Pink IPA by Almond 22 – #OTTBeerDiary Day 178

This post is a part of the 2015 New Beer Every Day Beer Diary Challenge, #ottbeerdiary.  Over the course of 2015, I will be trying a new beer every day. Please read the background in the link above, and enjoy reading about the most recently tasted beers below. If you’d like to join the challenge as well, let me know in the comments below, and be sure to check out Grown-up Travel Guide and his #grownupbeerdiary, where Andy Higgs came up with the diary format in use below. You can catch up on all of our posts as part of the challenge under the tag ottbeerdiary.

Day 178: June 27, 2015

Diary entry:

We are currently in the Emilia Romagna region of Italy for this year’s Blogville project. We’ll be staying in Bologna, Rimini, and Reggio Emilia over the next two weeks, sampling the local foods, beers, and wines of Emilia Romagna. Follow along with the hashtags #Blogville, #inEmiliaRomagna, and #ViaEmilia.

Today was a another day of exploring the culinary delights of Reggio Emilia.

We were met first thing this morning by Paola, the owner of Azienda Agricola Moro di Rinaldini Paola, one of the award winners from last night’s Terre di Lambrusco Matilde di Canossa Wine Competition. She drove me, Erin, and Anna of Tasty Living Helsinki the 30 minutes or so out to her winery and vineyards in Calerno di Sant’Ilario d’Enza where we met her family (her son runs the vineyard, and her husband makes the wine), explored her vineyards, winemaking facilities, and tasted a full range of her wines and food products. Their Rose Secco 2014 was the award winner from the competition, yet all of her wines were outstanding! We left with quite a few bottles.

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Bottles of Lambrusco wine made in the traditional method, like methode champenoise, a term which is restricted for use only on sparkling wines from the Champagne region itself. Several of us spent the morning with an award-winning Lambrusco producer in Reggio Emilia – what a misunderstood wine it is in many parts of the world. It has a reputation for being sweet and cheap, which couldn't be further from the truth once you learn more about the quality of wines being produced here. #Blogville #terrelambrusco

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On our way back to Reggio Emilia, we took a slight detour by the La Barchessa Parmigiano Reggiano museum in Montecchio Emilia. This small museum comprises of two different historical periods in the production of Parmigiano Reggiano, one showing the production methods of the 1700’s, and the other showcasing the first steam-powered facilities from the 1920’s. Quite interesting, and worth a visit!

Meeting up with the rest of the group, we then headed off to Fattoria Rossi in Montecavolo, where we got to watch our second opening of a wheel of fresh Parmigiano Reggiano, this time using a different opening method splitting the wheel while flat into two half-moon sections vs. halving it into two half-wheels like we saw yesterday.

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In the last two days, I've been incredibly fortunate to witness how a wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano is cracked open. It's quite a process – from the strength required to cut the wheel, to the explosion of flavors that happens once the wheel is finally open. The flavor is different as well, especially as you move closer to the center of the heart. I find it to be more creamy and smooth in flavor. #terrelambrusco #Blogville

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This was followed by a pasta making and cooking class where we made and consumed our own pasta, and sampled more award-winning wines from the competition, these from Azienda Agricola Cantina Fantesini s.a.di Bigi Cesare e Fantesini Chiara from Bibbiano. Excellent wines to pair with the delicious pasta.

The Beer:

Name: Pink IPA

Style: American IPA

Producer: Almond 22

Alcohol content: 6.0%

Bottle size: 0.33l

Purchased from: Le Mille e Una Birra in Reggio Emilia

After returning to the hotel after the cooking class, I was a little curious where ‘d find my beer of the night, but luckily Nick had just the place in mind for me. Le Mille e Una Birra is a new beer bar located just steps away from the Albergo Notarie and Piazza Prampolini in Reggio Emilia. A nice Italian IPA with decent bitter flavor, and a little spice.

Commercial Description:

India Pale Ale brewed with pink pepper, hops Simcoe, Nelson Sauvin and Hallertau Saphyr. Appearance is gold colored load, with shades of orange.
The foam is white, generous, creamy and very persistent.
The aroma is delicate and elegant, dominated by hints of sweet and fruity (especially tropical and pink grapefruit) and light floral notes.
The mouth is light and never be elusive; find the cake with fruit and malt (biscuit) that let you quickly space bitter hops with herbaceous and bitter notes of grapefruit zest. Nice dry finish to cleanse the palate, followed by a taste characterized by herbaceous and vegetal notes and pleasantly moved by a hot peppery note which continues making more lively the next sip.

IPA A very pleasant, clean and very drinkable.
Serving suggestions: pork, beef rib grilled and fried mixed vegetables.