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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6.3
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 5 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7

25cl bottle. Beautiful amber color, minimal head that quickly vanishes.Caramel aroma and taste with some hops. Dry finish. Above average.

Tried from Bottle on 05 Apr 2008 at 15:54


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

Bottled (BB 06/2007)
Golden color, a bit hazy, small white head. Aroma is strong berries mixed with cardboard. Cardboadish with sweetish honey-maltyness, grassy hops. Does not feel like 6.5 %. Odd beer. Not totally hopeless and this bottle was a bit past its prime propably.

Tried from Bottle on 21 Mar 2008 at 13:29


3.9
Appearance - 4 | Aroma - 4 | Flavor - 4 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 3.5

Bottled (thanks mabjork). Pale golden colour with small white head. Aroma is quite sweet malts with some mild toffeeish hints. Flavour is very much the same. Sweetish sour aftertaste.

Tried from Bottle on 21 Mar 2008 at 13:28


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

Bottle. Amber beer with a dark cream head. Malty, slight earth, mineral aroma. Malty, caramel, slight earth, slight spice flavor. Medium bodied. Spice, caramel linger.

Tried from Bottle on 20 Mar 2008 at 18:04


6.8
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7

Bottle: Poured a rusty light brown with a light white head. The aroma is a caramel malt. The taste is sweet mainly malt.

Tried from Bottle on 15 Mar 2008 at 08:12


5.6
Appearance - 4 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 5.5

Sehr milder Antrunk, leicht herb und Getreidig. Im Mittelteil wir das Bier etwas herber, im Unterton leicht malzig. Erfrischend, eher mild, im Vergleich zu anderen italienischen Lagern doch noch angenehm würzig unnnd herb, vor allem da die Geschmacksnote im Abgang weiter an Stärke zunimmt. Etwas fruchtiger Abgang, leicht malzig, angenehm. Test vom 11.3.2008, Gebinde: Glasflasche Noten: 6,9,10,9,6,9 - 8,70

Tried from Bottle on 10 Mar 2008 at 23:00


2.2
Appearance - 4 | Aroma - 2 | Flavor - 2 | Texture - 2 | Overall - 2

Bottle 0,33 l as Birra Dalla Storia El Che. Pale golden colored. A tiny white head. Unvaried malty taste. Disappointing. Thanks to my son Håvard for carrying this beer all the way from Rome. KI=0.

Tried from Bottle on 29 Jan 2008 at 15:35


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

66 cL bottle. Pours clear brown, almost maghoni. Has a collapsing off-white head. Slight spiced, caramel malty and mild mouldy aroma. Almost no carbonation. Breadish and sweet flavoured, vague spice note. Ends with little bitterness and dominated by more of the same malt notes. I had my hopes high for this and was disappointed, this isn’t bad but not great either.

Tried from Bottle on 03 Dec 2007 at 17:30


4.1
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 3 | Flavor - 4 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 3.5

330ml bottle as Birra Dalla Storia El Che (thanks to Finn). Almost clear golden body topped by a slowly fading, one-finger head. Careful smell of fresh grass and hay. The taste is also light with mix of pale malt and candy sweetness added a spicy note. Dusty and dry ending (at home 08.11.2007 which was also the BB).

Tried from Bottle on 12 Nov 2007 at 01:04


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

Bottle from Bottle Barn. Aroma of yeast and caramel - and arguably bread. Darkish amber color with a white head that diminished rapidly. Thin to medium body with very mild carbonation. The flavor is fruit over caramel. The finish is rather dry, with a bitterness that accumulates with time. Seems a very tasty version of the style.

Tried from Bottle on 14 Oct 2007 at 18:23