Well we were very excited about our latest tasting at Extraomnes for a range of reasons.
1. We had tried the beer at the recent Italian Beer Festival at Milan and absolutely loved their range
2. After grabbing a sample of each we tested them out on our “poor” friends and they too loved them
3. BUT the most exciting was the fact that the logo which is quite awesome is just like our dog Jess! So this beer has thus become “Jessie’s beer”

So after abandoning the kids at school we headed off to Milan to the headquarters of Extraomnes to meet with Schigi, the beer maker, a converted wine sommelier who has just been voted runner up Italian beer maker of the year…not bad! Extraomnes is owned by Andrea and his cousin who have long been in the coffee game and have now expand into the wonderful world of beer. Extraomnes whilst quite new on the Italian beer scene has quickly made a huge impression on both the local and international market. So what’s with the name? Extraomnes means “fuori tutti” in Latin, and for you who can’t understand Italian that means out everyone. In the Sistine chapel when the cardinals need to be left alone to vote for the next pope, this is the cry to tell all to leave conclave to vote. And yes the ”needs more dog”? It’s the catch phrase of the company. Came to mind when Schigi was brewing and his faithful pooch was running around the brewery,he recalled the Simpson’s skit of the brewer brewing a batch of dogs, he tastes it and says ”needs more dog”.

So yes great logo, great people, catching name but how is the beer????

Quite simply fantastic! Relying only on the flavours and aromas derived from the specially selected yeasts and hops, they have a range of beers from their refreshing Blond, award winning citrusy explosion of the Zest to the ever so mouthwateringly good Donker ( the only beer in which they add something, coffee beans of course hand selected to make the most amazing coffee/chocolate stout you could imagine!)

We’ll be making sure that our next shipment in June is stacked with a heap of this beer because after one taste you’ll all agree “Australia needs more dog!”

…

So we have this local specialist retailer called Eataly in Torino. They specialise in all things “Slow Food” and that includes craft beer, with a reasonable craft section. Around a year or so ago the owner branched out and opened the concept in New York, and to everyones great pleasure, they dedicated the entire top floor to a beer hall.

200, 5th Avenue has become the place to be with an amazing food hall that rivals David Jones by a long way and then some. With a craft beer section on the ground floor, then you jump in the lift and head for the roof and its craft beer hall heaven. With a great selection of craft beers on tap including their own roof top bee and Dogfish head plus our very own Birra Del Borgo. This is a must visit for anyone visiting the Big Apple. They’ve installed a small brewery on the top floor and this huge terrace has been covered with a glass roof and sliding walls so it all opens up in summer. The food was great and the beer even better. I called in on my first day and walked straight in (around 3.30) then the next day I decided to make a fly past on my way to the airport, and it was a 30 minute wait just to get a seat at the bar :-(. From what I’ve been told this is normal (luck on my side day one). So at least I got to try it, and will be heading back in a couple of weeks. Even better I finally found a place in the US that also does good coffee (the’ve imported the Barista's over).

So top tip, don’t miss it, get their after lunch rush, get your position and stay into the night. Sample the bar food the smoked prosciutto is fantastic with a Dogfish head IPA

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