BlogVille Archives - Our Tasty Travels https://ourtastytravels.com/tag/blogville/ Tasting the World, One Country at a Time Mon, 28 Feb 2022 20:20:10 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://i0.wp.com/ourtastytravels.com/wp-content/uploads/Our-Tasty-Travels-Yeti-e1527653816455.webp?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 BlogVille Archives - Our Tasty Travels https://ourtastytravels.com/tag/blogville/ 32 32 104415990 Reggio Emilia’s Craft Beer Scene https://ourtastytravels.com/blog/reggio-emilias-craft-beer-scene/ https://ourtastytravels.com/blog/reggio-emilias-craft-beer-scene/#respond Fri, 17 Jul 2015 03:46:23 +0000 http://ourtastytravels.com/?p=6448 Reggio Emilia is well known for its balsamic vinegar, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, Lambrusco wines, and its beautiful city center. But Reggio Emilia is also becoming a welcome part of the craft beer scene of Emilia Romagna, Italy.

On our recent visit to Reggio Emilia in June, 2015, I wasn’t holding out too much hope for finding a great selection of craft beer. We were staying at the Albergo delle Notarie, just off the Piazza Camillo Prampolini in the center of the city. The only rated beer bar in Reggio Emilia on Ratebeer, Arrogant Pub, is over 3km away, not exactly an easy walk for a few pints. However, I was pleasantly surprised with what I ended up finding.

First, going back to that city center, it’s beyond beautiful. After settling into the hotel, I wanted to run out to find some bottled water for the room, and the first moment I set foot into the Piazza Camillo Prampolini, it took my breath away. And, then I wandered into the Piazza di S. Prospero with the Basilica, and Piazza Martiri del 7 Luglio 1960 with the Teatro Municipale Romolo Valli, and I was hooked! Reggio Emilia is a beautiful city! And if I couldn’t find anything else, I did see a shop that had bottles of Baladin in the window, so I had a feeling I’d be OK if nothing else popped up.

I spent some time sitting in the Piazza Camillo Prampolini to have a beer, and soak in the view. And as expected, the view was better than the beer, but still, I was able to find an Italian craft beer from Manabrea. That served me well for the first day, but I naturally wanted more!

And the next day, I found it. Just meters away from the hotel, heading away from the main Piazza. It was here, in the Piazza San Giovanni, that we found the Bottiglieria San Giovanni, a quaint wine bar, which not only had some Italian craft beer on offer, but local craft beer, from Birrificio Dada out of Corregio, in the Province of Reggio Emilia. They also had a number of bottles from Birra Toccalmatto, out of Fidenza in the Province of Parma. They had outdoor patio seating which was a great place for our entire group to settle down for some wine, beers, and snacks on the Friday evening.

I can never be happy with one great find though, so the next day, it was pointed out that right on the corner, between the hotel and the Bottiglieria, there was another craft beer shop! Le Mille e Una Birra just opened on May 9, 2015, and was offering a fine selection of bottles that you could drink in the shop or take with you to drink at home, or out on the streets with everyone else enjoying the evening in Reggio Emilia. On my visit, there were not too many truly local selections from Emilia Romagna, but there were beers from other provinces of Italy, as well as from the US and other European locations.

Part of the beer selection at Le Mille e Una Birra. #blogville
Part of the craft beer selection at Le Mille e Una Birra in Reggio Emilia, Italy

So don’t fear if you find yourself in Reggio Emilia, concerned that you won’t be able to find a place to satisfy your craft beer craving. Reggio Emilia has you covered!

The team of Our Tasty Travels was in Reggio Emilia as part of the Blogville project, in conjunction with the Emilia Romagna Tourism Board and iAmbassador, however all opinions and calories gained are solely our own. 

]]> https://ourtastytravels.com/blog/reggio-emilias-craft-beer-scene/feed/ 0 6448 Originale 4 Luppoli by Birrificio Angelo Poretti – #OTTBeerDiary Day 180 https://ourtastytravels.com/blog/originale-4-luppoli-by-birrificio-angelo-poretti-ottbeerdiary-day-180/ https://ourtastytravels.com/blog/originale-4-luppoli-by-birrificio-angelo-poretti-ottbeerdiary-day-180/#respond Mon, 29 Jun 2015 19:30:45 +0000 http://ourtastytravels.com/?p=6543 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 180: June 29, 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.

Our final morning in Emilia Romagna, and Italy, for this year’s Blogville project.

The main reason we didn’t head up to Parma yesterday to see my family is that they had to pass through Bologna anyway on their way to Venice, so we agreed to meet up in Bologna at the train station this morning. They had spent the past ten days or so in various parts of Italy, such as Florence, Rome, Pisa, and Cinque Terre. It’s always great to see my parents and sisters, and of course, my niece 🙂 Glad we took the time to hold off on our departure to have some time together.

After they boarded their train to Venice, we head back to the Blogville apartment to pick up our last bags and head off on our long journey home.

A quick stop in Modena at the Ferrari store again to pick up something for Erin’s mom, and then we were good to go!

A nice drive up through Milan and past Lake Como and Lake Lugano.  Coming down we had taken the Grand San Bernard pass, and we’d done San Bernardino a couple times on prior road trips, so this time we took the Gotthard tunnel for the first time. Beautiful lake views, but do beware the traffic!

By the time we were passing Luzerne and heading towards Germany, it was starting to get a little late, and we were getting peckish, so we decided to see if we’d need to take a break. We stopped at a truck stop restaurant south of Freiburg (which I must say, was much better than the on-road Autohof’s) and pushed through until we were nearing Mainz, around 1AM, when I hit my limit on driving for the day.

The Beer:

29-Jun-2015 : Originale 4 Luppoli by Birrificio Angelo Poretti. Picked this up in Modena, Italy. #ottbeerdiary
Originale 4 Luppoli by Birrificio Angelo Poretti

Name: Originale 4 Luppoli

Style: Pale Lager

Producer: Birrificio Angelo Poretti

Alcohol content: 5.5%

Bottle size: 0.33l

Purchased from: Rest stop on the Autostrada in Modena, Italy

A pretty basic lager, some bitterness. Not bad at all, especially considering the hour and how tired I was when I drank it.

Commercial Description:

4 Luppoli Originale (Original beer with 4 hops varieties) is a low fermentation lager with a particularly harmonious flavour.

Fruity aromatic notes sweeten its moderately bitter taste.

Type Lager
Colour Type Pale
Foam Thin Adherent
Aspect Limpid
Colour Pale Yellow
Carbonation Moderate
Body Light
Bitterness Moderate
Raw Materials Water, Barley Malt, Corn Hop.

 

]]> https://ourtastytravels.com/blog/originale-4-luppoli-by-birrificio-angelo-poretti-ottbeerdiary-day-180/feed/ 0 6543 Alley Hop by Birra Bellazzi – #OTTBeerDiary Day 179 https://ourtastytravels.com/blog/alley-hop-by-birra-bellazzi-ottbeerdiary-day-179/ https://ourtastytravels.com/blog/alley-hop-by-birra-bellazzi-ottbeerdiary-day-179/#respond Sun, 28 Jun 2015 19:30:28 +0000 http://ourtastytravels.com/?p=6540 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 179: June 28, 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.

We return today to Bologna, finishing off a great couple of days in Reggio Emilia. Unfortunately, today is our last full day in Emilia Romagna. 🙁

Originally we had some ambitious plans for today, such as heading down to the Festa Artusiana in Forlimpopoli or heading up to Parma for a quick dinner with my parents and sisters. But cooler heads prevailed and we finished up our packing for tomorrow so we could start loading up the car, since it was parked a little distance away and we had a few parcels to transit over to it, with all the food, beer and wine we had picked up over the past two weeks.

Instead, we made a quick run to Modena and the Ferrari Store to pick up the watch Erin’s mother wanted to buy her father for Father’s Day.

https://instagram.com/p/4g5anhh2uK/?taken-by=erindesantiago

Our return was spent on a mission…find sunflowers!

We had seen a number of sunflower fields from the train and highway the past few days, but never had a chance to pop into one. We figured we’d be sure to find one on the way to or from Modena.

After a few wrong turns and a little adventurous exploring, find them we did!

https://instagram.com/p/4iEPcFB2pP/?taken-by=erindesantiago

We finally made our return to the apartment in Bologna, a little later than we had hoped.  Later enough, in fact, that most of our desired options for dinner were closed! Luckily the shop I wanted to visit for my last beer of the trip also had some meat and cheese, so I was able to pick up sandwiches to go with the beer.

The Beer:

28-Jun-2015 : Alley Hop by Birra Bellazzi. A Double IPA from Bologna, Italy. Nice, balanced bitterness, alongside 8.5% ABV. Very drinkable on a hot summer eve. #ottberdiary #blogville
Alley Hop by Birra Bellazzi

Name: Alley Hop

Style: Imperial / Double IPA

Producer: Birra Bellazzi

Alcohol content: 8.5%

Bottle size: 0.33l

Purchased from: Aemilia Food in Bologna, Italy

From the same shop where I bought the Japa earlier in the week. A local double IPA from here in Bologna. Nice balanced bitterness. 8.5% ABV, so not overly strong. Very drinkable.

Commercial Description:

The hard way to go to the basket!
After setting the base malts to give good support to the beer while remaining in the background, we launched massive amounts of American hops to make the basket in the most spectacular way.
The result is this extremely hoppy Imperial IPA: substantially bitter, a deep amber, and absolute drinkability.

Style: Imperial IPA
Fermentation: High
Degrees sweetness: 17 plato
Alcohol: 8.5% vol
Color: 22.4 (EBC)
IBU: 84

 

]]> https://ourtastytravels.com/blog/alley-hop-by-birra-bellazzi-ottbeerdiary-day-179/feed/ 0 6540 Pink IPA by Almond 22 – #OTTBeerDiary Day 178 https://ourtastytravels.com/blog/pink-ipa-by-almond-22-ottbeerdiary-day-178/ https://ourtastytravels.com/blog/pink-ipa-by-almond-22-ottbeerdiary-day-178/#respond Sat, 27 Jun 2015 19:30:26 +0000 http://ourtastytravels.com/?p=6536 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.

https://instagram.com/p/4cDKdkkbUX/?taken-by=metsbwd

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.

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:

27-Jun-2015 : Pink Pepper Italian Pale Ale by Almond 22. A nice Italian IPA with decent bitter flavor, and a little spice. #ottbeerdiary #blogville
Pink Pepper Italian Pale Ale by Almond 22

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.

 

]]> https://ourtastytravels.com/blog/pink-ipa-by-almond-22-ottbeerdiary-day-178/feed/ 0 6536 Rrose Selavy by Dada – #OTTBeerDiary Day 177 https://ourtastytravels.com/blog/rrose-selavy-by-dada-ottbeerdiary-day-177/ https://ourtastytravels.com/blog/rrose-selavy-by-dada-ottbeerdiary-day-177/#respond Fri, 26 Jun 2015 19:30:06 +0000 http://ourtastytravels.com/?p=6534 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 177: June 26, 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 day of exploration, taking in a great mix of the culinary delights of Reggio Emilia.

Our first stop in the morning was to Consorzio “Bibbiano la Culla”, to the Antica Fattoria Scalabrini, a local producer of Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese. We had the opportunity to watch the entire process of making a daily batch of this incredible cheese, from the initial blending, through the shaping and aging process. This culminated in the opportunity to watch the opening of a wheel, a very elaborate process. Trying shards of Parmigiano Reggiano, fresh from the core of the wheel, moments after opening…that’s an experience!

After we had our fill of fresh Parmigiano Reggiano, it was off to the next traditional product, balsamic vinegar. We visited Acetaia Picci, a family-run producer, who gave us a tour of his vineyard and production facility, taking us through the process of maturing this liquid gold. We were also provided lunch at Acetaia Picci, which was quite a treat, especially considering the family ran a Michelin-starred restaurant while waiting for their balsamic line to mature!

https://instagram.com/p/4xJjkEqCy-/?taken-by=ourtastytravels

And in the evening, the main event! The awards ceremony for the 2015 Terre di Lambrusco Matilde di Canossa Wine Competition, held at the gorgeous Romolo Valli Municipal Theatre in the center of Reggio Emilia. We were invited to help present the Diplomas of Merit to the 90 award winning Lambrusco wines, from 45 different producers across the 12 DOP/IDP Lambrusco-producing regions in the classic production zone of Emilia Romagna.

This was followed by a chance to sample the award-winning wines, as well as a selection of local foods. I was quite impressed with the variety of Lambrusco wine styles. There was a wide range across the different growing regions, with wines ranging from very sweet to very sour to very dry. I didn’t sample anywhere near all 90, but I enjoyed almost everyone one I did sample.

https://instagram.com/p/4wdnnMKC_k/?taken-by=ourtastytravels

What a great day!

The Beer:

26-Jun-2015 : Rrose Selavy by Dada. Perfect summer terrace beer. Bitter funk. Very enjoyable. #ottbeerdiary #blogville
Rrose Selavy by Dada

Name: Rrose Selavy

Style: Saison

Producer: Dada

Alcohol content: 7.0%

Bottle size: 0.75l

Purchased from: Bottiglieria San Giovanni in Reggio Emilia

A perfect summer terrace beer from Birrificio Dada out of Correggio in Reggio Emilia province. A fine, bitter funk. Very enjoyable.

Commercial Description: Beer orange reflections, the nose yellow fruit, pepper and bread crust, with a strong flavor but fresh, even on the yeast that gives a pleasant sour note. The finish is dry and pleasantly bitter with aftertaste dominated by herbaceous and peppery hops. Excellent with pasta dishes based on fish. Also try with traditional dishes from Emilia.

 

]]> https://ourtastytravels.com/blog/rrose-selavy-by-dada-ottbeerdiary-day-177/feed/ 0 6534 Birra del 150° Anniversario Ambrata by G. Menabrea & Figli – #OTTBeerDiary Day 176 https://ourtastytravels.com/blog/birra-del-150-anniversario-ambrata-by-g-menabrea-figli-ottbeerdiary-day-176/ https://ourtastytravels.com/blog/birra-del-150-anniversario-ambrata-by-g-menabrea-figli-ottbeerdiary-day-176/#respond Thu, 25 Jun 2015 19:30:53 +0000 http://ourtastytravels.com/?p=6527 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 176: June 25, 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.

After the long day at Milan Expo 2015 yesterday, today was a bit more relaxed, staying again in Bologna, having some grand coffee at Cafe Terzi, and lunch with the group at Da Cesari.

In the evening, we boarded the van for our transport to Reggio Emilia, where we’re spending the next two nights for the Terre di Lambrusco Matilde di Canossa Wine Competition.

Dinner tonight was a feast of all types and cuts of meats at Ristorante Canossa in Reggio Emilia. Quite tasty!

The Beer:

25-Jun-2015 : Birra del 150° Anniversario Ambrata by G. Menabrea & Figli. A wee bit sweet. But drinkable, especially while sitting on a sunny piazza. #ottbeerdiary #blogville
Birra del 150° Anniversario Ambrata by G. Menabrea & Figli

Name: Birra del 150° Anniversario Ambrata

Style: Vienna Lager

Producer: G. Menabrea & Figli

Alcohol content: 5.0%

Bottle size: 0.33l

Purchased from: Cafe in Piazza Prampolini in Reggio Emilia

The beer was a wee bit sweet for my taste, with some malty, caramel notes. The view of the plaza in Reggio Emilia is to die for, which made the beer especially worthwhile though.

Commercial Description:

Regular amber beer, specialty type Maerzen.
Brewed with malt, corn, hops and water.
Beer with good body despite the alcohol content.

Color: Amber with bronze
Body: Round
Amaro: Moderate
Balanced taste: Remarkable
We should consume at a temperature around 8.6 ° C.

]]> https://ourtastytravels.com/blog/birra-del-150-anniversario-ambrata-by-g-menabrea-figli-ottbeerdiary-day-176/feed/ 0 6527 Birra Moretti at Milan Expo 2015 – #OTTBeerDiary Day 175 https://ourtastytravels.com/blog/birra-moretti-at-milan-expo-2015-ottbeerdiary-day-175/ https://ourtastytravels.com/blog/birra-moretti-at-milan-expo-2015-ottbeerdiary-day-175/#respond Wed, 24 Jun 2015 19:30:26 +0000 http://ourtastytravels.com/?p=6525 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 175: June 24, 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 one of those days I’ve been awaiting for a very long time. Today, I went to the World’s Fair!

Erin, Rachelle, Nick and I boarded the high speed train in Bologna this morning for a direct two-hour train ride to to Milan Expo 2015. We spent the day exploring the Expo, visiting many of the country pavilions (Spain’s is quite cool!), sampling some of the food and coffee, and in general, enjoying a gorgeous day exploring the 1.5km long Expo grounds.

The Beer:

24-Jun-2015 : The regional beers from Birra Moretti that were on offer at the World Expo #expo2015 in Milan. Four totally different flavors based on the same lager. Siciliana, with a flavor of Sicilian orange blossoms, Friulana, with Friulian Pippin, Piemontese, with red berry flavors, and Toscana, with barley and spelt. So very different, and all quite flavorful and enjoyable. #Blogville #ottbeerdiary
The regional beers from Birra Moretti at the World Expo Milan

Name: Siciliana, Piemontese, Friulana, Toscana

Style: Pale Lager

Producer: Birra Moretti

Alcohol content: 5.5%

Bottle size: 0.30l draft, each

Purchased from: Birra Moretti, Una Storia Italiana at Expo Milan 2015

Four totally different flavors based on the same lager. Siciliana, with a flavor of Sicilian orange blossoms, Friulana, with Friulian Pippin, Piemontese, with red berry flavors, and Toscana, with barley and spelt. So very different, and all quite flavorful and enjoyable. Especially given the great weather we had all day today.

]]> https://ourtastytravels.com/blog/birra-moretti-at-milan-expo-2015-ottbeerdiary-day-175/feed/ 0 6525 Leön by Birra Baladin #OTTBeerDiary Day 174 https://ourtastytravels.com/blog/leon-by-birra-baladin-ottbeerdiary-day-174/ https://ourtastytravels.com/blog/leon-by-birra-baladin-ottbeerdiary-day-174/#respond Tue, 23 Jun 2015 19:30:57 +0000 http://ourtastytravels.com/?p=6523 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 174: June 23, 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 again we stayed in Bologna, exploring the local gastronomy, including a delightful lunch at Osteria Bottega.

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Tagliatelle with Culatello di Zibello DOP from Chef Spigaroli, the godfather of Culatello and Italy's top Salumi producer. Several years ago, I had the privilege to take a private tour of the cellar where Spigaroli ages his Culatello, and you'll see ones denoted with famous names like Chef Alain Ducasse and Prince Charles who have their prized ones reserved. There is only a small number produced each year, and you won't likely find this on any US menu. The aging takes place in moldy conditions and without artificial climate control. It stinks down there, but it's worth it – the USDA just doesn't agree however. This little bottega here in Bologna sells some of the highest quality meats and cheeses found in all of Emilia Romagna. From the 36 month aged Culatello here to 30 month aged Parmigiano Reggiano, I wanted to eat their entire menu! And speaking of Parmigiano Reggiano, the server says no to serving it on the Tagliatelle with Culatello. The Tagliatelle Ragu ok, not the Culatello. Good to know! #blogville

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That evening we had a great time with the group hanging out on the Via Belvedere, which turns into an open-air plaza where you can enjoy food and drinks from the surrounding business, while listening to live music.An incredible evening!

The Beer:

23-Jun-2015 : Leön by Birra Baladin. A little sweet for my taste. Expected maybe a little sour, but it didn't come. So...not a sour beer. More like a Bock. #ottbeerdiary #blogville
Leön by Birra Baladin

Name: Leön

Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale

Producer: Birra Baladin

Alcohol content: 9.0%

Bottle size: 0.75l

Purchased from: Bar Baladin in Bologna, Italy

Unfortunately, I was not able to find any new Italian beers at the cafes on Via Belvedere, so cracked this one open when I got back to the apartment afterwards. A little sweet for my taste. Expected maybe a little sour, but it didn’t come. So…not a sour beer. More like a Bock.

Commercial Description: Dark, with a good head, Leön mesmerizes with its explosion of scents and aromas which evoke a festive atmosphere, full of cuddles and lazy times. Originally created as a Christmas ale, its chocolate notes mixed with the aromas of dried fruit, licorice and toffee are unforgettable.

]]> https://ourtastytravels.com/blog/leon-by-birra-baladin-ottbeerdiary-day-174/feed/ 0 6523 Japa by LuckyBrews #OTTBeerDiary Day 173 https://ourtastytravels.com/blog/japa-by-luckybrews-ottbeerdiary-day-173/ https://ourtastytravels.com/blog/japa-by-luckybrews-ottbeerdiary-day-173/#respond Mon, 22 Jun 2015 19:30:20 +0000 http://ourtastytravels.com/?p=6505 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 173: June 22, 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 we stayed in Bologna, exploring the local coffee scene at Aroma with Rachelle from The Travel Bite, and a fine restaurant for Lunch at Da Cesari.

We were joined in the apartment by Keith from Velvet Escape and Mei from CC Food Travel, and we took advantage of a recommendation given to us by Lara Gilmore, the wife of Massimo Bottura, and we all went to Vini d’Italia in Bologna for dinner. Turns out we weren’t the only ones, as we ran into a few of the chefs from Al Meni there as well, eating dinner after lunching at Osteria Francescana earlier in the day!

The Beer:

22-Jun-2015 : Japa by LuckyBrews. An American Pale Ale from Montecchio Maggiore in Italy. Nice bitterness, with a citrusy finish. Excellent for an APA. #ottbeerdiary #blogville
Japa by LuckyBrews

Name: Japa

Style: American Pale Ale

Producer: LuckyBrews

Alcohol content: 5.5%

Bottle size: 0.33l

Purchased from: Bologna, Italy

An American Pale Ale from Montecchio Maggiore in Italy. Nice bitterness, with a citrusy finish. Excellent for an APA.

Commercial Description: The beer has a deep amber colour with a copious white head and persistence. The Cascade Dry hopping brings a a scent of citrus and light aroma of pine resin. Japanese crossbreed Sorachi Ace provides a subtle exotic character.

Caramel Notes follow the initial good citrus hop bite. The round body is well combined with a medium carbonation together with a long and refreshing intense bitterness, which never feels invasive. It is a nice bitter and crispy pale ale, well balanced and easy to drink.

Furthermore, the presence of four-leaved clovers in every batch guarantee a small hint ‘o fortune in every bottle you drink. A funny invention from the LuckyBrews’ brewers.

]]> https://ourtastytravels.com/blog/japa-by-luckybrews-ottbeerdiary-day-173/feed/ 0 6505 Salinæ by La Cotta (Azienda Agricola Colleverde) #OTTBeerDiary Day 172 https://ourtastytravels.com/blog/salinae-by-la-cotta-azienda-agricola-colleverde-ottbeerdiary-day-172/ https://ourtastytravels.com/blog/salinae-by-la-cotta-azienda-agricola-colleverde-ottbeerdiary-day-172/#respond Sun, 21 Jun 2015 19:30:52 +0000 http://ourtastytravels.com/?p=6467 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 172: June 21, 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.

We’re spending the weekend down in Rimini, where we are attending the Al Meni food circus put on by Massimo Bottura from Osteria Francescana.

This morning we were privileged to attend the Dejeuner sur L’Herbe brunch at the Grand Hotel in Rimini, which I must admit, was one of the best brunches I have ever tasted!

After the brunch, we had to check out of our hotel, and head back into the old town for some Gelato that Erin had been craving the entire trip. From Gelateria Il Castello, next to the old castle. Delicious!

It was then time to leave Rimini, such a shame, but we heard stories of lots of traffic on weekends such as this, so we needed to get an early enough start to make it back at a decent hour.  But first, we decided to make a side-trip up to Cervia to see if we can see the salt flats where the Cervia salt is made. We thought the visitors center and shop would be closed, but to our great delight, it was still open, so one stop on our itinerary for the coming week was able to be avoided! And to top it off, we had an opportunity to see the fishing boats in Cesenatico on the way up!

The traffic heading out of Rimini was horrible though, so we decided to back-road it the whole way back to Bologna, taking the Via Emilia through Forli and up the whole way. But we made it back in the end, and managed to have time to see good-bye to our housemates who were leaving the next morning, and say hello to some new housemates who had arrived over the weekend.

The Beer:

21-Jun-2015 : Salinæ by La Cotta (Azienda Agricola Colleverde). Picked this up at the Cervia Salt Flats visitors center. Made with the salt water from Cervia. Very tasty. A nice bitterness. #blogville #ottbeerdiary
Salinæ by La Cotta (Azienda Agricola Colleverde)

Name: Salinæ

Style: Golden Ale / Blonde Ale

Producer: La Cotta (Azienda Agricola Colleverde)

Alcohol content: 4.8%

Bottle size: 0.75l

Purchased from: Cervia Salt Flats visitors center

Made with the salt water from Cervia. Very tasty. A nice bitterness.

Commercial Description: A version of the La Cotta Marinéra, a product that was created by ‘harmonious meeting between Montefeltro and the sea, a beer elegant, fragrant and pleasantly bitter, with intense notes of iodine that releases very fresh. Marinera is the synthesis of the wise master brewers La Cotta that, by processing the valuable products from land, barley, oats and hops, mixed with sea salt, have created a beer from agricultural production unique, exclusive and very pleasant.

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