5th October 5, 2025, will be the first International IGA Day, dedicated to one of the most distinctive styles in the beer world: the Italian grape ale.
Created in Maracalagonis, Sardinia, in 2006, by Nicola Perra of Birrificio Barley, the Italian grape ale is a craft beer that incorporates grapes, fresh must, or grape pomace into its brewing process.
Recognised in 2015 by the Beer Judge Certification Program and officially endorsed on 5th October, 2020 by the European Beer Consumers Union, the IGA now has its own official day. It’s the idea of Simone Massenza, AKA The Taste Hunter, a beer taster, international judge, and storyteller.
IGA is the first Italian beer style to gain international recognition, said Simone. It deserves its own day, he says, “because it’s a beer that tastes like grapes but doesn’t try to be wine, and a wine that’s not afraid of hops. Because in a world full of IPAs — often too similar — we need a different sip. And it deserves to be celebrated.”
