The port town of Ayr is located in the southwest of Scotland and is known, among other things, for the legend that a bone of the legendary and cinematic Robert Wallace (Braveheart) is preserved in the Wallace Tower, which is one of the local attractions. The distance between Ayr and Molise is approximately 2,600 kilometres, which can be covered by car in just under thirty hours. Romain Verrecchia from Isernia covered this distance years ago when he travelled to Scotland to work for a Scottish master brewer to learn the secrets of beer production and transfer them to his home region. On his return, Verrecchia started a business in Isernia that is still growing: the independent craft brewery Kashmir.
Passage through India
About labels, it should be noted that those used by the Molise-based producer do not go unnoticed and are mostly linked to symbols of pop culture from the 1970s and 1980s. This is where the name of the brewing company itself has its roots. «We started out as a beer firm, or more precisely as a nomadic brewery in 2012 – Romain Verrecchia told us – and four years later we acquired our own equipment, which was initially installed in a garage. After gaining experience, I wanted to buy one that was exactly the same as the one I had learned the ropes on in Scotland, which was made in England. The first beer we made was an IPA, and the reference to India (Indian pale ale) combined with our musical preferences was the inspiration for the brand name. Kashmir is one of the most famous songs in Led Zeppelin’s repertoire». After starting out completely alone, the founder brought on board other adventure companions in 2020: expert plant engineer Mario Capuano and financial and administrative manager Antonio Sinagoga. As for cultural heritage, it is clearly visible in the image of the gluten-free IPA Superstereoradio, which clearly references a hit song dedicated to a very different drink. Or in that of The Six Million Dollar IPA, featuring the image of Lee Majors; and again in the monstrous face that distinguishes the Czech lager Zlaty Boy, which is a replica of Iron Maiden’s grim mascot, Eddie. Finally, in the Al Pacino-like image of the six-degree IPA Serpico, passing through Metallica and the cover of Master of Puppets with Master of Roasted, a porter.
A multinational in the cellar
From the outset, the decision was made to divide production exclusively between cans and recyclable Dolium or Polykeg single-use kegs. «We decided to abandon steel because we operate in an extremely small region and most of our shipments go beyond our borders. The containers we use facilitate transport and do not require return, which relieves us of some of the burdens typically associated with our industry. As for cans, we wanted to move towards this type of packaging because it was more suitable for the younger generation and consumers like us, or what we jokingly refer to as “hop nerds”. At the same time, we felt that cans would enhance the graphics that I personally oversee and which are very important to us: the results have proven us right». In the midst of the health emergency triggered by the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the Kashmir staff focused on technological evolution and invested in innovation. «We purchased a new warehouse – recalled Verrecchia – and equipped ourselves with news equipment in line with the objectives we had set ourselves. Production is carried out entirely with isobaric systems and currently amounts to approximately 1,000 hec tolitres per year. The plants and fermenters were supplied by a Chinese company, but the insulated tank from Officina Meccanica Leone Mastromarino is Made in Italy. The Microcanner canning machine is American and boasts a nominal capacity of 24 cans per minute: our setup provides for 20. Last but not least, a mill and a 30-hectolitre fermenter were installed, together with a small internal laboratory for yeast counting and some simple bacteriological analyses».
Our Champions League
Kashmir’s headquarters covers a total area of 1,200 m2, 800 of which are outdoors, and also handles retail sales and e-commerce. There are already plans to open a taproom in the future, but what is not going to change at all is the methodology. «Working with isobaric processes under constant pressure and also dry-hopping allows us to give our beers a remarkable freshness. The added bonus comes from continuous research into hops and yeasts, so that our beers are as modern as possible». Verrecchia’s passion for dry hopping led him to establish what he called a ‘Champions League of hops’, namely the Dry-hop League, as an ideal meeting place for lovers of the genre.
But while the brewery pursues the goal of modernity, it never ceases to pay homage to the classics and tradition. Its creator has revealed his «predilection for British beers», which are well represented in the catalogue by both the aforementioned Master of Toaster and Eric: the athlete performing an overhead kick depicted on the label is, unsurprisingly, Manchester United star Eric Cantona. However, these are not the best sellers. The best performer in the Kashmir family is an IPA with an unmistakable name: La Morte Sua, whose success is most likely justified by its good balance. It is an 8% ABV beer, extreme and strongly hopped but at the same time easily accessible. It stands out for its very light colour, where in the past amber beers prevailed, and for the oats that tend to soften it. The originality of the name does the rest. In a landscape that, seen from Isernia, now favours hoppy and low-fermentation beers – «but bitters like Eric are also gaining ground» – Kashmir’s offering is proving competitive. «We are present in pubs and beer shops throughout Italy thanks to our collaboration with a distributor, and in the most populated regions or those with the most pronounced beer culture. Lombardy, Lazio and Campania are the leaders, the latter also for reasons of geographical proximity, but we would like to expand our customer base in Tuscany as well as at home in Molise. Foreign markets are attractive and, after making a few occasional sales, they are a target for the future, provided we find the right partners and increase production: but without taking risks and always in small steps»
