CRAK Brewing from Italy
Rethinking craft beer, thinking it bigger, thinking it better - the Italian brewery CRAK proves with each of its beers that this is possible. Namely, with innovative approaches to recipes and ingredients. And, of course, with the best beer!
Producing revolutionary Italian craft beer: CRAK set this long-term goal in 2015, the year they were founded. And six years later, it is fair to say that yes, they have achieved this goal. Because through their largely self-sufficient production method - and thus the best possible quality control - their short supply chains (refrigerated!), which guarantees the maximum freshness of the beers, the greatest possible transparency and sustainable relationships with retailers and customers, CRAK has succeeded in setting new standards in craft beer production and distribution.
Craft Beer according to the motto Everything is possible!
And the Guerrilla IPA is the manifesto of this motto. It was CRAK's first beer. An American IPA with strong hop notes and a balanced bitterness. To this day, Guerrilla remains a fundamental part of the CRAK universe. It embodies the brewery's approach to beer styles like Pale Ale and IPA: focus on the hops, on the flavor. Recipes focused on the essentials, the best ingredients and maximum freshness.
Anyone who thinks such a mindset doesn't actually offer any room for experimentation is mistaken. With their API treatment, for example, CRAK have developed a method of pushing the intensity of the aroma through the targeted use of hops in combination with honey, thus pushing the limits of the aroma of their beers even further!
The Italian brewery has also been able to make a name for itself internationally with its beers. Already in 2015, shortly after their foundation, they were guests at the famous Tallinn Craft Beer Weekend (TCBW). Countless festivals were to follow. The list of breweries CRAK Collabs has brewed with is just as long. To name a few: Põhjala, Other Half, Garage, Cascade Brewing, Magic Rock or Verdant.
Farm To Table Craft Beer
Today, CRAK is a completely independent brewery. In doing so, the brewery has fulfilled a long-held dream. On their farm in the northern Italian province of Padua, they grow their own barley, which is used to make the malt for CRAK beers. They are also experimenting with growing different experimental hop varieties. In addition, they work closely with Yakima Chief Hops from the USA.
Their eastern gardens grow apricots, cherries, apples, peaches and plums. Some of these fruits are used for beers in the Cantina range. These mixed fermentation beers are characterized by long barrel aging and aging on their own fruit. They have also cultivated a small olive grove in the south of Italy to produce their own top-quality olive oil.
CRAK also produce their own honey, which they use, among other things, for the API treatment they developed. But they also keep bees mainly for ecological reasons: This way they can guarantee the pollination of their own plants and flowers and ensure a natural cycle.
The soul of the brewery: Taproom & Casana
The Taproom in the brewery, between the barrel cellar and the tanks. This is where the heart of CRAK beats. It's where you'll find the freshest CRAK beers on tap, plus it's the only place you'll find the experimental beers in the Tap CRAK series. In summer, the beers can be enjoyed in a spacious garden. In addition, the brewery has a venue for concerts, film screenings and the like, called the Garage.
Casana is a converted farmhouse, located on the outskirts of Padua. CRAK have converted it for the expansion of their production of Cantina beers and at the same time established there a restaurant with beer garden. As well, there is a large garden and fantastic roof terrace where you can drink CRAK's beers outdoors. When it comes to food, CRAK follows the approach they already take with beer: Locally produced as much as possible, seasonal, sustainable and of the best quality!
Whether it's IPA, Lager, Italian Grape Ale (IGA) or mixed fermentation Sours with fruit, whenever you see a beer from CRAK, we highly recommend you try it. The best thing to do is order the hottest cans right now here at Beyond Beer!
Facts
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