Food & Beer Culture

What do people eat with beer in Friuli? Frico, a crispy cake made from Montasio cheese, often with potatoes and onions. Its salty richness calls for a cool, light lager. The pungent cheese finds its counterpart in carbonation and mild sweetness.

Prosciutto di San Daniele, the air-dried ham from the town of San Daniele del Friuli, pairs just as well with lager. The delicate saltiness and fat are balanced by the beer without overshadowing the ham. A piece of bread and a bit of Montasio complete the plate.

In Carnia, the mountains to the north, there's cjalsons, filled pasta pockets with a sweet-savory filling. In Friuli people also eat brovada e muset, white turnips pickled in grape pomace served with pork sausage. A lean lager suits both, carrying the seasoning without overwhelming it.

In Venetia, the small bites served with an aperitif are called "cicchetti." These include baccalà mantecato, a creamy whipped salt cod, and sarde in saor, sweet-and-sour marinated sardines. The drink of choice is usually wine, a Prosecco or a Spritz, though a cold beer is always on hand at every bar.

The hills around Conegliano and Valdobbiadene are the heartland of Prosecco, and wine shapes the region's identity. Beer here plays second fiddle, the light everyday glass with a meal or after work. In Pedavena, though, the brewery remains firmly woven into town life, with the Fabbrica in Pedavena serving as the local birreria right on the doorstep.