Interview with Teo Musso

Last week I had an interview with Teo Musso, Founder of Birra Baladin. This interview highlights the passion and dedication Teo Musso has for creating innovative, sustainable beers, and how his vision continues to evolve with projects like the non-alcoholic beer. From his early days in the wine region to leading a craft beer revolution in Italy, Teo’s journey has been one of creativity and determination, supported by his son Isaac and his team at Birra Baladin.

Raoul van Neer (ONP5): Good afternoon Teo. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.

Teo Musso (Birra Baladin): Hi there, the pleasure is all mine.

Raoul: Can you tell us a bit about your background and the history of Birra Baladin?

Teo: Absolutely. Birra Baladin was founded 39 years ago in my small village in Italy, located in the heart of the wine region, near Barolo. My family was involved in wine – my father was a grape cultivator and made wine at home. But it was in the early '90s when I started brewing beer, as I saw an opportunity to introduce something different for wine lovers. My focus was on making beer that could be enjoyed alongside wine in restaurants and for wine enthusiasts.

Raoul: That's an interesting angle, creating a beer for wine drinkers. How did you evolve from there?

Teo: In the beginning, I focused on selling beer to the wine world, especially in wine magazines and restaurants. It was about positioning beer alongside wine. Then in 2006, I began a new project to transform Birra Baladin into a farm, Birrificio Agricolo Baladin. I started cultivating hops in Italy and developed the first Italian beer made entirely with local ingredients. This is also when I introduced craft beer in cans, a new idea at the time.

Raoul: That's was revolutionary approach, especially for Italy! And you also ventured into non-alcoholic beer, correct?

Teo: Yes, that’s right. In 2020, during the pandemic, I began working on creating a non-alcoholic beer. I didn’t want to use the traditional method for alcohol-free beer, so I focused on microfermentation – a very delicate and small-scale fermentation process. After three years of research, we released the first non-alcoholic craft beer with botanical ingredients and cannabis infusion, which was unique at the time in Italy.

Raoul: That’s truly innovative! The addition of cannabis oil and other botanicals must have made it stand out. How did you come to use such unique ingredients?

Teo: I wanted to make something surprising and different. The craft beer drinkers in Italy haven’t really explored the non-alcoholic market, so I thought, why not make it more appealing by using cannabis oil and botanicals like chamomile and orange peel? We also developed a special extraction process for these ingredients, using microwaves to create a clean and concentrated flavor. It’s a very unique method for non-alcoholic beer.

Raoul: It’s definitely a refreshing taste that stands out from other non-alcoholic beers I’ve tried. Can you tell us more about the collaboration with the University of Turin in developing this beer?

Teo: I worked with several universities on this project, including the University of Turin. The focus wasn’t just on non-alcoholic beer, but also on circular economy principles – how to upcycle the waste from beer production. The project involved new techniques for extracting aromas and for dry hopping, which is especially challenging in non-alcoholic beers since they don’t go through the pasteurization process. It’s a delicate balance to maintain clean flavors and aromas in these beers.

Raoul: It sounds like a true scientific and creative endeavor. And the yeast – are you using a special strain for your microfermentation process?

Teo: Yes, for the microfermentation, I work with two different strains of yeast. We’re constantly experimenting to find the best combination for our non-alcoholic beers.

Raoul: That’s fascinating. And what led you to start exploring the non-alcoholic beer category in the first place, given that you already had so many successful beers?

Teo: It was driven by my belief that this could be an interesting product for many people. Non-alcoholic beer is appealing for sports enthusiasts, people who are driving, or those who simply want to enjoy a refreshing beer without the alcohol. It’s also part of the growing trend of people looking for healthier options.

Raoul: I can see that. What do you envision for the future of non-alcoholic beer at Birra Baladin?

Teo: I believe that this part of our production will continue to grow. It may not take over 50% of our output, but I can see it reaching up to 20% in the future. In fact, this year, we’re producing ten times more non-alcoholic beer than last year. And we’re focusing on botanical ingredients, as it’s an area we’re really passionate about.

Raoul: That’s impressive! And are these botanicals all cultivated on your farm?

Teo: Yes, 95% of the ingredients for our beers are cultivated at Birra Baladin. We focus on clean, sustainable agriculture, and the quality of our ingredients is a cornerstone of our beers.

Raoul: That’s amazing! Lastly, Teo, I’ve always loved the story behind the glassware you designed for Birra Baladin. Could you tell us about it?

Teo: Of course. In 2006, I collaborated with a designer [ed: Lorenzo “Kuaska” Dabove] to create a special glass for Birra Baladin. It was important to me to have a glass that was not only functional but also elegant for restaurants. The glass needed to represent both the technical aspects of drinking beer and the aesthetic of enjoying it at the table. We were fortunate that it became a huge success. The brand name, TeKu, is prindted in the base of the glass, which became an iconic feature.

Raoul: I’ve seen that glass in many places, and it’s such a unique design. Thank you so much for sharing all of this with me today. Let's keep in touch.

Teo: We sure will. Thank you and ciao!

This interview took place on Wednesday, April 29 2025.