What You Need to Know: Useful Information
Umbria, a land of history, art, and picturesque landscapes, is also an ideal place for craft beer lovers. Recently, the region has experienced a notable increase in craft breweries that create high-quality beers using local ingredients, honoring traditions while also innovating in their production. Umbrian beer offers a wide range of styles and flavors, from simple beers to complex ones like refermented blondes and spicy reds. A highly appreciated experience for visitors is the opportunity to visit the breweries scattered throughout the Umbrian territory. Master brewers open their facilities to showcase the production process, from grain selection and malting to mashing, fermentation, maturation, and bottling. These encounters include detailed explanations that help visitors grasp the “how” and “why” of each step, enhancing the tasting experience. During the visit, you can take part in guided tastings of different types of beer produced on site, allowing participants to enjoy the unique aromas and flavors of Umbrian beers. The tastings are often accompanied by recommendations on food pairings with typical Umbrian products to further enhance the taste.
Getting There
By train
While the agricultural craft breweries are nestled across the rural valleys, you can easily take Trenitalia trains to the region's main railway stations, such as Perugia Fontivegge, Foligno, or Orvieto. From these central stations, renting a vehicle or booking a specialized local food-and-beverage transit shuttle is the smoothest way to head out to the taprooms.
By car
Driving is the absolute best way to hop between rural breweries at your own pace. Navigate the region using the central E45 highway, which slices directly north-to-south through Umbria, connecting Perugia, Terni, and Città di Castello, and allowing you to easily veer off into the countryside hills where the hop farms thrive.
By bus
For travelers looking for regional public transit, local Busitalia Umbria buses link the larger urban centers to scenic hilltop towns like Gualdo Tadino, Marsciano, and Todi, dropping you off near historic squares where local craft beers are proudly served on tap.
Useful contacts
- CERB – Centro di Ricerca per l'Eccellenza della Birra (Italian Beer Research Center – Perugia University): +39 075 5857945 | [email protected]
- Umbria Tourism Board (Official Regional Information Office): [email protected]
What to Bring & Pro Tips:
Because master brewers open their facilities for exclusive tours, it is highly recommended to inquire in advance and make reservations directly with the breweries to secure a spot for the guided tastings. Since these tours involve walking through active production spaces – from grain selection and malting down to the wet fermentation and bottling areas – make sure to wear closed-toe shoes with good slip resistance. If you plan on purchasing specialty refermented blondes or spicy reds to take home, keep a padded cooler bag in your car trunk to shield the unpasteurized, living craft beers from the high summer heat. Lastly, always line up a designated driver or book an organized minibus excursion so you can safely enjoy the expert food pairings with typical Umbrian products without any transport worries.
The “Hidden Gem”
Once you have filled your glass with local blondes and reds, leave the taprooms behind and take a drive toward the wild peaks of the Apennines near Gualdo Tadino to explore the magical Gola della Rossa and the Valsorda.
Instead of checking out typical industrial setups, take a detour to the Fonti della Rocchetta, the stunning natural mountain springs that supply the incredibly pure, mineral-rich water utilized by Umbria's finest award-winning brewers. Walking through the lush, deep mountain gorges where the water gushes straight from the limestone rock faces offers a wonderfully refreshing, crisp break from the indoor fermentation tanks. It rewards nature-loving travelers with a firsthand look at the secret, pristine ingredient that gives Umbrian craft beer its unmatched local character.
