Slow Food's event "Salone del Gusto" (salonedelgusto.it) was vey important for the growing of beer culture in my country. Until few years ago beer was almost absent but now it is a great protagonist of several taste workshops.

Here is a brief report of workshops (all full booked) I was involved after a long and careful preparation with Slow food manager Alberto Farinasso and with my beloved pupil Luca Giaccone.

Friday 27th: workshop focused on an exciting vertical tasting/comparation of six different Scires, a wonderful kriek brewed by Agostino Arioli (future WBC judge)of Birrificio Italiano (birrificio.it). Charlie Papazian (great fan of this beer)joined me and Agostino pointing out the differences between different vintages (2002.2003,2004,2005,2006 two versions). It was very interesting to find strong vanilla flavors on the barrel aged ones while Scires using wooden chips was very "boisée". Agostino uses fresh whole big cherries from Modena area called "duroni di Vignola". A great beer who will be on US market next year.

Black US beers were the stars of my second Friday workshop.

Charlie brought seven gems who were strongly appreciated by the lucky audience. Charlie's passionate speech was strongly appreciated by a knowlegeable audience Eric Wallace of Left hand Brewery was present with us.

Beers were: Rogue Shakespeare Oatmeal Stout, Left Hand Imperial Stout, Great Divide Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout,Stone Smoked Porter, Alaskan Smoked Porter, Flying Dog Gonzo Imperial Porter and an astonishing Dogfish Head Worldwide Stout, 18% ABV.

Saturday 28th , a very hard day for me involved in three workshops. First one was focused to Italian beers exported in US. Brewers were with me talking about their brewing philosophies. Beers were: sour peach ale Quarta Runa (birrificiomontegioco.com, tandori spiced Shangrila (birratroll.it), rue, dried pineapple, abricot spiced Baluba (ilbirrificio.it), Egyptian inspiration Nora Baladin (birreria.com), Panil Sour Barriquée (panilbeer.com), Cassissona, raspberry champagne beer (birrificio.it). all brewers had standing ovations.

Bottled UK ales were presented in the second Saturday workshop. Beers were: Hop Back Entire Stout, Black Sheep Special Ale, St. Peter’s Old Style Porter, Thornbridge Imperial Stout, Robinson Old Tom and Thomas Hardy’s Ale 2005. People attending the workshop appreciated all beers very much. Third and last Saturday workshop were the “top event” of Salone. My “second father” Jean-Pierre Van Roy gave us a great lesson of passion and strenght! I had the great honor to lead his emotional workshop focusing my speech on the risk of estinction of the real thing menaced by sweetend concontions labelled as lambic derivates . In front of an excited audience, we had on stage Broucsella Grand Cru 2003, Gueuze Bio 2006, Iris, Cuvée Lou Pepe Kriek, Cuvée Lou Pepe Framboise and an extraordinary Gueuze 1996! The presence of Jean and Claude gave us “bright moments”, absolutely unforgettable!

On Sunday 29th I helped Teo Musso of Le Baladin to introduce his new beers brewed using Lurisia, a famous mineral water.

Unionbirrai and Brewers Association organized then a special party at Grado Plato brewpub (gradoplato.it) in nearby Chieri. Great beers and great food (snails cooked in more than 20 ways are the house flagship) and above all great atmosphere. Special guest were JP & Claude Cantillon and Terry Lock (EBCU president). This party celebrated the great frienship between Italian and US brewers.

On Monday 30th me and Vinnie Cilurzio (Russian River) led the last workshop focused on beers aged in wooden barrels.

It was fantastic! Beers were: Bush Prestige, Supplication Russian River, Duchesse de Bourgogne, Oerbier Reserva 2004, Rodenbach Grand Cru and Panil Sour Barriquée.

After this I came back home by train with Vinnie and his wife Natalie (going to Malpensa airport) . We were almost “dead” but happy!