10 years of craft beer in Italy
On July 28, 2016, the law that officially defined Italian craft beer for the first time came into force. Ten years later, the sector includes more than 1,000 production businesses — 850 microbreweries and 158 brewpubs — with production of 470,000 hectoliters and more than 3,000 employees. This milestone is more than just a number: it confirms that independent quality has found its place.
What the law says (and why it matters to you)
Article 35 of Law 154/2016 establishes that craft beer is produced by small independent breweries, without pasteurization or microfiltration. This is not just a technical detail: it guarantees that what you have in your glass is lively, authentic, and not standardized for mass distribution.
Thanks to this definition, today you can reliably distinguish craft beer from beer that uses the term only for marketing. And here at Maltese, we are firmly on the other side: independent producers, with no compromises when it comes to the process.
Tax benefits: why small breweries can make better beer
Since 2019, microbreweries have benefited from excise duty reductions of up to 50% for production below 10,000 hectoliters. This is not just a tax advantage: it means that smaller breweries can invest more in ingredients, experimentation, and quality — instead of cutting costs to compete with large industrial volumes.
This is why small-batch craft beers often have an aromatic profile and complexity that industrial beers cannot replicate.
Why choose Maltese
Maltese was born from this culture: beers made with identity, without pasteurization, using carefully selected ingredients and recipes that tell the story of a region. Every bottle you order is the result of a craft process protected by law and guaranteed by our production independence.
If you are looking for high-quality Italian craft beers — for yourself, as a gift, or to explore styles you will not find elsewhere — you are in the right place.
→ Discover all our craft beers
→ Give an experience: our gift boxes
→ The latest additions to our catalog
An anniversary worth celebrating (with the right beer)
Ten years of craft beer legislation means ten years of protection for those who produce with passion and those who choose with awareness. If you have not done so yet, this is the perfect time to explore what drinking craft beer really means.
Order online and have it delivered to your home. As simple as it should be.
