Where is Birra Menabrea Bionda brewed?
By Mark Porter Last checked 19 September 2026 How we check
Birra Menabrea Bionda is sold as a beer from Italy. It is brewed in Britain, at Glasgow, Scotland.
What to drink instead 6 beers on the same shelves that are what they say
Listed by Tesco and Ocado when last checked. The product pages are among the sources below.
Every beer on the shelf by strength · How the units are worked out
More about the brand: rights, style, when it was created, where it is brewed at home
What we have not confirmed
C&C Group's corporate page still says Menabrea is brewed in Biella. Against that, The Grocer reports that C&C moved brewing from Piedmont to the Tennent's brewery in Glasgow in June 2024, and quotes the UK pack as reading 'brewed in the UK the Italian alpine way under the supervision of Birra Menabrea'. The brand's UK site, menabrea.co.uk, says 'Brewed in the UK' in its footer, and so does the Tesco pack wording. We have gone with the UK pack and treat the corporate page as out of date.
We have not yet read a supermarket listing with a country of origin since the move, and Glasgow is named by the trade press rather than the pack. The owner (the Forst group, since 1991) and the 4.8% strength, the same here as in Italy, are confirmed. Thanks to Tim Webb of CAMRA, who sent the correction in September 2026.
If you have a can or bottle to hand, the producer's name and address in the small print would settle it.
In short
Birra Menabrea Bionda is sold in Britain as a beer from Italy. The cues are Italian brand, Biella and Italian Alps imagery, 1846 founding date. The UK supply comes out of Glasgow, Scotland, brewed by Tennent Caledonian Breweries. It is the same strength here as at home: 4.8%. The brand belongs to Birra Menabrea S.p.A., part of the Forst group. On the recipe: C&C states five ingredients: water, barley, hops, yeast and brewer's maize. The label says: "Brewed in the UK, the Italian Alpine way, under the supervision of Birra Menabrea."
What to buy instead of Birra Menabrea Bionda
Birra Menabrea Bionda is sold as Italian and brewed in Britain, at Glasgow, Scotland, at 4.8%.
| Beer | Why it is on the list | Strength here |
|---|---|---|
| Peroni Nastro AzzurroFrom the country on the label | Brewed at Rome, Padua and Bari in Italy. 5.1% here, 0.3 percentage points stronger than Birra Menabrea Bionda. | 5.1% |
| Birra IchnusaFrom the country on the label | Brewed at Assemini, Sardinia in Italy. 4.7% here, 0.1 percentage points weaker than Birra Menabrea Bionda. | 4.7% |
| Damm DauraThe same style, genuinely imported from elsewhere | Brewed at Barcelona in Spain. 5.4% here, 0.6 percentage points stronger than Birra Menabrea Bionda. | 5.4% |
| Sabor Premium LagerThe same style, genuinely imported from elsewhere | Brewed in Spain. 4.6% here, 0.2 percentage points weaker than Birra Menabrea Bionda. | 4.6% |
| SagresThe same style, genuinely imported from elsewhere | Brewed at Vialonga in Portugal. 5.0% here, 0.2 percentage points stronger than Birra Menabrea Bionda. | 5.0% |
| M&S Spanish LagerThe same style, genuinely imported from elsewhere | Brewed in Spain. 4.5% here, 0.3 percentage points weaker than Birra Menabrea Bionda. | 4.5% |
Chosen by rule, not by taste, and no beer pays to appear: how the list is made.
Who has brewed it here
| Years | Brewer | Site | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| ? to 2024 | Not confirmed | Imported from Biella; UK and Ireland distribution by C&C Group | candcgroupplc.com |
| 2024 to now | Tennent Caledonian Breweries (C&C Group) | Glasgow | thegrocer.co.uk |
Questions people ask
Where is Birra Menabrea Bionda brewed?
The beer sold in the UK is brewed at Glasgow, Scotland by Tennent Caledonian Breweries.
Is Birra Menabrea Bionda brewed in the UK?
Yes. It is brewed at Glasgow, Scotland.
Is Birra Menabrea Bionda really Italian?
The branding is Italian, but the beer sold in Britain is brewed in the UK at Glasgow, Scotland.
Who owns Birra Menabrea Bionda?
Birra Menabrea Bionda is owned by Birra Menabrea S.p.A., part of the Forst group, headquartered in Biella, Piedmont, Italy. In the UK the brand is handled by C&C Group plc under licence.
What strength is Birra Menabrea Bionda in the UK?
Birra Menabrea Bionda is 4.8% ABV in the UK. In Italy it is 4.8%. A UK pint is 2.7 units.
Is Birra Menabrea Bionda weaker in the UK than in Italy?
No. It is 4.8% in both the UK and Italy.
See also
Every beer sold as Italy · What else is brewed at Glasgow, Scotland
Last checked 19 September 2026. How we check.
Sources
- C&C Group plc (candcgroupplc.com), 5 September 2026: Brewed in Biella, 4.8% abv for Bionda, C&C distributes in UK and Ireland
- The Grocer (thegrocer.co.uk)
- Tesco (tesco.com)
- Tesco (tesco.com)
- Ocado (ocado.com)
- Birra Menabrea (Italy) (birramenabrea.com), 5 September 2026: Brewer's own history page: 'Nel 1991, l'azienda entra a far parte del Gruppo Birra Forst'; 'Birra Menabrea è prodotta a Biella, ai piedi delle Alpi'.
- Birra Menabrea (Italy) (birramenabrea.com), 6 September 2026: Brewer's Italian product page for La Gamma Bionda: 'ALCOOL 4,80% Vol.'
- The Grocer (thegrocer.co.uk), 8 April 2025: C&C Group moved Menabrea brewing from Piedmont to the Tennent's brewery in Glasgow: 'We started brewing in the UK in June 2024 after more than a year of trials'; the 4.8% abv lager had to 'pass a stringent 14-point specification'; UK packaging reads 'brewed in the UK the Italian alpine way under the supervision of Birra Menabrea'; C&C said it was 'unsustainable to continue importing vast quantities into the UK every few months from Italy'
- Birra Menabrea (UK site, C&C Group) (menabrea.co.uk), 19 September 2026: The brand's own UK site for Bionda: 'This 4.8% ABV pale lager'; the site footer carries 'Brewed in the UK'
Spotted an error?Tell us what the pack says and we will check it. mark@pretendpint.com