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

Bottle 0,66 L. Creamy white head. Good fully lastiong. Ok malty aroma. Heavy malty and bitter flavour. A nice italian beer.

Tried from Bottle on 23 Oct 2005 at 02:43


5.1
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 4 | Flavor - 5 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 5.5

Bottle. Dark golden with large, dense head. Quite ordinary beer. It is available in the Norwegian Wine Monopoly stores (Vinmonopolet), but I can’t understand why they sell so much average and below average beer when there is so much good beer to import. Well, back to Menabrea. The nose and flavour is mostly malt, and unfortunately some "can-taste" along with a little hops in the end. (050906)

Tried from Bottle on 06 Sep 2005 at 15:14


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

(Bottle 66 cl) Reddish almost pink in colour. Light aroma of caramel and a very decent and lasting hop-bite. Nothing much but a neato substitute for the typical Pils. 081104

Tried from Bottle on 18 Mar 2005 at 03:17


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

(Bottle 66 cl) Nice golden colur with a massive, pretty head. Typical Italian lager: mild, some malty sweetness and not that much character. 180603

Tried from Bottle on 18 Mar 2005 at 02:21


2
Appearance - 4 | Aroma - 3 | Flavor - 1 | Texture - 2 | Overall - 1

Pale golden coloured body with a thin white head & plenty of bubbles rising from the bottom of the glass. Aroma of malt, cardboard, skunk and a slight amount of hops. Ultra-light bodied; Unpleasant malt/skunk flavour with harsh hops and little else. Aftertaste light & tart-not pleasant in the slightest! Overall-horrible...after all, it is italian! But, at least now I know :-). I sampled this 12 counce bottle purchased at the North Street Market in Onancock (Eastern Shore), Virginia on 28-August-2004 on the Eastern Shore of Virginia.

Tried from Bottle on 28 Oct 2004 at 20:55


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

Golden coloured with medium head. Somewhat malty aroma. Quite thin but it has a nice grassy bitterness.

Tried on 24 Oct 2004 at 12:03


4.2
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 4 | Flavor - 3 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 4

Malt, corn and slightly flowery nose. Golden color, small champagne bubbles, ok white head. Lightish body with a corn aftertaste. Reminded me a lot of danish pilsners (which also contain maiz). Incidently danish lagers seem to be quite popular in Italy - I have to investigate the dynamics of this one day.

Tried on 13 Jan 2004 at 13:40


4.9
Appearance - 4 | Aroma - 4 | Flavor - 5 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 5.5

Amber colour. Simple aroma and flavour. The taste is a little more malty and sweeter than the Bionda, but also a bit metallic; the palate is firmly bitter, as the Bionda.

Tried on 09 Sep 2002 at 15:57


4.4
Appearance - 4 | Aroma - 4 | Flavor - 4 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 4.5

Blond lager. Simple aroma and flavour, poor malt, just a strong bitterness.
Which beer competition did they win in Chicago?!?

Tried on 09 Sep 2002 at 15:56


5.5
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 3 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6

A beutiful amber color but without much head. It has no aroma but a flavor of hops and a good malt blend. --------- Tried it again - not as good as the first time

Tried on 08 Sep 2002 at 07:50