Non Filtrata
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Tasting Notes
This unfiltered lager carries a slightly hazy pour and a fuller, more textured character than its filtered counterpart — expect a soft breadiness on the nose with a hint of yeast and mild floral hop aroma. On the palate, cereal grain and light biscuit flavors come through with a gentle bitterness that keeps things balanced rather than assertive. The body is medium-light with a creamy quality from the retained yeast, and the finish is clean with a faint earthy note. It's a small but meaningful step up in complexity from the standard Ichnusa lager.
About the Brewery
Birra Ichnusa is based in Assemini, Sardinia, and has been producing beer since 1912, making it one of Italy's oldest active breweries. The name references the ancient Greek name for Sardinia, and the brand carries a strong regional identity tied to the island. Heineken acquired a controlling stake in the early 1980s, giving Ichnusa wider distribution across Italy and beyond. Their lineup is narrow and focused, built around accessible lager formats with the Non Filtrata as their most characterful offering.
Food Pairings
The soft yeast character and gentle bitterness here work well with fried seafood — calamari or mixed fritto misto — because the carbonation and light body cut through the oil without overwhelming delicate flavors. Grilled sausage or porchetta sandwich brings out the beer's cereal backbone through a straightforward grain-meets-fat affinity. Aged pecorino sardo is a natural regional pairing, where the beer's mild earthiness echoes the sharpness of the cheese without clashing. It also holds its own alongside a simple margherita pizza, where the yeast in the beer mirrors the fermented character of a good tomato sauce.
Style Guide
Unfiltered lager — sometimes labeled kellerbier or zwickelbier in German tradition — skips the filtration step that removes yeast and proteins, leaving the beer slightly hazy and with more textural body than a standard lager. The base style is still bottom-fermented and cold-conditioned, so lager's signature clean fermentation character remains, but the retained yeast adds a subtle breadiness and soft mouthfeel. ABV typically falls in the 4.5–5.5% range, keeping it sessionable. It sits between a standard pale lager and a full kellerbier in terms of complexity, distinguished from filtered lagers mainly by texture and a modest boost in yeast-driven flavor.