From 21 to 27 March, the biggest “widespread event” dedicated to craft beer, organised by Cronache di Birra, web magazine and newspaper, is back: Italy Beer Week 2022.
After the last entirely digital edition, the in-person events are finally back, with pubs, restaurants and breweries involved in initiatives, both in-person and online, along with numerous events organised directly by Italy Beer Week and its partners.
Now in its twelfth edition, Italy Beer Week is the evolution of the craft beer week called Settimana della Birra Artigianale established in 2011 and aims to spread the culture and support the Italian brewing movement by involving different realities all over the country in tastings, public crushes, meetings with brewers, tap takeovers, presentations of new beers, pairing dinners, seminars, webinars, live broadcasts on social networks and more.
“Last year we had to rethink our format, digitalising all the initiatives,” says Andrea Turco, director of Cronache di Birra. “The success exceeded our expectations and prompted us to confirm some of the online events for the 2022 edition as well.
The long-awaited return to live events will further enrich the Italy Beer Week calendar. “We are finally returning to our most natural dimension. Even before being a product to drink or taste, beer is a way to socialise,” says Salvatore Cosenza, organiser of the event together with Andrea Turco.
A foretaste of Italy Beer Week will be held from 18 to 20 March, when Eataly Roma’s Festa delle Birre Artigianali will host the traditional inaugural appointment with the debutant ball – Ballo delle Debuttanti, with the absolute preview presentation of several new beers, also available on the 1001Birre website and ready to be tasted exclusively at the tap of selected pubs throughout Italy from Monday 21 March.
The numbers of past editions of Italy Beer Week are important: 3,405 members, 2,516 events and 1,828 promotions. Figures that have kept pace with the growth of the sector. In 2010 there were only 311 craft breweries in Italy, but now there are more than 800, with a consequent exponential increase in sales volumes in the domestic market, accounting for 4% of total beer consumption, and exports. From being a niche product, craft beer has become part of the everyday life of many consumers.