The ever resourceful Mike Lemetti, whose mother Emilia Biagi was born in Castelvecchio Pascoli and is related to the Ghiloni and Pellegrini families from this area and who regular readers of this site will know as the man who’s company, Clan Italia invented the Italian National Tartan, which has been seen wrapped around such diverse figures as Paolo Nutini and the Pope (article here), was back in Barga today with a new project.
Mike and Riccardo Negri from the L’Osteria in Piazza Angelio presented to the Barga public, a new Scottish beer called “Antonine Amber Ale” which is produced by the well-known Falkirk Tryst Brewery in Scotland .
This new ale with its distinctive blue tartan label – the Italian National Tartan, has been the subject of much positive response by drinkers in Scotland and the Clan Italia team were very eager to see just what the response would be to the ale by drinkers in Barga.
Within a few minutes of setting up the stand they got their answer as visitors to the osteria included not just local people but also visitors from German, Holland, England, Scotland, Norway and Finland. All of whom declared their liking for the beer – many wanted to know where they could buy more bottles. The only slightly negative note came from the artist Astrid Palmgren ( born in Sweden, she was educated in Norway and Denmark, and she works as a professional artist in Scandinavia – article here) who said that the taste was decidedly too bitter for her palate.
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Mike was extremely pleased with the launch here in Barga especially the positive reaction to the Amber Ale from the German visitors who as Mike rightly said, ” know a thing or two about beer”
Tomorrow the Clan Italia group move on to nearby Viareggio where they are presenting the Antonine Amber Ale as special guests of the 4th Edition of Il Senso della Birra”– viaggio nell’universo dei produttori artigiani di birra con degustazione e vendita.
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The Italian National Tartan. – The brain child of Mike Lemetti, a third generation Scottish-Italian, whose family moved from Tuscany to Scotland in 1890. The design has the backing of the Italian Government and is aimed at the large community of Scots with Italian heritage. They are the first ethnic community to have their own tartan. Mikes’s site is here
The Italian National Tartan was carefully created to represent the strength and pride of the Italian People. Each colour is significant to the Italian heritage to embody the culture, traditions, and history of Italians Worldwide. The green, white and red reflect the colours in the Italian flag. The tri-colours were adopted in honour of the uniforms worn by the Civic Militia of Milan which were predominately green with some white. Red parts were added in 1796 when the Militia became the National Guard.
The black in the Italian National Tartan reflects the Praetorian Guard, an elite force of Palace Guards established in the beginning of the Empire Period, to guard the person and family of the emperor. With its unique history , the guard still remains a symbol of strength and power. The gold represents the rich culture of the Roman Empire and the warmth and beauty of the Italian sunshine. These colours rest on a field of azzuro blue. The colour itself is bold and formidable, bringing forth images of the Mediterranean depths. It was selected in honour of the Italian National football team and embodies the love and support the Italian people have for their country.
Mike Lemetti talking in English and Riccardo Negri in Italiano outside L’osteria in Piazza Angelio this evening
È sempre pieno di risorse MiKe Lemetti, bargoestero figlio di Emilia Biagi di Castelvecchio e discendente delle famiglie Ghiloni e Pellegrini. Con la sua azienda Clan Italia ha creato l’Italian National Tartan, un tartan che simboleggia l’Italia, poi indossato anche da Paolo Nutini e il Papa; ed è sempre lui che in questi giorni ha portato a Barga un altro progetto di Clan Italia. Una nuova birra, la “Antonine Amber Ale”(prodotta nel noto birrificio di Falkirk in Scozia), presentata all’Osteria di Piazza Angelio di Riccardo Negri.
La nuova birra, ben caratterizzata da un etichetta riproducente un tartan blu – il tartan Italiano – ha ricevuto grande apprezzamento dai consumatori scozzesi e Clan Italia era desideroso di sapere quale fosse la risposta dei barghigiani.
Il tempo di allestire uno stand per la degustazione in Piazza Angelio e la risposta è arrivata, non solo dagli abitanti della zona, ma addirittura da parte di visitatori tedeschi, olandesi, inglesi, scozzesi, norvegesi e finlandesi di passaggio. L’assaggio è stato un successo e alcuni hanno chiesto anche dove poterne acquistare qualche bottiglia.
Neanche a dirlo Mike è rimasto molto soddisfatto dal lancio dell’Antonine, anche in virtù del fatto che è stata molto apprezzata dai visitatori tedeschi lì presenti, che, come sottolineato da Mike, “due o tre cose sulla birra le sanno”.
Lasciata Barga il gruppo di Clan Italia si è spostato verso Viareggio, dove presenterà la Antonine Amber Ale alla quarta edizione de “Il Senso della Birra”, la fiera dedicata ai produttori artigianali di birra.