BIRRIFICIO SAN MICHELE

What BIRRIFICIO SAN MICHELE does

Birrificio San Michele is an Italian artisanal craft brewery founded in October 2010 by Bruno Gentile and operated as BIRRIFICIO SAN MICHELE s.r.l. from an 1860 building in Sant'Ambrogio di Torino, at the foot of Monte Pirchiriano and the Sacra di San Michele in the Val di Susa. The company produces a portfolio of 14 craft beers — each named after a famous opera heroine (NORMA, CARMEN, AIDA, BUTTERFLY, TOSCA, TURANDOT, LUCIA, MANON, VALCHIRIA, BRUNILDE, DESDEMONA, MIMÌ, MARIA STUARDA, LADY MACHBETH) — covering styles from Smoked and Blonde Ale to IPA, Stout, Weizen, Pilsner and Hemp. Production uses alpine mountain water sourced from Monte Pirchiriano, barley cultivated and malted on-site, and unfiltered/unpasteurized methods under 100% certified renewable energy; NORMA was awarded 'Birra dell'Anno' first place in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2015, and CARMEN placed third in 2011.

The brewery's commercial architecture is predominantly direct-to-consumer: an e-commerce storefront (birrasanmichele.it) selling individual bottles, assortment boxes (12x33, 6x75, 3x75) and customizable mixed boxes; an on-site shop (spaccio) at the brewery; an adjacent restaurant offering traditional brassicola dishes, Fassona Piemontese hamburgers and beer-pairing menus; free guided tours on weekends and holidays; and the San Michele Padel Club (four covered courts, launched 2023). Products are also exported internationally to multiple foreign markets. Pricing ranges from €9.60–€14.40 per 75cl bottle and €52.80–€62.40 per assortment box, with assortments typically offered at a ~20% discount to list.

The company operates with 11–50 employees, has no institutional investors or parent entity, and reports no funding rounds, subsidiaries, M&A activity, or restructuring events. Ownership remains founder-led and family-style.

Name

BIRRIFICIO SAN MICHELE

Legal name

BIRRIFICIO SAN MICHELE s.r.l.

Website

https://birrasanmichele.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Birrificio San Michele is a founder-led Italian artisanal brewery in Sant'Ambrogio di Torino producing 14 opera-themed craft beers from alpine water and on-site malted barley, sold direct-to-consumer via e-commerce, an on-site shop, an adjacent restaurant, brewery tours, and international export.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Beer Production

NAICS

Breweries (312120)

SIC

Malt Beverages (2082)

akta.pro primary industry

Beer Brewing & Brands (CRADAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Alcoholic Beverage Tours & On-site Experiences (Brewery/Winery/Distillery) (THAFALAK), Producer-Owned Retail & Bottle Shops (On-site) (THAFALAL)

Keywords

• Artisanal beer production
• Craft brewery operations
• Italian craft beer
• Beer assortments
• Brewery tours tastings

Headquarters

HQ city

Sant'ambrogio Di Valpolicella

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Beer Product Sales: Direct sales of artisanal beers through e-commerce website and on-site shop (spaccio), including individual bottles, pre-assorted boxes (Assortimento 6x75, Assortimento 12x33, Assortimento 3x75), and customizable mixed boxes (Componi la tua box).
2. Restaurant and Food Service: Revenue from the adjacent restaurant offering traditional brassicola dishes, meat, fish, pasta, second courses, pizzas, hamburgers made with Fassona Piemontese beef, and homemade desserts, with beer pairing suggestions.
3. Padel Club: Revenue from the San Michele Padel Club featuring 4 covered courts with World Padel Tour-quality surfaces, equipment rental, and lessons from a professional instructor.
4. Brewery Tours and Tastings: Free guided visits on weekends and holidays where visitors learn about production processes, raw materials, and taste beers accompanied by food.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Birrificio San Michele is an artisanal brewery that produces and sells a portfolio of 14 named craft beers inspired by Italian opera heroines, including styles such as Smoked, Blonde Ale, APA, Bitter, Blanche, Chestnut, Pilsner, Tripel, Weizen, Black IPA, Stout, Amber Ale, Hemp, and IPA. The company produces hundreds of thousands of bottles per year using unfiltered and unpasteurized methods with alpine mountain water and its own farm-grown malt, and sells them through an e-commerce website, on-site shop, pre-assorted and customizable tasting boxes, an adjacent restaurant, and international export.

Product overview

BIRRIFICIO SAN MICHELE is an artisanal brewery producing a portfolio of 14 named craft beers inspired by opera heroines, including styles such as Smoked, Blonde Ale, APA, Bitter, Blanche, Chestnut, Pilsner, Tripel, Weizen, Black IPA, Stout, Amber Ale, Hemp, and IPA. The brewery's production method is artisanal without filtration or pasteurization, using mountain water, quality ingredients, and partly biological production of barley malt and hops. The company operates a shop for direct beer sales and an adjacent restaurant offering traditional dishes paired with their beers. Optional degustation boxes (Assortimento 12x33, Assortimento 3x75, Assortimento 6x75, and a customizable box) allow customers to sample multiple beer styles.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Birra AIDA Amber artisanal beer smoked with beech wood, featuring notes of whiskey and a pleasant thirst-quenching finish; smoked style. Sold in 33cl and 75cl formats as part of the opera-inspired craft beer lineup.
• Birra BUTTERFLY Blonde artisanal beer with slightly fruity flavors and a bitter note in perfect sensory balance; Blonde Ale style at 5% ABV. Sold in 33cl and 75cl formats.
• Birra CARMEN Amber American Pale Ale with an irresistible cocktail of fruit and spices in harmony between sweet and bitter; 6.2% ABV. Awarded 3rd place 'Birra dell'Anno' in 2011. Sold in 33cl and 75cl formats.
• Birra LUCIA Classic English-style artisanal beer characterized by persistent bitter taste with fruity and spicy flavors; Bitter style. Sold in the opera-inspired craft beer lineup.
• Birra MANON Delicate Blanche-style artisanal beer with citrus notes tending toward orange and perfume of coriander, flowers, and honey; 5.4% ABV. Sold in the opera-inspired craft beer lineup.
• Birra NORMA Full-bodied artisanal chestnut beer with decisive aroma of toasted malt and caramel, and an unexpected delicate aftertaste; 6.8% ABV. 1st place 'Birra dell'Anno' 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015 — the most awarded Italian craft beer in the chestnut style. Sold in 33cl and 75cl formats.
• Birra TOSCA Pilsner beer inspired by Czech tradition, dry and bitter with persistent 'herbaceous' hop taste; Pilsner style. Sold in the opera-inspired craft beer lineup.
• Birra TURANDOT Enchanting dark abbey-style beer with caramel, licorice, chocolate, and coffee notes; triple malt, 8.5% ABV, Tripel style. Sold in the opera-inspired craft beer lineup.
• Birra VALCHIRIA Weizen artisanal beer with fruity bouquet where banana and cloves prevail in a slightly tart but pleasant mix; Weizen style. Sold in the opera-inspired craft beer lineup.
• Birra BRUNILDE Black IPA artisanal beer with delicately bitter flavor and light coffee taste, particularly thirst-quenching; 5.5% ABV. Sold in the opera-inspired craft beer lineup.
• Birra DESDEMONA Stout artisanal beer with pronounced toasted malt taste evoking coffee aromas and fine, creamy foam; Stout style. Sold in the opera-inspired craft beer lineup.
• Birra MIMÌ Amber ale artisanal beer with citrus notes and dry slightly bitter taste providing freshness; Amber Ale style. Sold in the opera-inspired craft beer lineup.
• Birra MARIA STUARDA

Quantifiable outcome

• NORMA won 'Birra dell'Anno' first place for 4 consecutive years (2011, 2012, 2013, 2015) - making it the most awarded Italian craft beer in the chestnut style
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Educational Institutions and Research OrganizationsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010Since founding in 2010, Birrificio San Michele has collaborated with educational institutions from elementary schools to university food technology and gastronomy faculties, as well as industry associations for the promotion of craft beer culture and artisanal food production philosophy.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Brasseria della Fonte: Smaller Italian craft brewery producing artisanal beers with similar quality and storytelling focus. Comparable scale and craft positioning, though with a less established international presence.

Direct peers

• Theresianer: Italian craft brewery producing a portfolio of artisanal beers with quality-focused positioning. Comparable premium craft offering, broad SKU range, and Italian distribution footprint.
• Birra Toccalmatto: Italian craft brewery producing innovative and award-winning artisanal beers. Comparable premium positioning, broad style experimentation, and recognized quality credentials in the Italian craft market.
• Birra Baladin: Italian craft brewery founded by Teo Musso, also producing a portfolio of artisanal beers with strong brand storytelling and on-site restaurant/pubs. Operates as a leading Italian craft pioneer with similar premium positioning, DTC focus, and on-site hospitality integration.
• Birrificio Lambrate: Milan-based Italian craft brewery producing artisanal beers with an attached brewpub. Shares the craft positioning, restaurant integration, and urban/DTC distribution model with Birrificio San Michele.
• Birrificio del Borgo: Italian craft brewery founded in Umbria, producing diverse artisanal styles with strong brand identity. Comparable product range, craft positioning, and on-premise focus make it a direct competitor in the Italian craft segment.

Regional players

• Rodenbach: Belgian specialty brewery producing artisanal-style beers with strong heritage and brand narrative. Comparable in craft positioning and storytelling-driven marketing, though operating in a different European market and beer tradition.

Broad incumbents

• Birra Peroni: Italy's largest mainstream brewer (owned by Asahi). While primarily industrial, its portfolio competes for the same Italian beer-drinking occasions and shelf space that Birrificio San Michele targets, especially in HoReCa and retail.
• Heineken Italia: Subsidiary of Heineken operating Birra Moretti and other Italian brands. Represents the incumbent competitive pressure Birrificio San Michele faces in Italian retail and on-premise channels, especially as macro-brewers increasingly acquire or launch craft lines.
• Birra Menabrea: Established Italian brewery producing both mainstream and craft-positioned beers from Biella. Overlaps with Birrificio San Michele in the Italian beer market but operates at significantly larger scale with broader distribution.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BirraSanMichele
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCDB8TRPZ9GttvI9N-xfcqZg
• Facebookfacebook.com/birrasanmichele
• Instagraminstagram.com/birrificiosanmichele
• Pinterestpinterest.it/birrasanmichele
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/birrificio-san-michele

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about BIRRIFICIO SAN MICHELE