«When we started in 2006, we considered wine as our main competitor. We wanted to erode its shelf space in restaurants with a high quality beer, not pasteurized. However, we had also to distinguish ourselves with a completely new packaging, which did not go unnoticed without transcending, but able to capture consumer’s attention». With these words, Fabiano Toffoli explains the use of the labels and of the bottle which characterize the beers produced by 32 Via dei Birrai. Why that number? Fabiano continues: «This is the number which in the Chambers of commerce, the public authorities which regulate Italian business activities, indicates the production of beer. To it we added a road, which exists only in the imagination as an element of curiosity».
Yes, because the brewery ‘32 Via dei Birrai’ has a completely different address at Frazione Onigo di Pederobba, in the province of Treviso. On the other hand, the success achieved thanks to a successful communication based on word of mouth is true. It aroused the interest of a specialist who works on the Asian markets and distributes the brand, also sold in Germany and France, no less than in China, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Australia.
Only l 0.75 bottles are used for the beers produced by Fabiano and his members Alessandro Zilli and Loreno Michielin, who have also decided to limit themselves to high fermentation, with second fermentation and giving up pasteurization, the stage of the production process that would destroy, if employed, many noble components that distinguish the organoleptic characteristics of a high-end beer.
A careful attention to quality, emphasized by the use of the Slow Brewing certification, the association that assesses the conditions of production environments, analyzes the properties of beers and performs a test after tasting by a panel of experts. Toffoli insists: «Essentially, it is a matter of guaranteeing to the consumers the authenticity of a beer also checking it and its production by means of the analysis of the so called ‘sensitive crystallisation’».
Another proof of quality care is the investment made by 32 Via dei Birrai for the series of ozone generators installed in the production premises for sanitize them and keep constant quality. This perseverance has allowed this artisan brewery to win the important award given by Slow Food just to producers who distinguish themselves as for this aspect, essential for the consumer. The production in 2014 is of about 3 thousand hectolitres.
The beers
3 + 2 (3.2% alcohol): its look is characterized by a pale yellow colour, sometimes veiled by the yeast. It has a white, compact, thin, and persistent foam. Its scent gives intense, fruity and herbaceous notes of fresh citrus. Its flavour is typical of light beer, with bitter flavour due to citrus revealed on the central part of the tongue, which remains clean. The freshness produced by coriander and hop completes the sensation of orange zest.
Oppale (5.5% alcohol): its look is characterized by a white, compact, thin, and persistent foam, a light colour, and a fine perlage. Its scent distinguishes itself for its hints of herbs and reminds ripe pineapple, with references to caramel. As it is inspired by Belgian ale, its flavour distinguishes itself for its balanced flavour between caramel and pronounced bitter. Its body is robust.
Curmi (5.8% alcohol): its look is characterized by a white, compact, thin, and persistent foam. Its colour is straw yellow, slightly veiled by yeast. Its perlage is fine. As it is a white beer, its scent reveals notes of flowers and exotic fruits, with slight citric acidity and hints of herbs and bread. Its flavour is fresh, slightly acidic because of the spices which are used, with a delicate presence of malt and hops. It is pleasantly refreshing and with medium body.
Admiral (6.3% alcohol): its look is characterized by a dark amber colour with ruby reflections. Its foam is beige, compact, thin, and persistent. Its perlage is fine. Its scent distinguishes itself for its roasted aroma, with herbal notes and slight acidity due to the caramel malt. Its flavour is typical of a full-bodied beer, inspired by the red Scotch ale. It is double malt with caramel malts which balance its slight acidity due to the roasting of the corn and bitterness of hop, Admiral variety.
Atra (7.3% alcohol): its look is typical of a dark beer, characterized by a monk's frock colour. Its foam is beige, compact, thin, and persistent. Its perlage is fine. Its scent distinguishes itself for its roasted aroma, with notes of coffee, chocolate, carob, walnut, and hints of moist stave, light liquorice, ripe medlar, and caramel. Its flavour is typical of double malt beer, slightly bitter because of the roasted malt which gives scents of coffee, caramel, and chocolate. Its body is very smooth, with typically Belgian ‘watery’.
Nebra (8% alcohol): its look is characterized by an amber colour, without yeast in suspension, and fine perlage. Its foam is white, compact and persistent. Its scent releases soft aromas of white flowers, caramel, with a slight spiciness on the finish. Its flavour shows delicate effervescence, with a lingering aftertaste, very pleasant in the mouth.
Audace (8.4% alcohol): its look is characterized by a white, compact, thin, and persistent foam. Its colour is pale yellow veiled by yeast. Its perlage is fine. Its scent distinguishes itself for its notes of citrus, chamomile, almond, and peach in syrup. In its flavour, at first impact an astringent sensation is felt. It tends to fade, as it usually happens for the Belgian strong ale to which it is inspired. It shows light bitterness for its moderate hopping.
