United Wines toast Italian beer’s NI debut

A refreshing new Italian beer with ‘a hint of sea salt’ has reached Northern Ireland’s shores, courtesy of leading lager brand Birra Moretti and Craigavon-based drinks distributor United Wines.

Sale di Mare, which translates as ‘salt of the sea’, is the newest member of the Birra Moretti ‘famiglia’ and promises to refresh the local lager market with an authentic taste of the Italian coast.

Harvested from Sicily, Sale di Mare (pronounced ‘sah-lay dee mah-ray’) is a naturally unfiltered, medium-bodied premium lager (4.8% ABV), brewed with Italian passion and the finest quality ingredients.

Slightly hazy in colour, its extra hop aromas give a fuller taste than Birra Moretti L’Autentica, with herbal aromas of citrus and pine.

With sea salt commonly used in food to enrich flavours, Sale di Mare isn’t just great as a stand-alone beer, but also paired with food, its taste profile perfectly complementing some of Italy’s finest coast-inspired dishes.

United Wines Brand Manager David Greenlees who helped toast its introduction at Orto pizzeria said: “We are absolutely thrilled to introduce Sale di Mare to the Northern Ireland market.

“With its crisp refreshing taste and very cool Italian coast vibe, it’s a perfect beer for the summer, so let’s hope we get some well-deserved sunshine over the next few months!

“Research shows that 37%** of consumers like trying new drinks brands, and we’re sure that the Northern Ireland public will be very curious to try this interesting new beer from the popular Birra Moretti brand.”

Italian beers account for almost two thirds* of all lager sales in the UK, with Birra Moretti the biggest brand, having surpassed over £1bn of retail sales in the last year.

“The launch of Sale di Mare in Northern Ireland gives local outlets a great opportunity to build on their premium continental lager offering with a huge market-leading brand,” added David Greenlees.

Sale di Mare is now available from United Wines in 330ml and 660ml bottles.