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It’s getting easier to keep oneself up-to-date to Italian beer news, thanks to breweries’ press offices and so many passionate beer bloggers all over the peninsula.

Something is happening in south-Italy, where many breweries opened in the last couple of year. B94, set up almost two years ago in Apulia, near Lecce, presented two new beers, in addition to the three they keep producing since their first appearance.

The first is called Malagrika (7% ABV) and, following one of the most common features of the Italian beer art, it’s tightly tied up with the territory. In its realization has been employed a traditional quince jam, a tipical ingredient in the culinary tradition of the Salento: the “cotognata leccese”. The Malagrika, available in the 37,5cl and 75cl formats, it is introduced like this by the brewer:

A golden beer with pinky hues, characteristic of the “cotognata leccese”, with a creamy and compact foam. The generous amount of jam employed gives an intense aroma of fresh & in syrup fruit to the beer, balanced by a refreshing sensation in mouth. Ideally matched with cheeses of mid seasoning. Its fruity notes allow it to support fancy cakes or tarts, almond pastry, mousse and semifreddoes.

The second beer is called November Ray (4,7% ABV) marked by the acronym SPA, that is for Salento Pale Ale.  Here as it is introduced:

A beer in classical Pale Ale style, bright amber, with a strong malty and fruity aroma. In mouth the malt notes prevail, accompanied by the light grassy of the hops. The carbonation is moderate, the body is light. A beer for all the occasions. Served fresh, it is ideal to accompany any type of dish, particularly appetizers and frieds.

From the Aizercast’s Blog we find out a new production of the Gilac brewery in Piedmont, the Diva. A Strong Ale of Belgian inspiration, described as it follows:

Yellow golden, slightly hazy, with a persistent and well structured foam. Starts flowery with a fresh bitter touch; then a fruity aroma, of cooked apple, mature grape, candied citrus fruit. Balanced body, strong carbonation, a balanced taste with pleasant fruity notes. Long persistence of fresh hops. Dry and soft ending.

Perhaps even more interesting (more curious at least) it’s another Gilac product: the beer vinegar. Despite rather unusual in Italy – even if malignantly someone would not agree – the beer vinegar is known in countries as Germany, Austria and Low Countries and, in comparison to that of wine, it has a distinctive malty taste.

Concerning another northern Italy’s brewery, Beba has introduced some news. The first one doesn’t concern new beers but new formats, considering that Uno and Toro are  now available in 33cl bottles too. The second concerns a series of soft-drinks, that the brewery has launched with very unusual names: Bebanella, Bebaberry, Bebacafè and Bebamint. As noticed by Birra Zen, the creation of soft-drinks from an Italian brewery is an absolute novelty, not considering cider (nevertheless bounded with the beer). Is an innovative and brave project, will see if it will have success…

We close our survey with the Genoese Maltus Faber, that has announced its Birra di Natale (Christmas beer). It’s an amber 8% ABV high fermentation, soft and alcoholic, obviously ideal to accompany festivities’ nosh-ups. As for a lot of Christmas Ales, besides the classical 75 cl, the magnum is available.