During my Christmas break I left the never ending overcast skies of London for the sun and (really) cold weather of the Valle d'Aosta, in Italy.
The region is known for its wine. In fact, it's home to the highest elevated vineyards in all of Europe.
So you can imagine my surprise when I discovered B63's brewpub tucked away in a small square (Piazza Caveri) between the main cathedral and Aosta's highstreet.
The Brewery
Birrificio B63, specializes in German style beers in a very small scale of 500L per cycle. It's as artisanal as it gets. They offer guided tours and tasting sessions - although you might want to give them a call as their website is not the most up to date.
The brewpub was busy most of the time and the staff was very friendly - even when some words got lost in translation.
Most people coming over seem to be more interested in the food. In fact, there was not many seats for drinkers (I counted 3 tables). The food is really good and it's a good option against the touristy eateries in the near high street.
The Beers
I started my tasting with their lager beer called Swing (3.75/5 on Untapped).
It's a helles style beer (remember the German influence I mentioned earlier?), very clean & clear, lightly hopped. Flavour-wise it's almost herbal. Not as full bodies as I'd expect for a helles. Surprisingly sessionable for a 5.7% ABV.
This was my favourite of the day, Reggae (4.25/5 on Untapped).
Their IPA was unfiltered. Creamy head, amber to almost red colour. Hoppy but not west-coast hoppy. Still some malt there to balance out. Fruity notes.
Their darkest option, Soul ().
Being German influenced it's not surprising that their dark beer is a Schwarzbier. It was slightly sweet as expected. Full bodied, and with a thick, creamy head.
Conclusion
B63 is definitely a great stop if you're strolling around Aosta. Good food and good beers with a very reasonable price.
In a region so rich in wine options, it's good to know that the beer culture is striving. After vising B63 I've learned that there was another brewery I could've visited called Les Bières du Grand St. Bernard. I've seen some of their bottles in shops around town but never thought it could be local. Maybe next time I'll have to stop by and check them out.