is scheduled for March 2019.

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5.2
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 5 | Flavor - 5 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 5

Bottle 330ml @ home
Pours clear amber with a off-white head. Aroma has notes of malt, bread, caramel/toffee and a hint of floral hops. Taste is light sweet and light bitter. Body is medium to light, texture is thin, carbonation is soft.

Tried from Bottle on 15 Mar 2013 at 11:19


5.8
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 4 | Flavor - 5 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 6

Nearly clear, brown/amber with a short oatmeal head. Malty, bready aroma....caramel. Taste is slightly honeyed, caramel malt, a little peppery spice. Almost a yeasty aspect....slight bitter. Not bad.

Tried on 05 Mar 2013 at 16:26


4.1
Appearance - 4 | Aroma - 4 | Flavor - 4 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 4.5

Bouteille 330ml. De couleur dorée et très légèrement voilée. Nez de grains de malt doux sucrés, légèrement herbeux (gazon mouillé) avec une petite touche de maïs. Mince en bouche et moyennement pétillante avec une texture légèrement aqueuse. Goût de grains de malt sucrés aux notes croustillantes lors de l’entrée en bouche suivi d’un goût sucré (maïs principalement, avec des notes de miel) puis vient finalement une très légèreamertume de houblon herbeux (gazon). Post-goût court, aux faibles notes amères de houblon herbeux.

Tried on 24 Feb 2013 at 13:53


6
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6

66 cl bottle @ KBF. Rated on 26.11.2010
Aroma reminds me of Stallhagen Sommar! It has some ashy notes, grainy malt, toffee and hints of grass. Flavour has toffee, same ashy notes, some grain and nuts. Quite lager‐like, not your typical EPA.

Tried from Bottle on 23 Feb 2013 at 00:59


5.6
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 4.5

On tap @ Bella Italia, Sønderborg. Pours clear pale golden with abundant andstable white head. Clear aroma of hops and grain. Bitter flavour of hop replaced by sweetish malty notes. Metallic finish, without which the beer would be quite decent. OK.

Tried from Draft on 25 Jan 2013 at 08:40


3.6
Appearance - 4 | Aroma - 3 | Flavor - 4 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 3.5

Bottled 660ml. -Pale golden coloured, big (huge) bubbles of carbonation, airy white head that went away fast, cornflakes in the nose. Empty, dry salty water with minimal notes of malt and corn. Typical Italian crappy 0.66l lager.

Tried from Bottle on 18 Jan 2013 at 15:00


3.8
Appearance - 4 | Aroma - 3 | Flavor - 4 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 4

This is brewed by Forst, not even mentioned on Menabrea’s site anymore. Poured a yellow-golden body with a fizzy medium sized white head that went away fast. Slightly skunky aroma, notes of vegetables, slightly acidity, some maltiness. The taste is that vegetabley, herbal hopiness, dry, almost no sweetness, hardly any bitterness, somewhat salty though. Not offensive, a typical Italian crap lager, maybe some sweetish corn notes.

Tried on 14 Jan 2013 at 16:50


5.9
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 5 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 5.5

Bottle @ Bella Italia, Sønderborg. Pours clear dark amber with airy off-white head. Clear aroma of hops and malt with a flowery note. Bitter, hoppy taste, offset by the mild sweetness of malt and some fruit. Dryish aftertaste. Not bad, but nothing revolutionary.

Tried from Bottle on 14 Jan 2013 at 11:43


5
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 3 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 4

Bottle. Pours slightly hazy copper brown with thick off-white head. Clear aroma of hops, malt and dried fruit, possibly apricot. Rather unbalanced bitter-sweet taste of malt with fruity notes. Distinct metallic finish. Nothing really to write home about, but drinkable.

Tried from Bottle on 06 Jan 2013 at 11:52


6.2
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 6

33cl bottle from Zizzi’s restaurant in St Andrews. It pours a pale golden with a slim head and gentle bubbles. The nose has a gentle oatmeal note with a slight hint of something citrus. The taste has more of the oatmeal, then the citrus and perhaps herbs, are more evident. The palate is light to medium bodied with a decent texture and a clean finish. Overall, not a bad lager.

Tried from Bottle on 04 Jan 2013 at 16:24