Published by Leonardo Calcagno

x Le Mondial de la Bière June 20–22 in Montréal

How Italy’s most romantic region discovered the art of brewing

In the region that gave the world Prosecco and Palladian architecture, where gondoliers navigate ancient canals and Shakespearean romance unfolds in moonlit piazzas, something altogether more humble is quietly fermenting. Veneto, synonymous with Venetian grandeur and sparkling wine excellence, has become an unlikely theater for Italy’s craft beer revolution—a movement that honors tradition while embracing innovation in ways that feel both surprising and inevitable.

This is the paradox of contemporary Veneto: a region where medieval stones meet modern sensibilities, where centuries-old wine-making expertise informs new brewing adventures, and where the same appreciation for craftsmanship that built the Doge’s Palace now shapes the perfect pint.

The Medieval Inspiration

The story begins in Bussolengo, just outside Verona, where Mastino Brewery draws its name from the Mastini della Scala, the medieval rulers of Verona. Founded in 2012, this brewery embodies the region’s approach to craft beer: rooted in history, executed with precision, unapologetically local.

For Mastino’s founders, “becoming the creators of Birra Mastino was a life-changing decision. We looked to the great brewing traditions, and we embraced the values of respect and dedication demanded by craft beer, while always seeking out own unique identity.” This philosophy—respecting tradition while forging individual expression—captures something essential about Veneto’s brewing renaissance.

The entire visual identity presents itself “from Verona, with its great history and pride. A place of culture and the joy of a city filled with all things bright and beautiful.” This isn’t craft brewing as rebellion against place, but as celebration of it—beer that tastes like the region where Romeo and Juliet unfolded, where Roman amphitheaters still host world-class opera.

The Recognition Arrives

The quality of Veneto’s brewing scene has gained serious recognition. Verona and the surrounding area have gained special recognition, particularly the Mastino and Laorno breweries, which have been highly praised for their outstanding craft beers. This acknowledgment reflects more than local pride—it suggests a brewing culture that has achieved genuine sophistication.

Mastino Brewery is known for its unpasteurized and unfiltered craft beers, blending traditional methods with modern innovation. This approach mirrors the region’s broader relationship with heritage: preserving what matters while adapting to contemporary tastes and techniques.

Venice’s Intimate Beer Culture

In Venice itself, the craft beer scene takes on a different character entirely. Il Santo Bevitore, located in the heart of Venice, offers a wide range of craft beers in a historic setting. The pub’s cosy interior and canal-side seating make it a perfect spot to enjoy a beer after a day of sightseeing. This is craft beer as part of Venice’s living culture, not tourist performance.

The integration of craft beer into Venice’s unique urban fabric represents something remarkable: a city that has successfully commodified its own romance finding space for authentic, contemporary culture. The best places in Venice for craft beer include bars, pubs, osterie, bacari and restaurants—categories that reflect Venice’s complex social ecosystem, from traditional wine bars adapting to include craft beer to new establishments built around brewing culture.

The Prosecco Parallel

What makes Veneto’s craft beer scene particularly fascinating is its coexistence with the region’s wine dominance. This isn’t beer trying to replace wine, but rather applying the same artisanal principles that made Prosecco a global phenomenon to a different medium. The terroir thinking, the attention to production methods, the marketing sophistication—all translate naturally from sparkling wine to craft beer.

The region’s existing infrastructure for quality beverage production provides craft brewers with immediate advantages: distribution networks, sophisticated restaurant partnerships, an educated consumer base already primed to appreciate artisanal production. A tour of the local craft breweries is a must to do in Veneto, suggesting beer tourism that parallels the established wine trail culture.

The Architectural Approach

Like Palladio’s buildings, Veneto’s best craft beers demonstrate classical proportions and harmonious elements. There’s nothing accidental or haphazard about the region’s brewing—this is craft beer approached with the same systematic thinking that produced perfectly balanced facades and mathematically precise proportions.

“Craftsmanship has always been synonymous with know-how, skills of hand and mind, patience, precision, experimentation, and control. It is thus as far as can be from improvisation.” This definition of craftsmanship, from Mastino’s philosophy, could equally describe Veneto’s greatest architectural achievements or its emerging brewing culture.

The Sophisticated Traveler’s Secret

For discerning visitors, Veneto’s craft beer scene offers something increasingly rare: authenticity that enhances rather than competes with established attractions. These aren’t theme park experiences or calculated tourist draws, but genuine neighborhood places where craft beer culture intersects with daily life.

In Verona, “romanticism and art, history and music. And craft beer, obviously!” captures the seamless integration of brewing culture into the region’s established cultural identity. This is craft beer that assumes its place naturally within Veneto’s broader cultural landscape.

The experience feels distinctly Venetian: intimate, sophisticated, slightly hidden from obvious tourist circuits. Visitors describe spaces as “bright, comfortable & contemporary” with “great snacks, good music, a delightful hostess and a fantastic range of beer”—the kind of hospitality that transforms drinking into genuine cultural exchange.

The Future Ferments

What emerges from Veneto’s craft beer renaissance is something that honors the region’s greatest strengths: appreciation for quality, integration of tradition with innovation, and an understanding that the best experiences often happen in intimate, carefully crafted spaces. This isn’t craft brewing as disruption, but as natural evolution of values that have shaped the region for centuries.

For the sophisticated traveler, Veneto’s beer scene offers the opportunity to witness Italian excellence in a new medium—one that speaks to both local pride and contemporary creativity. Whether sipping craft beer beside Venice’s canals or touring breweries in Verona’s countryside, you’re experiencing not just Italy’s brewing future, but its commitment to transforming tradition into something both timeless and thoroughly modern.

x Le Mondial de la Bière June 20–22 in Montréal