So a crew from Dogfish is heading to Italy today to pour dozens of American craft beers at the 2010 Salone del Gusto in Torino, Italy. The Salone is an amazing gathering of small food producers from around the world put on by Slow Food International. The Salone website sums it up nicely, "the only place in the world where peasants and artisan producers, academics and chefs, wine connoisseurs and novice food lovers can come together in a spirit of exchange and friendship." We'll be volunteering at the US Brewers Association booth. Sam & I have been over twice before to pour and have met beer drinkers, brewers, and beer writers from around the world. This event is where we first connected with Leo and Teo (the Italian brewers with whom we are collaborating with on the beer side of NYC Eataly). It is so much fun to introduce American craft beers to people from around the world - it's also quite a challenge to describe beers in a language neither of us speak!

Speaking of Eataly, Torino is home to the original Eataly, so we'll be sure to make a visit! We'll also be visiting Leo and Birra del Borgo near Rome and Teo and Birra Baladin near Torino. I know we'll get to connect with some other brewers (from near and far) as well as a lot of wine and food folks.

I'm not sure if I'll be able to post brewery and beer pics here during the trip, but I know I'll be able to put em up on Facebook, so if you aren't following us there - click here and please do!