Why is Tennent's Super lager so popular in Italy?

The Herald Scotland

4 days ago

Alongside the comment, he has shared a photo of a familiar, long-necked bottle with a deep blue, yellow and red label, its bold T standing out proudly amongst a lineup of other brands on what appears to be a restaurant shelf.
'I've just been to Naples,' one follower has chimed in.
'A sophisticated couple ordered one each, it's bonkers that it's everywhere in Italy.'
Another has shared his testimony, writing: 'It really is the most bizarre thing to see.
'Yesterday, I saw a glammed-up lady drinking a bottle of Super T in the mountains. Contrast that with my memories of Scotland and a guy lapping up a spilt bottle from a table.'
Anyone lucky enough to have journeyed to Italy themselves will know that these guys aren't exaggerating. From Milan to Florence, Naples or Rome, no matter where you end up, you're likely to come across fridges filled with Tennent's Super or even clock it for sale on draught at high-end bars and restaurants.
And a quick scroll through the @ tennentsuper_ita official Instagram page reveals highly stylised photoshoots of young adults behind DJ decks, hanging around skate parks, and shooting pool at trendy bars, all with bottles of the beer in hand.
So, what is behind Italy's fascination with a drink that was for years brewed in Scotland, and widely dismissed as the lager of choice for only loutish characters like Rab C Nesbitt?
Originally from Northern Italy, author Luca Serra has been living in Scotland for eleven years and is a previous winner of the Scottish New Writers Award for Fiction.
Weighing in on the strange phenomenon of Tennent's Super in Italy, he said: 'The drinking culture over there is very different to the UK.
'In Italy, you go out at maybe nine or 10 pm and then want to get a bit tipsy before going to a club.
'That's why most people drink a couple of pints of a strong beer like Tennent's Super. Belgian beers are also popular because of their high alcohol content.
'In Scotland, you leave the office at 5pm then stay out for the whole evening, meaning you drink maybe five, six or seven pints.
'We also like to eat in Italy, which means you're too full to do anything other than sip at a strong drink.'
Going solely by the difference in alcohol percentage between Tennent's Super and a regular lager, this theory could well check out.
Coming in at a whopping 9% ABV, Super T packs quite the punch with a strong, complex flavour that's closer to an Italian 'Doppio Malto' than the lighter beers that we're used to in Scotland.
Sara Capaldi, co-owner of Partenope café in Glasgow's Southside, vividly remembers finding this out for herself while on holiday in Italy.
(Image: newsquest)
'The barman came running up to us very excited to tell me that they had beer from Scotland, and when he said it was Tennent's, we expected the regular lager. I just thought 'oh cool, we're drinking Scottish beer!'
'But Tennent's Super is way stronger, which we discovered after having a few pints of it.
'It has an extra kick which is more suited to Italian drinking culture. They don't drink to get drunk and will happily have a few pints and then go home.'
Although other holidaymakers might have experienced the same excitement when spotting a reminder of home in Italy, it is worth noting that Tennent's Super is no longer brewed in Scotland.
The rights to Tennent's Lager and Tennent's Authentic Export brands are owned by the C&C Group.
These beers are brewed by the C&C Group at Wellpark Brewery in Glasgow, where they have been made with the same Scottish Barley, water from Loch Katrine and hops since 1885.
However, as of 2009, the rights to the Tennent's Super brand have been held by AB Inbev, with the beer brewed in Luton.
Still, the brand's Scottish roots seem to be enough for this beer to be viewed as a premium, imported product overseas.
'I just think that beer from another country will sell better no matter where you are,' Capaldi continued.
'It's seen as fashionable to drink imported lagers.
'In Italy, you'll rarely see people drinking Peroni or Moretti, even though they are popular over here.
'On the other hand, I've never actually seen Tennent's Super sold in Scotland but it's everywhere in Italy.'
So, there you have it. A beer which seems run of the mill to us Scots is in fact considered a delicacy elsewhere, perhaps due to novelty factor or simply because of a preference for a stronger brew.
The next time you find yourself in Italy, why not take a leaf from the locals' book and order a bottle to sip during aperitivo hour.
With just a little extra sunshine and a slower pace of evening, you might just see Super T in a whole new light.