Looking for the Golden Beer

by Michela Dalla Benetta

 

A dirigible landed in Parma: the Argo brewery identifies with this symbol, enclosing in its beers trips and places around the world. Parma is not only raw ham, lambrusco and all the typical products it is paired with: for Stefano Di Stefano and Veronica Bianchi it is also beer.

A story composed of water, yeast, hops and barley malt, completed with passion and attention to create a quality handicraft product.

Born in October 2013 in Lemignano di Collecchio: Stefano arrives from Milan after working at the Italian Brewery and Birrificio Lambrate, and then gain experience in two breweries in the USA. Veronica, on the other hand, was born in the province of Parma and has combined work related to travel with a passion for beer. Every idea contained in a 33 cl bottle tells the project of a journey that Veronica and Stefano would like to undertake or an itinerary already explored.

Argo was the name of the Argonaut ship that in Greek mythology went in search of the Golden Fleece

A handmade product studied in detail, choosing different flavors and styles: the floral hints of Baden Baden, the liquorice salt of Sjavar Bjor or Threesome, left to rest in barriques that give the beer vinous notes. In their list there are beers awarded both by the Association Unionbirrai and in the Slow Food Guide to Italian beers.

Examples that tell of a perennial research and experimentation. Fresh out is a special production made with hops harvested by the Italian Hops Company from late August to mid-September: this company, located in Marano sul Panaro in Modena, is the first Italian company to produce and market hops.

He started a research project in 2011 in collaboration with the University of Parma and the Municipality of Marano sul Panaro, in order to identify indigenous varieties of Italian hops.

Currently it is possible to order the bottles on their website and in Parma you can only find them on tap in certain places, such as Bastian Contrario or Vecchie Maniere in Parma, which are constantly trying to propose new products and go beyond the proposals of distribution. But there are projects in fermentation. Bring a breath of novelty with new graphics and create a tap room, a place to taste their beers.

But in the territory there will also be another novelty. Soon you will find Mille Bolle Gialle, made in collaboration with the winery Crocizia in Pastorello di Langhirano, province of Parma, using the must of Malvasia: a dedication to Parma in a mix of flavors between beer and wine.

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