Distillerie Pietra

History

Brasserie Pietra was founded in 1996 on Corsica by Armelle and Dominique. They shared a strong belief in brewing as an expression of the island and began a journey that later led to the Pietra Pho series. Pietra was named in honor of the village Pietraserena, and the Sialelli family opened it in due course. Over time the company grew to about 45 employees and expanded its range to a variety of beers: Pietra, Colomba, Pietra Bionda, Pietra Rossa, Colomba Rosée, Corsican IPA and soon added a Blonde Bio Sans Gluten. The project has through the years been characterized by a close connection to Corsican culture and farming.

Production / Manufacturing

Brasserie Pietra builds its production on a set of well equipped facilities:

• Malts from the cool east and center of France (Pays Briard, Gâtinais, Beauce) and orchestrated together with barley and corn from Corsica.

• Chestnut flour (roasted chestnut flour) integrated as a primary input in brown beers and to give character.

• Barley malts (from Corsica) and hops from Alsace.

• Water from a spring and fermentation at high and low temperatures (reducing energy consumption).

• Fermentation with both low and high temperatures (fermentation methods), followed by maturation in temperature-controlled cellars.

• The brewery focuses on an integrated environmental and energy-efficient approach, and has implemented a CO2 recovery system to significantly reduce CO2 emissions.

• Reuse of process water and waste (sorting paper, plastic, metal, glass and other materials) and pursuit of material recycling.

• Support for chestnut growers and preservation of chestnuts in Corsica via GRPTCMC and Terranea projects, including support for chestnut trees and restoration of the Chestnut River.

Products / Pietra beer line

Pietra Instants emerges from a variety of brews, adding Corsican character:

• Pietra (Blonde pale malt) – base beer, suitable as an aperitif.

• Colomba – white/pale beer, with a special focus on freshness and herbal notes.

• Pietra Bionda – blond beer from the PIETRA line.

• Pietra Rossa – a red beer with balanced bitterness and body.

• Colomba Rosée – a rosé-white beer with fresh fruity notes.

• Corsican IPA – an IPA focused on hop aromas and less aggressive bitterness than a typical IPA.

• Summer Session IPA – light and fruity, designed as a summer IPA.

• Session IPA Bio & Sans Gluten – a lower-alcohol/light-bodied option, but still full of hop character, enabled by organic and gluten-free ingredients.

• Pietra sans alcool – non-alcohol beer (less than 0.5% alcohol), for those who want an alcohol-free experience.

• Amandula – a special edition inspired by Corsican and Italian flavors; almond-infused/infusion-based in collaboration with Arte Gustu 2023, with a fresh almond flavor.

• Pietra Barrel Aged – aged in wooden barrels previously used for whisky and wine, with 6 months of aging and development of complex aromas.

• Possibly Noisette, Amande Corse and other special editions for festivals (notes on cultivation and bottling at events).

Derived from the PIETRA Instants line and released in connection with events, these introduce unique flavor notes such as fruity, spicy, floral and woody, depending on the brew.

Visit / Experience

Pietra has leveraged Corsica's festivals and events to promote their products, including Arte Gustu festivals (2022, 2019 and 2023). For example the lemon theme was featured in 2022 with Limonellu collaboration and infusion of the lemon fruit in certain products. Topics such as chocolate, hazelnuts and almonds have also been a focus in events and special releases.

Philosophy and environmental education

In 2010 Brasserie Pietra achieved the ENVOL label (Engagement Volontaire de l’Entreprise pour l’Environnement). Milestones include:

• The CO2 recovery system that reduces emissions by about 80 tons per year.

• Reduction of water use: water from cooling is used to heat the water reservoir; and wastewater treatment routines cut the water use per liter by half.

• Waste management: sorting and recycling of materials (paper, plastic, metal, glass).

• Chestnut tree initiatives: Pietra supports chestnut growers and restoration of chestnut trees in Corsica via GRPTCMC and Terranea projects, including restoration of the Pianellu Chestnut River in Carbuccia.

• History of the creation of Corsican beer and its cultural grounding in Corsica.