Turning heads

“This space quickly became a cultural hub,” he says. “Hosting live music events, book presentations, various courses, and showcasing the work of several international street artists.” This connection to the arts and creativity as a whole has always been important to the LZO gang; perhaps growing up in a place where Renaissance art is around every corner has something to do with it. “Creativity is an essential pillar of our vision, captivating us just as profoundly as the craftsmanship behind our work,” says Jacopo. “Aesthetics play a crucial role in our narrative, shaping the way we express our identity and engage with our audience.” 

This creative narrative is perhaps best displayed in LZO’s Drop Out range of beers — each design for the cans was created by a different local artist, showcasing not just the unique style and quality of LZO beers, but of the people of Conegliano themselves. “We revel in the art of creative storytelling,” says Jacopo. For him, LZO’s beers, personality and tap room is “...an ongoing dialogue between artistry and authenticity.” The brewery saw local demand growing for more unusual and creative beers. “We noticed people wanted novelty and innovation. [With “Drop Out”] We create one shot products that are available only until they’re sold out, making them truly exclusive. We follow a quarterly release schedule, introducing a new beer every two weeks to keep things fresh and exciting. Both lines reflect our dedication to crafting great beers, whether through steady favourites or exciting new releases.”

The idea of authenticity is something many brewers in the craft beer industry battle with on a daily basis. Authenticity is what us drinkers appreciate about our local, independent breweries; it’s why we choose them over multinational sell-outs. But authenticity has come to mean something else in addition to that. In 2025, ‘authenticity’ encapsulates everything we feel is ethically responsible about a brewery, from their ownership to the way they treat the environment. Jacopo and his team at LZO realised early on that they needed to create a more sustainable way to brew and sell their beer to align with their personal commitments towards sustainability and environmental action. 

From the start, the brewery moved to using a canning line as soon as possible to reduce their carbon footprint — glass is heavy to ship — and stopped using plastic KeyKegs in favour of stainless steel as soon as they were able. The team are committed to using local ingredients too, including barley from their own farm in Noventa di Piave just a half-hour drive away, and hops from local suppliers. “This approach supports the Italian agricultural supply chain and ensures the freshness and quality of our beers,” he says.

“We have also upgraded the brewery with a system for recovering excess CO₂ from fermentation, which we then store and reuse in various stages of the brewing process,” says Jacopo. “We are constantly looking for ways to reduce waste, improve our processes, and contribute to a more sustainable future.”

Despite being renowned the world over as a country of winemakers and drinkers, the increase in interest in beer, especially craft beer, in Italy has exploded. According to Statista data, sales of mid-ABV pale beer in Italy in 2023 was at €1.6bn, and the number of active breweries in the country has grown massively, from a total of 220 in 2008 to 916 active breweries in 2022 when the data was last collected. 

LZO’s core range of nine different beers inspired by American craft beer styles shows just how popular the scene is becoming. And while the growth of the craft beer revolution in Italy is clear to see, there’s still a little while before the country begins its Lambic verticals era. Italian beer drinkers like traditional styles; much like the UK, there are craft beer enthusiasts and then a much-larger group of casual drinkers. LZO tap into that market by holding on to their ‘Cima’ craft lager, winner of the Birra dell'anno 2020 competition, and the ‘Posa’ Italian pils, both of which work perfectly as an aperitivo. You can change the script and still enjoy tradition, and LZO show there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.