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Birra Moretti: a long history of quality since 1859
Luigi Moretti's "Beer and ice factory" was founded more than a century ago in Udine, in the Friuli region.
At that time, Udine was a sleepy little town, surrounded by stone walls that had been built by the local community as far back as 1350. Within those old town walls, the people of Udine worked hard for generations, intent on commerce and craftsmanship.
It was at an important time during the unification of Italy.
At that time, the whole of the Friuli region was still annexed to the Austro-Hungarian Empire and patriotic uprisings in the city were frequent. It is no coincidence that an Austrian garrison was stationed in the castle that dominates Udine, and that cannons were placed in the main square.
It was during this very climate of unrest that the then 37-year-old Luigi Moretti – in the same year as the famous battles of San Martino and Solferino – looking to the future with conviction and confidence, decided to build his brewery.
Born into a family of wealthy merchants, Luigi Moretti was at that time already familiar with wholesale trading in cereals, wine, spirits, foodstuffs and – naturally – even beer, which his family purchased from nearby Austria.
At the time his small factory was inaugurated, its founder certainly could not have imagined how it would grow in the future.
The first bottle of Birra Moretti was sold in the summer of 1860. Even if it looked a little different to today’s bottles, the quality of the product has certainly remained the same.
The machinery used then was extremely advanced for its time, just as that used today is also at the cutting edge.
From the 1990s on, Birra Moretti went from being a Friuli-based beer to a nationally-distributed beer, constantly growing and conquering new fans and admirers.
After 150 years of existence, Birra Moretti has crossed national frontiers.
Today Birra Moretti is exported to over 40 countries around the world, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and Japan and has won important international awards. In 2006 Birra Moretti was the only Italian brand to have been awarded both gold and silver medals at the World Beer Cup, the most important international competition in the industry. At the same time, it was awarded 5 other medals at the Australian International Beer Awards – a high level competition in the southern hemisphere – something which confirms the high quality of Birra Moretti beer.
For the Birra Moretti group, these awards are certainly triumphs, especially as it is the only Italian beer to have come out on top in categories that are usually dominated by German or American beers.
The story behind the label
The quality of Birra Moretti beer is guaranteed by the Man on the Label, the moustached drinker who is the symbol of the Birra Moretti brand.
This moustached gentleman has an unusual history... In 1942, Birra Moretti had already been a popular drink all over Friuli for over 80 years. One day, Commander Lao Menazzi Moretti saw a pleasant-looking old man with a moustache sitting at a little table in the Boschetti di Tricesimo inn (Udine).
He was just the kind of character Moretti had been looking for to represent the qualities and character of his beer: wholesome, traditional and authentic.
Commander Moretti didn’t let him get away. He went up to him and asked the man if he could photograph him and also asked him what he would like in return. "Cal mi dedi di bevi, mi baste" – answered the man in Friuli dialect, which means "Get me a drink, that’ll do."
The photographs were taken and were used after the turbulent times caused by the war were over, when they were handed over to Professor Segala, a famous poster artist of the time.
Segala, following Commander Moretti’s descriptions of the original colours (the photographs were, of course, in black and white), created an advertising billboard which was used for years, wherever Birra Moretti was sold. This billboard gave rise to the now-famous Birra Moretti label.
Trivia
When the billboard was sent out to Birra Moretti's retailers, many people thought they recognised themselves as the moustached drinker, proof that Commander Moretti had successfully chosen a "real" and genuine character.
Over the years, the role of the moustached man has been played by various actors and even by a famous artist, Bruno Bozzetto, who in the 1970s produced a series of cartoon advertisements with the Man on the Label as his main character, accompanied by his trusty Birra Moretti mug of beer.
And, of course, the story continues...
