Birra Is the New Italian Lager by Blackhearts & Sparrows and Its First-Ever House Release Beer

With 13 boutique bottleshops across Australia and a renowned curation of booze to its name, Melbourne-born Blackhearts & Sparrows is a popular destination for those looking to buy a craft brew. But the latest drop to land on the shelves there has an extra special place in the brand's heart — it's Blackhearts & Sparrows' very first house beer.

Introducing, Birra — the label's own easy-drinking Italian-style lager whose retro-style red cans have been flying from store fridges since May.

The new creation was inspired by the impact extended lockdowns have had on sourcing and importing beer from overseas, in particular the perennial best-seller Peroni Red. The team figured that if it was becoming such a challenge to get the Italian beer in stock, why not have a crack at making their own?

"We wanted to still be able to offer customers an easy-drinking lager at a cheap and cheerful price point," explains the group's beer buyer, Cherry Noble. So, they got working on a recipe and Birra was brought to fruition via a contract brew with mates at Burnley Brewing.

The hefty environmental cost of shipping beer internationally was another driving force behind the new brew's creation. Being able to make even a little dent in the huge number of pallets being shipped to Blackhearts & Sparrows each year was a no-brainer for the team — and a win for the planet.

All this means that, at least for the foreseeable future, the homegrown beer will be completely replacing Peroni Red on the shelves of your local Blackhearts store.

While Birra marks Blackhearts & Sparrows' first solo beer creation made to their own recipe, the label's no stranger to the brewing game. It has collaborated on a suite of popular drops in the past, including The Brewer West Coast IPA made with CoConspirators, a juicy farmhouse wild ale helmed by La Sirene, and the Scarf Weather American Amber Ale crafted in conjunction with Collingwood's Molly Rose.

Find Birra exclusively in Blackhearts & Sparrows stores and the online shop. It comes in at RRP $16 for a six-pack.