Beer and wine in Rome....

As for bringing wine you need to put it in your checked bag... so just realize the risk of finding it all over your clothes. When you could carry on I brought home lots of liquids... limoncello, balsamic, wine, olive oil, fragrance, etc... but now I just try to enjoy it while I am there... take a photo and saor the memory. You might find a new wine that could be available for you to buy in the US. You could have some shipped, not sure if its worth it.

Well, yes you can bring beer in and it would be a great ice breaker but seems like a big hassle. Beer is not the beverage of choice in Rome. Now our son lives in Dallas so I can appreciate why you brew your own beer (tee hee - San Diego is a hot bed of craft brewing lol). Drink your wine there. If there's something you really like write down the name and buy it at home. If it's a small local wine, well, enjoy it there. Wine does not travel well in tourist land. If you're bringing it back "for the memories" put it in a wine skin (or similar) for transport in your checked luggage back. Let it rest several weeks (or months) before opening. Check out a good wine store prior to leaving home and have the owner give you tips and pricing info for the area you will be visiting. Most people like to share their knowledge.

ah thank you for the suggestions! Yes my home state of Washington is also a hot bed and I pack bottles of beer to bring back to Texas (We are still developing a craft brew scene here =) Most of what I pack to take home is in a suitcase and I am backpacking to Rome.. So we shall see=)

There was a time when no beer was produced in Italy - all imported. I assumed that has changed. But I have not seen any local breweries. I am sure they are somewhere. But the wine, that is a whole different conversation. I love our micro breweries in Denver but when in Italy it is the wine. Thirty years ago I traveled with a friend. We always had a goal of being in a local bar, drinking a local brew by 5 PM each day. Italy was only place that we failed.

Check lout the website RateBeer. They list tons of bars specializing in craft beers. We had a brew at Open Baladin in the historic centre near Campo Fiore.

Don't know if you'll be able to find it in Rome but there is a brewery in Rimini that produces some good beer. They have several but the only two I can think of right now is Volpina and Gradesca. I also like Forst. Not the best brew in the world but I liked it.

http://beerme.com/index.php is another site for research. Its reader-generated opinions appear to be fairly up-to-date although its search map locates everything in West Africa. Try browsing the regions on the left-hand side. Italy is justly famous for wine, both in quality and quantity. Why fight it? But when the malt cries out to your palate, of course you can find beer. Heineken, the international octopus, controls more than a quarter of beer sales through various brands. The local champion Pironi makes quite respectable lagers under that name and Nastro Azzuru. Otherwise look for pubs importing beer from Belgium. I don't hear much boasting about Belgium wine but they dominate the world of beer.
And if your are desperately thirsty for something more challenging, around a corner somewhere will be an Irish pub with Guinness and, possibly by accident, an authentic IPA. Cheers!

Prior to my last visit to Rome I downloaded an app for my iphone titled "Katie Parla's Rome." It not only had great recommendations for places to eat in Rome, it also lists a few craft beer pubs. My wife and I checked out two, Ma Che Siete Venuti a Fa in Trastevere and Open Baladin near the Jewish Quarter. From one homebrewer and craft beer lover to another I highly recommend both of these pubs. As for bringing bottles of wine home I would suggest packing bubble wrap or wine skins as earlier mentioned. Cheers!

Well, traditionally, the Italians drink a good amount of beer, especially German beers, and they have in the last 10 years, gotten into the microbrew scene. I tried a few a couple years ago, decent stuff, the scene is changing, so use some of the websites given above, plus you could try www.beermapping.com and just general searches to find a few options. No problem bringing alcohol into the EU, and if you find the right small microbrew, it would be a great icebreaker and maybe lead to a great day with a brewer.