ust few hours to the end of this 2009. Some days ago I have proposed a retrospective on this year. Today I propose a little game we could play all together: the goal is to guess the facts of 2010 Italian craft beer scene.At the end of the year we’ll dust off this post and find out how many stupid things we were able to said at once .Let’s start with the predictions, divided into categories …

The trend of craft beer in Italy

Trying to understand the trends of the international beer culture is always a fun exercise. In recent days Stephen Beaumont has suggested a continuity with the 2009, providing that the next year main trend will be barrel-aging . It’s probably a right prediction, but I think in Italy will emerge different “fashions”, because barrel-aging is long-established and either because this year has given signals in other regards. I’m talking about the use of grapes and its derivatives and collaborations between breweries.

An increasing number of Italian brewers is trying to brew a beer that somehow relate to wine, Italian national drink par excellence. The most outstanding example is the Barley’s BB10 (brewed with sapa (overcooked must) of Cannonau), which has opened a path followed by other colleagues. The beers produced with grapes or must are several now: the Tibir (grapes Timorasso) and the Open Mind (Barbera must) of Montegioco, the CentesimAle of Karma ( Pallagrello must), the Musa Autumn of Birrificio Italiano (grapes Nebbiolo). Barley introduced in the last days of 2009 the BB Evo, made with Nasco grapes. After the chestnuts-beers are we witnessing the birth of a brand new style of Italian beer?

Often on these pages we talked about collaborations between brewers, fashion that has begun to spread among Italian producers too. Recently, both the Birrificio Italiano and Birra del Borgo began collaborations with foreign breweries: the former with Thornbridge Hall (Sparrow Pit, SuJu), the latter with Dogfish Head (My Antonia) and Grateful Deaf (Stim Bir). Still quite rare the collaborations between the Italians, perhaps the most famous being that between BI-DU and Troll, which gave birth to Utopia. Recently I must report ‘Na Tazzulella ‘e Cafè (Karma + Almond ‘22), Crismas CU+ (Baladin + Birra del Borgo) and San Diego IPA (Revelation Cat + BOA + Port Brewing). If the trend grows we should have some good surprises since usually the result of collaborations involving Italian breweries bring excellent products, which can not always be said for foreign breweries…

International confirmations

2009 was a successful year for Italian brewers, who have begun to gain international acknowledgement with a certain constancy. We must remember the overcoming in major world competitions for Birrificio del Ducato, Birra del Borgo, Birrificio Italiano, Baladin and Rienzbräu. Consolidated breweries, and after years of success within national boundaries, they finally reached the international consecration they deserve. What would then be the confirmation of 2010? I expect some awards for Lambrate, Barley and Olmaia … who knows whether I will be right!

What? Forgot Croce di Malto? No: I entered it in the next category …

Surprises

The victory of Triplexxx of Croce di Malto at the Mondial de la Bière was such an unexpected result that we can consider the Piedmont brewer the real revelation of 2009. Which brewery will be the next year’s? Several excellent breweries recently opened but it’s difficult to believe they will succeed in obtaining an award comparable to the one Croce di Malto won. I bet on Toccalmatto and Pausa Cafè, we’ll see …

Crystal ball

In the latter category, you can really pick any. You should predict one or more resounding events, which will mark indelibly the year 2010. Must be events of exceptional magnitude. No cheating, otherwise it becomes too easy. You should not rely on secret information! Here you can really tell whoppers, without restricting within national scene. For example, I foresee the first acquisition of an Italian microbrewery by a big company and the decline of Brewdog because of their ideas become monotonous. Um, not a 2010 to remember, then … I beg you, unleash your fantasy!

Summarizing, the categories are: future beer trends, international acknowledgments, surprises of the new year and “crystal ball”. I wait for your prediction!