Award winning Norfolk based micro brewery take the Italian industry by storm.
An award winning Seething based Micro Brewery has become the first Norfolk brewery to export their range of real ales into the European market since the introduction of Brexit.
Michael Green, the award winning owner of Tindall’s Brewery, was invited to the Food and Beer exhibition in Rimini in Italy in February 2023. Thousands of breweries from across the globe were in attendance, but Michael impressed the Italian brewers and distributors Dibirra with their award winning ales.
A Norfolk connection was discovered, a bond was formed, beer samples were exported, and while it took some time, not least due to paperwork and regulations, a year later the Norfolk company found their range of ales being sold across the whole of Italy. .. But that is not the whole story.
Still only 25 Michael has spent 6 years building up the breweries reputation, and developing a range of exciting and innovative range of award winning ales. He has won numerous awards from beer festivals for his range of ales including Norwich Beer festival on many occasions. However, feeling slightly out of place amongst a raft of representatives from large scale UK breweries at the exhibition Tindall’s ales impressed Dibirra who were keen to introduce a cask ale, something that Tindall’s specialise in, to the Italian market. They were ‘blown away’ by the beer samples, and in October 2023 placed an order, but logistics and export issues had to be overcome. Red tape, paperwork and customs issues delayed the exportation, a mix of patience and persistence was required and then finally in February of this year the seemingly impossible happened and the micro brewery achieved their biggest sale of ales so far. New and larger equipment had to be installed, haulage had to be figured out and friends and family pitched in to help out.
A proud Michael stated that ‘The branding and quality of our beer speaks for itself, and it is quite possible that this will be the first beer of this style that the Italian people may have tried’.
As a result Tindall’s are now mentioned in the same breath and articles as many of the UK’s major breweries in Italy. A combination of perseverance where others might have capitulated, and a range of fine ales paid off in the end, and this may well not be the end of their European adventures.
This progressive and innovative Norfolk brewery now find themselves not only surviving, but thriving during difficult times in the UK. It looks like Italy may be just the start of their European adventure and expansion, and there is much more to come from this blossoming micro brewery with major player intentions.
