It sounds quite weird to refer to a beer where the main ingredient is not barley malt but ginger. However, it is not so unusual, and is dated back to the sixteenth century. What is new, though, is the range of new products that a brewery in Parma, Italy, has made solely from tricolor ginger root, supplied by the Italian Ginger Consortium.
"The origins of the original Ginger Beer are to be traced back to the 16th century, in Great Britain, where this drink was created through the alcoholic fermentation of the ginger rhizome and became popular all over the world, also in a non-alcoholic version,” explained Tiziano Tanzi, owner of the Stirone brewery.
"With its spicy, robust and aromatic flavor, it is great to drink alone, as you can appreciate the properties of gingerol, or even mixed into cocktails like the famous Moskow Mule. We only use Italian ginger from a supply chain guaranteed by the Italian Ginger Consortium."
The main characteristic of Italian ginger is that of a great aromaticity, also depending on the varieties used and on the cultivation technique.
The Italian Ginger Consortium (see FreshPlaza of 11/08/2019) is the first entity that brings together Italian producers of this root, with a registered trademark that stands for quality, guarantee and Italian production. This project, unique and new in the Italian agricultural scenario, is promoted by four founding members, all reference points in the fruit and vegetable sector: Valfrutta Fresco (business unit of Apo Conerpo), the multinational fruit company Del Monte, the fruit and vegetable cooperative Agrintesa of Faenza (province of Ravenna) and Agritechno Srl.
For more information:
Birrificio Stirone
www.stirone.com