Il Birratrovo Beer Shop – Como, Italy

The commune of Lake Como, Italy is probably best known for its scenic views, ornate Italian villas, chic shopping streets and perhaps more recently – George Clooney. We visited last weekend for a friend’s wedding, complete with lake-side water taxis to quaint small villages and an eight-hour wedding/ reception in a 16th century villa on the shores of Lake Como.  (see my Excursions in Lake Como post).

Despite all of the amazing wine and food, there was only one thing missing – craft beer! An online search for Como beer spots during our brief stop-over in January was a disappointment when our Google map trail led us to a boarded up storefront.

So last week, after a walking tour of the town filled with shopping and several espresso bar stops, we were shocked to turn a corner and happen upon a fantastic little beer bar.  At first glance (photo on the left) you might focus only on the beautiful Italian architecture, but upon closer inspection you’ll also notice a few people sitting outside at a street-side bar table. We found the Il Birratrovo beer shop!

Inside, the floor to ceiling shelves were completely full of craft beers from around the world (neatly presented by country).  Dark wood paneling and mustard-yellow walls immediately reminded me of the impressive Belgian and Dutch craft beer bars we visited during our trip to Amsterdam in February. The small space was very well laid out, with a second floor loft area cantilevered over the main bar. I could imagine a set-up like this in a coffee shop .

Where:  In the town of Como, Italy, an easy walk from the lakefront. See map.

Why you should visit:   For the wonderful selection of craft beer from all over the world, the welcoming interior layout and ambiance, and especially for the friendly and individualized customer service you will surely get (as we did) from the owner…

Overall comments: Greeted warmly, we immediately felt at home when the owner, Umberto, insisted that we sit down and relax at the bar.  He figured out soon enough that our first language was not Italian but luckily he knew enough English to explain the draft beer descriptions to us, including the beer styles.

Cheers to Simon as well, who spoke in perfect English and helped us understand the local beer scene.

When Umberto found out we were serious craft beer fans, he began taking bottles off the shelves to educate us on some of the best Italian brewers. He was impressed to know we’d already tried a Zona Cesarini bottle (brewed by Birra Toccalmatto in Fidenza, Italy) beer at our local craft beer bar in London, The Rake.

Umberto recommended that we try some other styles from successful Italian brewers, including beer from Birrificio BI-DU, Birrificio Lambrate,  Extraomnes, among others. From a drawer behind the bar, he handed us a book entitled “The 2013 guide to Italian beer”, and he told us to keep it. Though it’s written entirely in Italian, I’m sure it will still be of great use to us and help us to learn about the Italian beer scene. A really nice gesture and this book will remind us of our trip to Como for years to come!

Unfortunately we were not able to sample all the Italian beer we would have liked to during this trip…After a weekend filled with wedding events, we wanted to spend a bit more touristy time taking in the sights and sounds from the Como area.

On our way out, Umberto also informed us of a Pilsner beer fest the following day at Birrificio Italiano in the town of Lurago Marinone.  We managed to swing by for a quick 0.2 litre beer before our flight back to London (see below pictures!).

If you’re ever in Lake Como and interested in sampling some local Italian craft beers, definitely visit the Il Birratrovo beer shop. Expert knowledge from the owner and a comfortable, friendly environment will surely give you a great opportunity to drink your favorite varieties of beer  – and more importantly obtain an understanding of the rapidly emerging Italian craft beer scene!