Getting to know: Dennison’s Craft Drinks Sas
Travel a few minutes north from the northern Italian city of Reggio Emilia and you’ll find English Taste and Italian Passion at Dennison’s. A small brewery and drinks production facility with big flavours and an even greater amount of artisanal desire to produce classic Craft Drinks well.
In a quiet, unassuming residential area of the city, Gordon Dennison, the son of a German mother and British father can be found following his passion. As one of the Institute of Brewers and Distillers alumni, Gordon ensures artisanal brewing techniques are rigorously followed to respect classic beer-styles and to appreciate the high-quality ingredients. This is beer to relish and enjoy with enthusiasm.
At its heart are the fine beers that respect brewing history, traditional British and German styles with all-natural ingredients and no artificial sweeteners or preservatives — all with a unique Dennison’s twist. There’s even a couple of recent American inventions to boot. Being that we are in Italy, each beer is lovingly produced to be uniquely paired with a speciality of the local cuisine.
The British influences produce a top-notch I.P.A., an extremely drinkable Mild Ale and a close-to-perfect Porter; in additional to an English Pale Ale and Extra Special Bitter. German traditions see Dennison’s produce a Weizen and a couple of excellent Kölsch-style beers: the ‘La Crucca’ and ‘La Jamaicana’, the latter bearing the unmistakable taste and aroma of cannabis. Complementing these beers is the ‘La Blonde’ and an American Pale Ale.
Dennison’s is more than a regular brewery, and it’s through the production of other Craft Drinks that it notches up another excellent reason to visit the brewery or try one of its beverages elsewhere. Dennison’s successfully steps up to the challenge of being an all-rounder that provides a drink for every palate and taste with its diverse and appetising range.
Cider has been relished in apple-producing regions of the world for millennia, and Dennison’s continues the tradition with its ‘Cider’ (Sidro) — a fine world-class example produced from the best Italian apples. The ‘Lemon’ takes the fermented juice of high-quality Italian lemons to produce what is aptly described as a “fruit-wine”; and likewise, the ‘Orange’ is another “fruit-wine” with the fermentation of oranges at its core — for both drinks, think wine-making with lemons and oranges replacing grapes. Dennison’s also takes fresh ginger, brown sugar, honey, lemon, lime juice and exotic spices to produce a stunning ‘Ginger Beer’ that cannot be ignored.
However, it is Dennison’s Meads that are in some manner its defining drinks. With a history that predates even cider, Mead demonstrates how working in harmony with nature (in this case, bees) can produce a wonderful elixir that continues to experience a slow, but steady resurgence in popularity.
Dennison’s rightly references Mead as the legendary ‘drink of the gods’, and with its ‘Idromele’ Dennison’s is producing an excellent Mead that combines the passion for its production with the highest-quality local honey from Reggio Emilia. It is a beverage to behold.
And then there is ‘Weed Mead’, Dennison’s signature Mead and a beverage that is as unique as it is delightful. A classic mead enhanced by cannabis.
If you’re in the Reggio Emilia region, it would be amiss not to visit Dennison’s. But even if you’re not in the area, there is an online shop and some retailers also stock the beers and other Craft Drinks. Wherever you are in the world, Dennison’s is one to watch-out for or ask for at your local outlet.
