Italian Beer Guide: Top 10 Ranked by Taste (2026)

The first time I sat in a piazza in Rome, sweating through a linen shirt in August, I didn’t reach for a glass of Chianti. I ordered a cold, crisp Peroni. That first sip of sharp effervescence cut through the humidity like a knife. It changed my entire perspective on what Italy brings to the table. While the country is legendary for wine, the italian beer scene has quietly evolved from simple mass-market lagers to a sophisticated landscape of craft brewing and distinct regional flavors.

If you are looking to understand the real taste profile of Italy’s brewing heritage, you need more than just a list of labels. You need to know what to expect when the bottle hits your lips. This guide breaks down the flavor profiles, brewing traditions, and honest taste rankings of the best italian beer brands available today.

The Evolution of Italian Brewing: Beyond the Wine Shadow

Italy has always been a wine-first culture, but the consumption of italian beers has skyrocketed in the last decade. Historically, the market was dominated by light, adjunct-heavy lagers designed to be drunk quickly with pizza. These italy lager styles are still popular, but they don’t tell the whole story.

Today, breweries from Lombardy to Sicily are experimenting with local ingredients like chestnuts, farro (ancient grain), and even grape must (the IGA or Italian Grape Ale style). When you look for italian beers in Italy, you are now just as likely to find a complex, amber ale as you are a pale industrial lager.

Key Characteristics of Italian Brews

What actually defines this category? It isn’t just geography. It is an approach to balance. Unlike American craft beers that often chase extreme hoppiness, or Belgian beers known for yeast complexity, an italian beer typically aims for “drinkability” (what Italians call beverinità).

• Balance: Malt and hop bitterness are usually kept in strict equilibrium.
• Carbonation: Generally higher than British ales, providing a sharp, cleansing mouthfeel.
• Locality: Many italian beer brands utilize regional agricultural products.

Comparison: Mass Market vs. Craft Italian Beer

To help you understand what you are buying, here is a breakdown of the two main categories you will encounter on shelves.

Feature	Industrial (Macrobier)	Craft (Birra Artigianale)
Typical Brands	Peroni, Moretti, Poretti	Baladin, Del Borgo, Lambrate
Price Point	Low ($10-$14 per 6-pack)	High ($8-$15 per bottle)
Flavor Profile	Crisp, corn-adjunct sweetness, dry finish	Complex, yeasty, fruity, experimental
Best Serving Temp	Very Cold (3-5°C)	Cellar Temp (8-12°C)
Ingredients	Barley, Maize/Corn, Hops	100% Barley/Wheat, Specialty Hops

Top 10 Italian Beers Ranked by Taste and Popularity

This section ranks the most significant italian beers you can actually find, focusing on their specific flavor profiles rather than just sales figures. These are the bottles that define the category.

1. Peroni Nastro Azzurro

• Style: International Pale Lager
• ABV: 5.1%
• Region: Rome/Vigevano

This is the global ambassador of italian beer. While ubiquitous, it ranks first because it perfectly defines the “Italian style” for 90% of consumers. It pours a clear, golden straw color with a rapidly dissipating white head.

Taste Profile:
The nose is distinctively grainy with a touch of grassy hops. On the palate, Nastro Azzurro offers a sharp, clean bite. There is a perceptible sweetness from the maize (corn) used in the brewing process, which balances the mild bitterness. It finishes very dry and crisp.

Why it ranks here:
It is the gold standard for versatility. It pairs effortlessly with salty aperitivo snacks or heavy pasta dishes without overpowering the food.

2. Birra Moretti L’Autentica

• Style: Pale Lager
• ABV: 4.6%
• Region: Udine (originally)

Often seen as the direct rival to Peroni, Moretti offers a slightly different drinking experience. It is one of the most recognizable italian beer brands worldwide, famous for the “man with the mustache” on the label.

Taste Profile:
Moretti feels slightly maltier than Peroni. It has notes of fresh bread and a subtle floral hop character. The carbonation is lively but not aggressive. There is a roundness to the mouthfeel that makes it feel a bit more substantial than other standard italy lager options.

Why it ranks here:
It offers consistent quality. If you want a reliable, sessionable lager that tastes like a sunny afternoon in Tuscany, this is the bottle to grab.

3. Menabrea Bionda

• Style: Premium Lager
• ABV: 4.8%
• Region: Piedmont

Menabrea has a cult following among those who find the big two brands too generic. Brewed in Biella near the Alps, the water quality here plays a massive role in the final product.

Taste Profile:
This is remarkably smooth. The flavor leans towards a biscuit like maltiness with a very refined herbal bitterness. It lacks the metallic aftertaste that plagues cheaper lagers. The texture is creamy yet light.

Why it ranks here:
It represents the “premium” tier of macro-brewing. It tastes expensive, even if it is reasonably priced. It is one of the best italian beers in Italy for pairing with pizza.

4. Birra del Borgo ReAle

• Style: American Pale Ale (Italian take)
• ABV: 6.4%
• Region: Lazio

Now owned by AB InBev but retaining its craft roots, ReAle changed the game for italian beers. It takes inspiration from American IPAs but applies Italian sensibility.

Taste Profile:
You get hit immediately with citrus grapefruit and orange peel derived from heavy hopping. However, unlike a West Coast IPA, there is a caramel malt backbone that keeps it from being a bitterness bomb. The finish is spicy and peppery.

Why it ranks here:
It bridges the gap. It proves italian beer brands can execute hop-forward styles with elegance.

5. Baladin Isaac

• Style: Blanche (Witbier)
• ABV: 5.0%
• Region: Piedmont

Teo Musso, the founder of Baladin, is essentially the godfather of Italian craft brewing. The Isaac is his tribute to Belgian witbiers, and it is a masterpiece of aromatics.

Taste Profile:
The beer pours a cloudy apricot color. The aroma is intense: coriander, orange zest, and yeast esters. On the tongue, it is incredibly soft and refreshing. The wheat gives it a silky body that industrial italy lager simply cannot match.

Why it ranks here:
It showcases the creativity of the sector. It is widely considered one of the best italian beers for pairing with light seafood or fresh mozzarella.

6. Ichnusa Non Filtrata

• Style: Unfiltered Lager
• ABV: 5.0%
• Region: Sardinia

Ichnusa is the pride of Sardinia. While their standard lager is popular, the “Non Filtrata” (unfiltered) version has gained massive traction recently among fans of italian beer.

Taste Profile:
Because the yeast is left in the bottle, the beer is hazy and golden. The taste is richer and more savory than a standard lager. You get notes of crackers, honey, and a slight bitterness from the hops that lingers pleasantly.

Why it ranks here:
It offers texture. The suspended yeast adds a body and flavor complexity that makes it feel like a “real” product of the earth, distinct from other italian beers in Italy.

7. Angelo Poretti 4 Luppoli

• Style: Lager
• ABV: 5.0%
• Region: Lombardy

The Poretti brewery (part of the Carlsberg group) markets its beers by the number of hop varieties used. The “4 Luppoli” (4 hops) is their bread-and-butter offering.

Taste Profile:
This is a hop-forward lager, but not in an IPA sense. It refers to the aromatic hops used. It has a distinct floral nose and a cleaner, less sweet profile than Peroni. It feels very structured and precise.

Why it ranks here:
It is an excellent table beer. It is widely available and often fresher on tap than imported alternatives. A staple among italian beer brands in the north.

8. Cortigiana by Birra del Borgo

• Style: Golden Ale
• ABV: 5.0%
• Region: Lazio

Another entry from Del Borgo, but this one focuses on pure drinkability rather than hop power. It is designed to replace your standard glass of wine at dinner.

Taste Profile:
Cortigiana uses ancient grains (spelt) which gives it a rustic, earthy flavor profile. It is lighter than the ReAle, with gentle notes of honey and stone fruit. It finishes dry and incredibly refreshing.

Why it ranks here:
It demonstrates the use of local grains. If you are looking for italian beers that taste like the Italian countryside, this is it.

9. Lambrate Ghisa

• Style: Smoked Stout
• ABV: 5.0%
• Region: Milan

Milan is a hub for craft brewing, and Lambrate is a legend in the city. “Ghisa” is Milanese slang for a traffic cop (who used to wear black uniforms), fitting for this dark beer.

Taste Profile:
This is for the adventurous drinker. It smells like a campfire and espresso. The taste is dominated by roasted malts, dark chocolate, and dried fruit, with a subtle smoky finish that isn’t overwhelming.

Why it ranks here:
It proves that italian beer brands aren’t just about pale lagers. It has won numerous awards and shows the dark side of Italian brewing.

10. Messina Cristalli di Sale

• Style: Lager with Salt Crystals
• ABV: 5.0%
• Region: Sicily

This is a fascinating mass-market innovation. It is a lager brewed with real Sicilian salt crystals. Don’t worry, it doesn’t taste like ocean water.

Taste Profile:
The salt acts as a flavor enhancer, not a flavor itself. It makes the malt sweetness pop and rounds off any bitterness. The result is a beer that is incredibly soft, savory, and dangerously easy to drink.

Why it ranks here:
It is unique to the terroir. It captures the essence of Sicily and is one of the most interesting italian beers in Italy found in supermarkets today.

Flavor Profile Breakdown: What to Expect

When you are browsing the aisles for italian beers, you need to understand the flavor logic behind the labels. Unlike German beers which are strictly regulated by purity laws, or American beers that push boundaries, Italian brewing occupies a middle ground.

The Role of Adjuncts

Many commercial italy lager brands use maize (nostrano dell’isola). While beer snobs might turn their nose up at corn, in Italian brewing, it is a deliberate choice. It lightens the body and adds a crisp sweetness that pairs perfectly with the acidity of tomato-based Italian food.

The Bitter-Sweet Balance

If you taste a range of italian beers, you will notice the bitterness (IBU) is rarely aggressive. The goal is usually to cleanse the palate, not wreck it. This makes them exceptional food beers.

Expert Insight: When tasting, look for the “finish.” A good italian beer should disappear quickly from the tongue, leaving you ready for another bite of food.

Regional Variations: Where to Find the Best Brews

Just as you wouldn’t buy Barolo from Sicily, geography matters for beer.

• Northern Italy (Lombardy/Piedmont): This is the heartland of italian beer brands. The proximity to the Alps provides pristine water. Expect crisp, clean lagers and innovative craft ales.
• Central Italy (Rome/Lazio): The craft beer revolution started here. This is where you find the most experimentation with hops and wild yeasts.
• The Islands (Sardinia/Sicily): The focus here is on refreshing, light beers that can withstand the intense heat. Ichnusa and Messina dominate here.

The diversity of italian beers in Italy mirrors the culinary diversity of the regions themselves.

Pairing Italian Beer with Food

We often default to wine with Italian food, but beer is frequently the better scientific match.

• Pizza: The carbonation of an italy lager cuts through the fat of mozzarella cheese better than wine tannins can.
• Fritto Misto (Fried Seafood): A Blanche or Wheat beer (like Baladin Isaac) mimics the effect of squeezing lemon over the fish.
• Cured Meats: The saltiness of prosciutto demands the clean, malt sweetness of a Menabrea or Moretti.

For more on pairing principles, check out our guide on flavor pairing basics.

Nutritional Data Comparison

For those tracking their intake, here is a quick look at the nutritional profile of standard italian beers.

Brand	Calories (330ml)	Carbs (g)	ABV
Peroni Nastro Azzurro	139	10.2	5.1%
Birra Moretti	132	9.9	4.6%
Ichnusa Non Filtrata	145	11.5	5.0%
Menabrea Bionda	125	9.0	4.8%

FAQ: Common Questions About Italian Beer

Q: What is the most popular beer in Italy?
A: Peroni Nastro Azzurro and Birra Moretti are the two most popular italian beer brands by sales volume. They are available in almost every bar and supermarket across the country.

Q: Do Italians actually drink beer with pizza?
A: Yes, absolutely. In fact, beer is the traditional drink to have with pizza in Italy, much more so than wine. The carbonation of italian beers helps digest the dough and cheese.

Q: What is an Italian Grape Ale (IGA)?
A: IGA is a recognized beer style that originated in Italy. It involves adding grape must (the juice from pressed grapes) during the brewing process, creating a hybrid between wine and beer. It represents the pinnacle of innovation in italian beers.

Q: Is Italian beer gluten-free?
A: Most standard italian beers in Italy are barley-based and contain gluten. However, Peroni produces a widely available “Peroni Libera” and “Peroni Gluten Free” that are certified safe for celiacs and maintain the classic taste profile.

Q: Why is Italian craft beer so expensive?
A: Taxation on alcohol production in Italy is high, and craft breweries operate on smaller scales with higher ingredient costs. However, the quality of premium italian beers usually justifies the price tag.

Conclusion

The world of italian beer is far richer than just the pale lagers you find in export markets. From the salty crispness of Sicilian brews to the hop-forward experiments of Rome, italian beers offer a spectrum of flavors that rival any brewing nation.

Whether you are looking for a simple, cold italy lager to wash down a pizza or a complex craft ale to savor slowly, the options are vast. Next time you are shopping, look past the wine aisle. Grab a Menabrea, an Ichnusa, or a Baladin, and taste the other side of Italian craftsmanship.

For more insights on global brewing trends, visit the Brewers Association or check out market data from Statista’s Beer Report. You can also explore beer ratings at RateBeer.