From the most iconic ad campaigns to lively gatherings.

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I’ve always had a soft spot for beer commercials. It’s hard to forget Peroni’s historic campaigns, centered on the “blonde” beer, which are among the most iconic in Italian advertising.

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Or the famous Heineken commercials, which have successfully linked the brand to fun, sharing, and responsible drinking.

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Among my favorites is definitely Ichnusa, which embodies the authentic spirit of Sardinia – a land I always carry in my heart and that has given me “unfiltered” emotions, like its sunsets and its shades of true, intense blue.

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I could go on for hours talking about this topic, because, after all, one beer leads to another.

Just as I adore that world full of positive feelings – made up of relaxed evenings, get-togethers with friends, music, nights out, and emotions you wish would never end.

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Just like summer.

And August, as far as I’m concerned, is unquestionably the month of beer.  It’s synonymous with vacations, sunsets, and outdoor parties. And with getaways that start with a simple,

“Want to grab a drink?” and then you never know where they’ll take you…

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Because beer has a truly special quality: it brings people together without any formalities.

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And that’s how the story I’m about to tell you began.

I’d like to dedicate this first toast to Giuseppe!

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My curiosity about the world of beer was sparked by Giuseppe Garbarino.

Anyone who’s read my FRAday “Once Upon a Time” post dedicated to Pinocchio will probably remember him: my special “agent.”

A friendly and outgoing man, he not only introduced me to the Pinocchio & Toy Museum for the first time, but also opened the doors of his Florentine brewery to me.

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Yes, I’ll admit it: it had to be a beer to seal our friendship!

As soon as I tasted it, I realized this wasn’t just any beer…

Because Giuseppe brews beers that are different – and not just in taste.

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Each one has its own identity, but they’re all united by the same story. A story rooted in the shared passion of a group of friends who, one day, decided to start a farm together, driven by a simple, concrete idea: to work the land and build something to leave to their children.

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So they began growing two-row barley, hops, and saffron, creating about fifteen beers.

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And then there’s Pinocchio.

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The beer dedicated to the puppet has a woody essence that evokes the beginning of the story and a delicate flavor, almost “Collodian”.

Maybe it’s because of the relationship I’ve built with Giuseppe, but it’s one of my favorite beers.

What about the Honey Ale?

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You can really taste the honey, right from the first sip.

It hits you right away, without asking permission.

Once I tasted them, I said to myself:

okay, there’s a whole world to discover here.

Listen to what Giuseppe told me during our first interview (in italian).

A history that has fermented over thousands of years.

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The more I explored this world, the more I realized that there is much more to beer than we imagine.

Beer has been a part of human life for thousands of years.

It is linked to the cultivation of grains, to the earliest civilizations, and to everyday life.

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In the Middle Ages, it was primarily the monasteries that transformed beer production into a true art form.

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Then came the large industrial breweries.

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And today, almost as a return to our roots, small producers are emerging who are putting the land, raw materials, and experimentation back at the center.

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And that’s where I stumbled upon farm-brewed beer.

My first real beer? A Chimay.

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My connection to beer has grown and evolved mainly through my travels.

Chimay was one of the first beers I tasted inside an ancient monastery in France, surrounded by nature and silence.

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It was a truly unique sensation that opened up a whole new world for me, transforming a simple drink into an experience I would dare to call “mystical and sensory” .

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The first time I drank a beer at “room temperature” was actually in Scotland.

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There, in almost every pub, it’s served according to tradition, to bring out its flavor and aromas.

In Spain, on the other hand, beer is strictly served ice-cold, poured into glasses fresh out of the freezer.

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It really is true:

different countries, different beers!

And that’s exactly what makes it so wonderful. Because there’s no single way to drink, enjoy, and interpret beer.

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Personally, I prefer to drink it very cold, but I’ve discovered that temperature also changes the experience.

A light beer calls for coolness. A more full-bodied one, on the other hand, needs a few more degrees to truly reveal itself.

The fascinating journey from the field to the glass.

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I’ve always wondered what happens before the beer reaches the table—how craft beer is made and what steps are taken to ensure the product’s high quality.

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Stefano Mecatti, Giuseppe’s business partner and master brewer, provided the answers.

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Stefano is a technical expert, and you can tell right away.

When he talks about beer, he goes into great detail: malt, milling, boiling, hops, whirlpool, cooling, fermentation.

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I’ll admit, I didn’t even know half of what he told me.

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Listening to him, I realized one very simple thing:

Making beer may seem easy. But making it well is a whole different story.

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The biggest surprise came when he told me about IGA, the so-called “Italian Grape Ale,” where beer and wine come together through grape must.

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Just think: Chardonnay, Merlot, and Sangiovese in a beer!

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And here I was thinking that beer was just beer… but no, it’s much, much more creative than you might think.

If you want to learn more about the brewing process, I recommend checking out Stefano’s interview.

Just six tastings. And the promise to return.

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The Oltrarno Brewery offers about fifteen craft beers.

I tasted six of them.

Just six.

I’ll have to go back.

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The Pinocchio, as I mentioned earlier, is one of my favorites, because it embodies the passion and that magical story that connects me to Giuseppe.

Then there’s the IGA, where wine and beer come together.

The Honey Ale, with its unmistakable hint of honey.

The Belgian, intense and full of character.

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The Brit, golden, fresh, and easy to drink.

And the IPA, explosive, fragrant, all hops and imagination.

It’s hard to say which one is the best.

But maybe that’s not the point.

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The point is that a beer can surprise you much more than you imagine.

After the brewery, everyone heads to Birr’aia!

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And that’s where Niccolò Garbarino comes in.

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He takes after his father in every way.

But he brings his own energy—younger, more contemporary, more laid-back.

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In the interview, he talks about his passion for beer, of course. But above all, he describes a place that has now become more than just a brewery:

a truly cool hangout for craft beer, nestled in the hills, just a few minutes from downtown Florence, within ancient walls that seem to carry centuries of history.

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And as I listen to him, I’m reminded of his father Giuseppe’s enthusiasm when he talks about Pinocchio.

The real one.

You don’t need to pretend in front of a camera.

Because when you truly believe in something, it shows.

The team of Birr’aia

Niccolò has given Birr’aia di Marignolle a big boost, bringing it closer and closer to a young audience.

And when I got there, I immediately understood why.

You’re in the hills of Florence, surrounded by the brewery’s farmland.

You’ve got a beer in your hand, something tasty to eat, the music starts playing, and all around you are people who seem to be there for one very simple reason:

to enjoy each other’s company.

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There are IPAs, the more classic beers, and then there are the ones you don’t expect.

Like the salted beer with pink pepper.

You take a sip.

It surprises you.

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Then the dishes arrive.

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The music starts.

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And, almost without realizing it, the evening shifts gears.

Because that’s the beauty of it:

it doesn’t feel like you’re in a brewery.

It feels like you’re in the middle of a beautiful summer evening.

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One of those where you lose track of time, order another round of beer, and think,

“Okay, I’m really enjoying myself here.”

And that, in the end, is what won me over about Birr’aia.

It’s young, casual, authentic.

A place where you might stop by for a beer and then find yourself staying for everything else.

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And the best part is that Niccolò didn’t stop at beer.

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Here you can also do yoga, attend a book presentation with a Tuscan author, or—every Friday—sit down in front of a canvas and paint.

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Well-being, culture, art, music, and beer.

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A combination that, on paper, might seem really strange.

But it actually works.

And how it works.

From May to September, it’s practically always packed.

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Having been there myself, honestly, it doesn’t surprise me at all.

Because Birr’aia isn’t just a place to go for a drink.

It’s one of those places you experience to the fullest.

And when a beer becomes an excuse to get together, listen to music, discover something new, and enjoy an evening in the hills of Florence…

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well, maybe you’ve found the right formula.

This weekend? Let’s raise our bottles!

I finally asked myself what I really like about beer.

I don’t think it’s just the taste.

It’s everything that happens around it.

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Friends. Music. A summer evening. A bottle on the table. Laughter. A toast.

Maybe that’s exactly why I love to toast with a bottle in my hand.

No wine glasses. No rituals. No formalities.

You raise the bottle and say “cheers.”

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Simple. Straightforward. Authentic.

This weekend, if you don’t have plans and you’re in Florence, you already know where to go.

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If, on the other hand, you’re from another city or still on vacation and want to check out the photos from my tour of the Oltrarno Brewery and Birr’aia, I invite you to follow me on social media: LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

OK lads, let’s drink! 🍻Today is FRAday!

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