Lately, I’ve been excited by American craft versions of Italian Pilsner.
It’s style that has its roots in Birrifico Italiano’s Tipopils, and it features German Noble hops, and malt from the kind of barley grown near the Adriatic Sea.
Hapeville’s Arches Brewing has an interesting new one, called Sprezzatura, and it’s this week’s Beer Pick.
Beer Pick
Sprezzatura Italian-style Pilsner
Arches Brewing, Hapeville
Available in six-pack 12-ounce cans and on draft
Profile
Sprezzatura is a new beer from Arches, described as an “unfiltered, unapologetic Italian-style pilsner that packs a super crisp, dry finish and a beautiful golden yellow color.” That’s a pretty good representation of what to expect.
The recipe is mostly Eraclea Pilsner malt from barley grown in the Adriatic coastal region of Italy near Venice, along with a touch Chit and Carafoam malts. The hop bill is Magnum for bittering, Tettnang in the kettle and whirlpool, and Saphir for the dry hop.
Sprezzatura translates to “studied carelessness.” And though it’s not the most beautiful lager you’ll ever see, leaving it unfiltered really does help retain the hop character, along with a delightfully smooth bitterness.
Pair with
At 5% alcohol, Sprezzatura is easy to drink and easy to pair. Try it with fried fish, fried or roasted chicken, Tex-Mex dishes, or maybe that Italian-American favorite, pizza.
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