Saturday, October 14, 2023
Three nights in Bologna, the final leg of this trip, and Bier-wise, a potential highlight. The Craft Beer Capital of Italia – is how two friends have described Bologna. This summer, a London Beer publication also confirmed the same venues that were – on the list. Craft Beer in Roma has been celebrated for some two decades, however, this year’s short visit limited further investigation. With all the Craft Beer outlets lying within the boundary of the Mediaeval city walls, moving around on foot would be simple, getting to Bologna, less so.
For reasons unknown, our pre-booked train tickets from Pisa involved a fast train to Firenze, a change of station then an onward two hour plus journey by bus. Fast trains were available from Firenze but at unrealistic prices. Arriving at Pisa Centrale just before 11.00 for our 11.43 departure, only one train was on the otherwise blank departure board. The Trenitalia information office was closed, the line of people with suitcases queuing at the ticket desks was growing rapidly. Our previous Trenitalia journeys on this trip have featured constant announcements on every train, in English and Italian that it is now necessary to check-in before boarding a train when using their app. I could check-in for the Bologna bound bus, but not the immediate train journey. The conclusion, no information, no trains.
Having had no option but to use FlixBus between Trieste and Porec & Pula (Hrvatska-Croatia) back in 2018, their app was still on the trusty Oppo. There were two buses going from Pisa to Bologna, the first leaving at 11.30. Having booked two tickets, I took what seemed like the sensible option to then book seats 6A and 6B. The Pisa Coach Station is on the other side of town, a taxi saved us arriving there as sweaty blobs. The FlixBus tracker, where was that on the day I had to escape from Polska, showed a five minute delay in departure. We arrived in Bologna ahead of our original schedule, but not before two chaps boarded in Firenze with seats 6A and 6B booked. So it goes.
Determined to report on at least two Bologna Curry Houses, this was the first item on the Bologna agenda. The joy that was Mirch Masala is written.
One of our advisers had suggested that the coffee at Caffè Terzi is the finest in Bologna. As we walked up Via Guglielmo Oberdan, strains of cosmic music wafted through the air. Two chaps, one on acoustic double Bass, the other on strange contraptions, the Percussionist. A single flip-flop, what a sign, was his primary – drumstick. Digital delay was being put to its full use.
PsicoNauti – I had to buy their CD. Those who know CAN’s – Dizzy Dizzy (Soon Over Babaluma) will recognise the vibe.
And so to Caffè Terzi, where we managed to get a table through the back. This was my first encounter of an Americano served as an Espresso with hot water, as well as hot milk, on the side. We like our coffee hotter than hot.
Tasty coffee, let’s reboil the kettle.
*
*
The next half hour or so was spent at Le due Torri: Garisende e degli Asinelli. There was no desire to climb Garisende, but having just left Pisa, it was weird to discover that Asinelli is tilted by 0.1º more than Pisa’s more famous tower.
Bier o’clock
There are two distinct lines of Craft Beer houses in Bologna. One runs westwards from Piazza Maggiore, the other in a north-south line to the west of the University area. We looped north within the city walls to arrive at Via Mascarella. Zapap Taproom, the most northerly of the cluster was first on the agenda. This tiny bar was stowed, inside and out. A Saturday night, everyone was here. We headed a few metres onwards to LOrtica which again seemed to be mobbed.
Determination got the Hector through the throng huddled at the doorway to LOrtica, Bier was required. Mascarella 28 (Birrificio RuRale, Italia) at 6.0% is an AIPA, no NEIPA / DDH IPA. Yellow, with a slight haze, this West Coast creation was dry, resinous, not what the Hector wanted.
Move along. Actually, Marg’s Limestone Ginger Beer had a much more appealing flavour. As the place cleared a bit, so the staff appeared to recognise our presence. We were forty years older than the average customer. I was intrigued by the number of seats through the back. So many Italians remain addicted to that stinky weed and have to be outside where the penned in seats were full.
The entrance to Zapap Taproom had partially cleared, also, we must have hit Via Mascarella at a significant moment. There was even space at the bar, and a shelf to sit at on the opposite wall. All very cosy. An Aperol Spritz for Marg, for Hector it had to be the Mosaic IPA.
Hoppy Polla (Birrifico Artignale Zapap, Bologna, Italia) at 5.5% was a distinct improvement. Again, West Coast in style, the favoured hop came across. With nothing nasty here, More would have been welcomed, but there were other venues to evaluate.
Our stay at Zapap was prolonged by the excellent pair of girls behind the bar engaging us. In the spirit of Aperitivo, two slices of Pizza were presented. That put the kybosh on plans for dinner later.
Madama Beerstrò was next on the list, however, Marg had other ideas. We were passing a bar, yes one of those normal bars which still served fayre from the twentieth century. The football was on the TV, Marg wanted a break from Bier note-taking. I have no idea what the place was called, or who was playing. I lie.
Italia 4v0 Malta. We were at Spiller, an Italian pub chain featuring Bier from Forst (brewed north of Turin) among others.
The Heller Bock at 7.5% would cleanse the palate of the hops that had recently been implanted. With minimal sweetness, if you had told me this had been brewed in Deutschland, I would not have been surprised. I did like the detail in their Bier menu, as well as the usual information that the Heller Bock was bottom fermented, is information I can share.
Madama Beerstrò was probably the highlight of the night. Only seven taps and still nothing – in the required style, the time was right for a DIPA. Masika (Birrifico Amerino, Italia) at 8.0% was gold and clear. With an appropriate body, this West Coast style DIPA was far from being a Session Bier. Not shabby at all. The palate was adjusting.
It was here we encountered the Bologna Craft Beer map. It matched my research, nay, I had one extra place nearby to visit. The staff again engaged, the advantages of having a Revolut card were outlined. In exchange, a chap suggested a NEIPA in CAN, again from Birrificio Amerino. Bier from a CAN, aye right! Next time.
Birreria Popolare was the newcomer. Again busy inside and out, the Bier choices were popular Euro fayre on one board, Italian Craft on the other.
Ciube (Birrificio Artigianale Lariano, Italia) an 8.5% DIPA was the Hector choice. Gold in colour, with a slight haze, the body reflected the abv. Dry tasting, there was nothing significant in the way of hops coming across. This is the way the night, indeed the majority of the Italian Craft Beer scene, appears to be.
The seating area was – through – the bar, a strange experience. We became aware of the downstairs room, perhaps a crowd had been watching the football on the large screen. They evacuated leaving it empty. This was a decent venue, the staff were communicative, welcoming.
Astral Beers Pub was the last port of call on this east side strip. There was a feeling that the large space might have been better utilised.
Seven taps, and being the night-cap, the Hector went dark. A 10% Baltic Porter would have gone down well, a 5.5% Dry Stout had to suffice. Gallagher Stout (Hilltop, Italia) had the hoped for chocolate and coffee hit, now imagine it at 10%.
Sunday, October 15, 2023
Mornings, what’s the point? Marg tends to disappear to get her steps up, the Hector usually gets around to some blogging. With yesterday’s Curry written up, it was time to find today’s. Sadly, not such a great experience. However, despite not having eaten there, I have gathered enough information over two days to establish that Tikka Point (Desi Nashta) is definitely the place to check out.
We strolled through Parco della Montagnola on our return from the wrong side of the tracks. Not much to see there.
Piazza Maggiore would then be studied today. Today’s busker sounded like Bernardo Lanzetti (Premiata Forneria Marconi) as we approached the square. He then changed to songs with English lyrics, wee pop tunes.
Today, I did not buy a CD.
Fontana del Nettuno, a famous erection on Piazza Maggiore, was screened off at the base. We spent time therefore appreciating the statue of Galvani. My interpretation of the plaque was that he was the first to send a message by wire in Italia. Galvanised – is certainly a well known term.
Marg had already visited the basilica at the top of the square. To me, it appeared to be incomplete, and therefore of little architectural merit.
Bier o’clock
Via Ugo Bassi runs west from Piazza Maggiore. Where it ends one finds the beginning of Via del Pratello, here there be Bier.
Mutenye, our local.
Somehow we missed Beer for Bunnies which is at the first corner. Birroteca Bukowsky was the target, closed on Sundays, as we discovered. We had spotted Mutenye, one of two premises with a mass of Bier taps, but not Craft Beer houses per se. Mutenye has Edlestoff (Augustiner, München)! Hector had to pay homage.
The young chap, featured above, spotted my Früh (Köln, Deutschalnd) t-shirt. He promptly produced a Früh tap. So gravity poured Bier at times?
Il Punto lies to the north of Via del Pratello, round the corner from a certain Scottish brewer whose name does not appear in these pages. Il Punto was a strange place. The staff were a bit in one’s face. Two bars, one for food? Lots of space, a covered area in the doorway, a large room off the bar area.
Eight taps, one more than seven, the choice boiled down to a 5.6% or 8.0% IPA. Still relatively early, the lesser was chosen. Sound (Birrificio Wyatt, Italia / Fan, San Marino) was cold, yellow and fizzy. With hardly any flavour at all, it should have attacked the palate after Hallertau Hops, it didn’t. More West Coast dryness, at least these encounters have yet to be sweet. A pity the IBU has not been forthcoming.
*
Around the corner from Birroteca Bukowsky lies Beerichino. Another micro-bar, a welcoming chap, a pity his board was not so. To Øl (Danmark), have yet to impress. I was not going back down to 4.7% either. No Bier here for Hector, Marg said she was hungry.
Trattoria Baraldi lies next door to Mutenye on Via Pratello. A traditional restaurant, there are no Italian restaurants in Italia, this was the first opperchancity to have Tagliatelle al ragù bolognese in the city does that does not serve Spaghetti Bolognese. I have learned with Carbonara over the years that small portions can be deceptively filling. This portion was not.
There are only four taps in Beer for Bunnies. One of them was a NEIPA!
Little Miss Sunshine (Birrificio Busa dei Briganti, Italia) had – the taste! This milkshake-haze hit the palate with an assault of american delight. What hops, I can’t establish. The right ones, clearly.
Only then did I discover the Bier was 3.0%. I enjoyed every drop, but as this had become a very slow Bier day, it was time to move on up.
I asked Mein Host if he had any CANs of NEIPA. Behold the very same 6.3% San Blas (Birrificio Amerino, Italia) that I had been shown last night at Madama Beerstrò was presented. Only 330ml CANs in Italia? The milkshake haze was present, lactose was even confirmed. The – Polish aftertaste – was present, a slight astringency. Sabro, sometimes this hop is not intrusive, here it was.
Monday, October 16, 2023
Marg sold me the need to enter Basilica San di Petronio. The World’s largest/highest sundial only works when the sun is shining. Our last full day in Bologna was cloudy. The armed guards at the door did attract attention to something else that is in this building, enough for Islamic extremists to plan to blow up this pace of worship back in 2002.
No Curry for lunch today instead we dined at 051 Cibo e Passione in the heart of the market area.
The pasta was different, tortellini stuffed with meat, and served in a cheese sauce that quickly became monotonous. Marg did better with lasagna.
*
*
*
*
Baladin Bologna – was checked out. Housed wholly within an indoor market, fine for a Bier with lunch, but hardly a place one would go for a session. Maybe they do.
Bier o’clock
Birroteca Bukowsky Birreria Bologna on Via Pratello was the main objective this evening. Having stopped for ice-cream near the university area, I thought Empire English Pub might be worth checking out. There was nothing – English – about this bar/eatery.
There was nobody behind the bar when we entered soon after opening time. Having inspected the array of – safe Bier – the kiosk in the corner of the room caught the eye. Different. As one would order a burger, so we purchased the gentle 5.0% Franziskaner Weizen (Spaten-Löwenbräu, Munchen), and a cocktail.
A table was taken, we waited for the drinks to appear. In time I was summoned to the bar. The girl knew we had ordered drinks, but had no idea what. On handing over the printout/receipt, this was not to be returned. I returned to our table and waited for the drinks to be brought over. Nope, I was summoned once more to the bar. How much work had I done in comparison to the barmaid?
A large screen displayed a video of a warming fireplace. This was the only gemütlich feature of Empire English Pub. Other TV screens showed classic rock/pop videos, with the sound down. Instead we had to suffer Italian (c)rap for the duration of our stay. For whom was this?
It became a matter of drink up and leave, this was not a welcoming establishment.
Birroteca Bukowsky Birreria Bologna was the opposite. With only four taps, there was nothing the Hector desired. Mein Host went straight to his fridge and produced suggestions. Naima Giant Step (Cr/ak Brewery, Padova, Italia) is a 6.2% DDH IPA. Yellow, with a full haze, this was a rewarding Bier. The unidentified hops came across, there was nothing here not to like, more!
Meanwhile Marg had been given a bottle of water. Bier or water, that was it. Sadly, this curtailed the visit, else the feet would have been firmly planted under the table. Mein Host and a customer engaged. The customer worked across the street at a public facility. Here too was a hole in the wall serving gas for Frizzante. Is this why sparkling water is so cheap?
Mein Host likes Pils, the Hector tends to avoid it, especially Deutsche Pils. Clearly a Bier enthusiast, I suggested he visit Manchester at the first opperchancity. He needs to be exposed to Craft Beer for the twenty first century. This was the best bar in Bologna.
Mutenye was where we spent the rest of the evening. Edelstoff (Augustiner, München) is always enjoyed, Marg could find something to her liking.
There was even a snack, thus a second dinner was avoided.
We were recognised having been last night. The chap and his lady assistant looked after us. Second division Bier in many ways, but a proper bar and confirmed Via Pratello as the better of the two drinking areas.
Bologna, the Craft Beer Capital of Italia? The best Italian Craft Beer I encountered was brewed in Padova. What we have is a story of the majority of brewers not embracing the road to hoppiness.
