"The world of beer is colourful!" That's how my teacher opened the sommelier course a few years ago, when we tackled this type of beverage, so much appreciated by the public and by myself! Indeed, the brewing world, especially in recent years, has seen the birth of countless craft breweries and microbreweries, but also industrial ones "disguised" as artisan companies! Hence my intent and desire to bring a bit of clarity and start a personal search for small, authentic breweries, where passion and expertise are the foundation of small productions capable of best telling the story of their production area, starting with water, whose hardness and pH characteristics are fundamental in brewing, especially for certain beer styles. Equally important are the raw materials, such as malt and hops, and, last but not least, human experience and creativity! These, in my opinion, must be the basic ingredients that make the difference in what the market offers today. All of this, and more, I found in Piasco, a small town in the province of Cuneo, in the Varaita Valley. A place where foothill and mountain agriculture occupies a good part of its inhabitants' lives. Piasco opens the doors to the valley, and just outside the small town you can spot the sign of the KAUSS artisan farm brewery. From here begins my journey to discover a small but important craft beer production, deeply tied to its own territory but with ambitions that go beyond regional borders, winning over enthusiasts scattered across the whole country. Welcoming me at the company is Ivan, who, together with Diego and Luigi, the Master Brewer, has brought to life the project of producing good, authentic craft beers starting right from the field, the land and the water of this valley! "Kauss", which in Piedmontese dialect literally means "kick", becomes on the label a stylised little man who metaphorically kicks away rules and conventions, formalities, trends, and industrial or fake craft beers alike! Indeed, "artisan" is not enough — the brewery is first and foremost "agricultural": Diego, Ivan and Luigi are farmers and producers of the raw materials, largely local. The Kauss farm is also virtuous, producing its beers with the lowest possible environmental impact, relying on certified renewable energy. In fact, all the heat used in production comes from a wood-fired boiler powered by biomass from the clearing of the surrounding woods, while the electricity is generated by the photovoltaic system on the roof of the building. All of this gives the Kauss brewery an identity deeply connected to its territory, while keeping an eye on the world that will be left to future generations. The visit to the brewery continues through the copper kettles and the storage room where the precious malt from the cereals — mainly barley — grown in their fields is kept, including one field right in front of the brewery. The wonderfully fragrant hops are almost all Piedmontese through and through! These are the high-quality raw materials, grown under certified organic farming, without the use of synthetic pesticides or chemical herbicides. Proof of this can be seen in their barley fields, where alongside the golden ears grow numerous wild herbs and a sea of red poppies! None of the beers undergo pasteurisation or filtration, but rather a slow decantation at low temperature, in order to preserve important aromas that would otherwise inevitably be lost. Unlike other craft productions, the beers are not bottle-refermented, but are bottled using the "isobaric" method, thus preserving their natural effervescence from primary fermentation. All the finished product is stored in a suitable temperature-controlled room in order to guarantee the organoleptic characteristics of the beers over a long period. At the end of the tour, we finally reach the tasting room where I begin sampling their beers, which are mainly bottom-fermented (Lager) with two top-fermented (Ale), along with some "interpretations" aimed at achieving naturally hoppy and citrusy flavours and aromas. One of the characteristics I appreciated most is that these are thirst-quenching, easy-drinking beers, yet at the same time complex in their varied nuances of aroma and flavour. Luigi, the Master Brewer, who gained extensive experience abroad — mainly in Germany and Denmark — explains to me that their idea of beer is not to "build" it by adding "unusual" flavourings, but rather to focus entirely on selecting and working with the best malts and hops across the various styles offered. Each beer has different characters, but they are all united by clean aromas, appealing flavours and a genuine, satisfying drinkability! I conclude by giving credit to the Kauss brewery for succeeding in being a spokesperson for its territory, offering beers that are highly enjoyable, genuine and original. While respecting classic recipes, I am sure they will be able to satisfy the expectations of all those looking for a craft beer that is modern yet, at the same time, traditional.