Region & History

Where does Italian craft beer come from? A large part of the answer lies in Lombardy. There, in 1996, two breweries opened that still shape the country today: Birrificio Italiano in Lurago Marinone, a town in the Province of Como, and Birrificio Lambrate in Milan.

Birrificio Italiano opened on April 3, 1996, as a brewpub—an inn with its own brewery. It was founded by Agostino Arioli. According to press reports, the setup was a mere 200 liters, backed by a good dozen partners. That same summer, Arioli brewed a Pils that would later become known as Tipopils and make him famous.

Birrificio Lambrate followed almost simultaneously. Fabio Brocca and Davide Sangiorgi, two friends, teamed up with Davide's brother Giampaolo and set up a 150-liter system. Their first beers were called Montestella and Porpora. In 1997, a taproom was added on Via Adelchi, right in the middle of Milan's Lambrate district. It's considered the city's first brewpub.

Both breweries pitted small batches and original recipes against the big industrial brands. Later, more breweries followed, such as Birrificio Milano, founded in 2014. Anyone wandering through Milan today will find bars with craft taps nestled among the old osterie.

There's no protected designation of origin for beer from Lombardy. Not a single Italian beer appears in the EU register, and even "Italian Pils" is just a style name without any protection.