Sicilian Beer - Tarì
We love Sicilian quality products and we are proud of those Sicilians that can transfer their passion for our island into a truly tasteful idea. Tarì is a company and beer that represents exactly that. Produced close to the beautiful city of Modica by a brewery called Rocca dei Conti, it is the result of the work of local entrepreneurs to create a typical Sicilian beer.
What do we like about Tarì?
1) It is a Sicilian beer. Although, this beer was first brewed in an Italian region known more for its wine or limoncello, the developers of Tarì were able to make a truly Sicilian product.
2) It is a young company. We like new ideas and we love to promote entrepreneurship. We believe change is generated through creative ideas supported by a strong social infrastructure. Born in 2010 from the passion of two young Sicilian entrepreneurs Tarì has successfully consolidated its brand name as a local company.
3) Creativity and taste. The brewery is even producing beer mixing in the process a bit of the local specialty chocolate culture (http://www.birratari.it/portfolio/bonajuto/).
4) Clear branding. We like Tarì’s look and they way the brewery takes great care of being clear to its clients. You need to know what you are drinking!
Given how much we like Tarì we decided to e-interview its creators! Check out what we discovered.
In one word, how did you create Tarì:
Passion. We started by brewing chez nous. Thanks to our enthusiasm, we managed to create a product that is both tasty and authentic using natural and high quality ingredients.
Tarì and Sicily – how do they mix?
The tarì was a local coin used in the Kingdom of the two Sicilies (Regno delle due Sicilie). It was used until the beginning of the ‘900s when it was substituted by the Lira. Sicily is inside all our bottles. Our logo also reminds us of the sun of our island.
Has it been helpful or more difficult to start your brewery in Sicily?
At the beginning, we really felt the difficulty of starting a totally new concept in an "island". Sicily was a country devoted to wine, or other productions. Making beer made us look crazy in the eyes of some people. However, thanks to the fact that we were amongst the first to strat a brewery in Sicily, we also had less competition and we managed to create a niche for our quality products.
How do you contribute to the environment?
Our company takes great care in creating a sustainable product. Since planning the manufacturing plant, we aimed to save energy. We use solar panels and other systems to save and increase the energy efficiency of our brewing process.
How much of your ingredients come from Sicily?
We only use water from Modica, carefully filtered and always checked for consistent quality. Our malts and hops come from Germany and England. However, we always try to add aromas and flavours from our land. For example, in Trisca (http://www.birratari.it/portfolio/trisca-2/) we use Sicilian basil, lemons, coriander, and Russello wheat. In the beer called Qirat (http://www.birratari.it/portfolio/qirat/) we use “carrube” and in Giacchè (http://www.birratari.it/portfolio/giacche-2/) we add must from Giacchè wine.
How much of your beer is sold outside of Sicily?
Our brand is still mostly a Sicilian one. About 10% of our production gets exported. We plan to grow a network of international retailers to help the world taste Tarì.
What future do you see for Birra Tarì?
Tarì was born as an artisanal beer and a family business. Our dream is to create a unique Sicilian beer. We are committed to strengthen our product offer and expand our distribution network, still keeping the quality of our beer.
What would you recommend to see in Sicily?
I would strongly suggest visiting the area around the Ibeli mountains, Siracsa, Modica, Ragusa. This area of Sicily offers plenty of outdoor experiences and also tons of great restaurants (http://www.andreinaevito.com/#!Sicily-Star-Restaurants/c1kiu/56ab4fbd0cf231794c615039).
Where can we find your beer?
Tarì is available all over Sicily through a large network of restaurants, wine bars, and retailers. You can also come visit us at our brewery where we can offer you a beer tasting tour (http://www.birratari.it/contacts/).
Enjoy!