Seeing a Birra del Borgo beer featured in Beery Christmas has almost become a tradition. As one of the most important craft breweries in Italy, Birra del Borgo continues to innovate and surprise beer lovers year after year. With Santa Punch, created in collaboration with Patagonia Brewery, the challenge has once again been met with flying colours, delighting our taste buds and raising the bar for festive brews.
Birra del Borgo
Like many craft breweries, Birra del Borgo began as a passion project. Founded by Leonardo Di Vincenzo, who abandoned his biochemistry studies to pursue brewing, the project quickly evolved into a full-time profession. After years of experimentation and success, the brewery, located 100 km northeast of Rome, is now considered Italy’s most famous craft brewery, blending tradition and innovation. In 2015, it celebrated its 10th anniversary and has continued to grow ever since, developing an increasingly sophisticated range of beers. For this edition of Beery Christmas, Birra del Borgo teamed up with its friends at Patagonia Brewery, one of Argentina’s most renowned breweries. Based near Lake Nahuel Huapi at the foot of the Andes, Patagonia brews beers inspired by nature, always with impeccable quality.
Santa Punch
Santa Punch is an Imperial IPA born from the collaboration between Birra del Borgo and Patagonia Cerveza. Its originality lies in the use of Oleo Saccharum, a classic cocktail mixology ingredient first mentioned in 1627 and used by bartenders for centuries. Made by combining sugar syrup with citrus peel to extract essential oils, Oleo Saccharum imparts tangy, zesty notes to drinks. Traditionally used in cocktails such as the Tom Collins and Daiquiri, it also works wonders in beer.
In Santa Punch, this technique reveals aromas of caramel and orange marmalade, enhanced by notes of sweet malt and fruity hops. A firm yet balanced bitterness underpins the flavours, accentuating the beer’s fruity complexity and making it a true festive treat.
The Imperial IPA style
Whether you call it a Double IPA or an Imperial IPA, the style is the same: a stronger, more robust version of the classic India Pale Ale. These beers are higher in malt, hops, and alcohol, making them boldly bitter with intense flavours of pine resin, grapefruit, and tropical fruit. Best enjoyed slightly warmer than regular IPAs (around 10°C), they pair beautifully with dishes such as chorizo, prawns, burgers, or chilli.
Tasting tips
Serving temperature: around 8°C
Food pairing: mature cheese, pork chops, or even carrot cake.
Discover other beers and breweries : Weihenstephan: The thousand-year-old brewery, Way, Way Green, the green beer from Brewski and René, a historic beer from Armentières in northern France.
