Brewery – Starbess Birrificio
House – The Source
Address – Piazza Deglei Eroi
Date of first visit – April 3. 2004
Most recent visit – closed 2005/6
URL- www.starbess.it
We took the metro to a stop behind the Vatican. I had a knowledge of where I was headed but in the dark could not get my bearings. We found the place of course. – Kenny’s – as it was named on the outside.
Pioneer Pale Ale 6.5%
An American style Pale Ale. This had powerful taste, initially I feared it was the dreaded micro-yeast, but this gave way to Hops. This must be one of the first Biers of this type I ever came across. That I went straight for another one says it must have hit the spot.
Weiss Pint 5.3%
This was really just ‘OK’ after the joy of the previous Ale. It was by no means the worst Weizen style I have ever had, but the Banana rating was decidedly low.
Given that the Biers were all on the high end of the abv scale I thought it might be better to stick with this for my own good but things were to change.
The barman called the brewer who turned up promptly. He asked if I was a brewer, – no, I just drink the stuff – was a witty a reply as I could muster. We had a wonderful chat, he offered to meet us and take us to the brewing plant. A piece of advice I gave him was to make his premises simpler to find. We had to ask directions even though we were close, the address was a street on a boulevard, how was one to know? As for – Kenny’s – there was no Kenny. Maybe there had been once.
Starbess Strong Ale 10.5%
I would never have ordered this but then it turned out I hadn’t. The barman apologised that he had not brought the Red Ale I had asked for. I was already remarking about the the Malt, the Bite, this was enjoyable.
It was time to go, alas the Red Ale arrived.
Starbess Red Ale 5.5%
This was courtesy of Mein Host, Italian hospitality was impressing, albeit the brewer was American.
We were offered bottles to take away but did not need any more weight.
Not long afterwards, my dear chum Kenneth set foot in these very premises. They had stopped brewing. They are probably no longer there. I never went to find out, having discovered Trastevere I knew where I would rather spend my evenings.
Some years ago I tried to visit Starbess. At the time, the sddteds givenwas in Via Amerigo Vespucci. The address did not exist, so I phoned the number shown on the website. The (Italian) gentleman who answered knee nothing of Starbesd.
On a subsequent visit to Rome I found it listed under a different addredd, but when I went to the relevant strert, again I could find no trace of Starbesd!
It is gratifying to see reviews of the place and to know that it really ecostd.
I doubt if I shall bother attempting a visit: twice bitten, thrice shy.
Hector replies:
Starbess has long since gone.
One day I shall get aroind to wrting up the many new venues which are available.