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Which beers sold as foreign are brewed in Britain, and what to buy instead

Work in progress. We are still reading cans and settling where listings disagree. Seen a beer whose small print contradicts its label? Tell us.

Where is Birra Ichnusa brewed?

Genuine import Partly verified Last checked 6 September 2026

Birra Ichnusa is genuinely imported from Italy, at the same strength as at home.

Listed by Tesco when last checked. The product pages are among the sources below.

4.7%
UK
4.7%
Italy
The UK version matches the strength sold in Italy.
Brewed for the UK in
Imported from Italy
Imported
Sold as a beer from Sardinian identity, the Four Moors flag device, 'non filtrata' Italian pack copy
Brewed in (country)
Italy
Brand owner HQ: Amsterdam, Netherlands
UK strength
4.7%
Strength at home (Italy)
4.7%
UK listing shows 4.7% ABV, matching the Italian product.
What the UK label says
“Country of origin: Italy (LWC Drinks wholesale listing for the 24 x 330ml bottle case; the Tesco marketplace listing shows no origin field).”
Source: catalog.lwc.co.uk
More about the brand: rights, style, when it was created, where it is brewed at home
UK rights held by
Heineken UK Limited (owned)
Style
Lager
Brand created
1912, Italy
Brewed at home in
Assemini, Sardinia, Italy (Birra Ichnusa, Heineken Italia)

Partly verified

At least one of those three claims rests on a secondary source or an inference, a disagreement between sources is still open, or a split supply has a format that has not been read.

Strength (4.7%) and origin (Italy) are read from LWC Drinks' wholesale listing of the 24 x 330ml case and The Beerhive's 330ml listing; the Tesco marketplace listing gives 4.7% but no origin field. The Assemini, Sardinia, brewery comes from the retailer's description, not the pack. The owner (Heineken Italia) has not been sourced from a fetched page, which is what keeps this at partly verified.

A second row for the same product (birra-ichnusa, unverified) was merged into this one on 2026-09-06; its address redirects here.

The small print on the base of a current can or bottle, giving the producer name and address, would settle this.

In short

Birra Ichnusa is imported. The UK product is brewed at Assemini, Sardinia in Italy. It is also the same strength as at home, 4.7%. The brand belongs to Heineken N.V. (Heineken Italia S.p.A.), which also owns Birra Messina and Birra Moretti in the UK. The label says: "Country of origin: Italy (LWC Drinks wholesale listing for the 24 x 330ml bottle case; the Tesco marketplace listing shows no origin field)."

What changed

Questions people ask

Where is Birra Ichnusa brewed?

The UK product is imported. It is brewed at Assemini, Sardinia in Italy.

Is Birra Ichnusa brewed in the UK?

No. The UK product is brewed in Italy.

Is Birra Ichnusa really Italian?

Yes, on origin: the UK product is brewed in Italy.

Who owns Birra Ichnusa?

Birra Ichnusa is owned by Heineken N.V. (Heineken Italia S.p.A.), headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands. In the UK the brand is handled by Heineken UK Limited.

What strength is Birra Ichnusa in the UK?

Birra Ichnusa is 4.7% ABV in the UK. In Italy it is 4.7%.

Is Birra Ichnusa weaker in the UK than in Italy?

No. It is 4.7% in both the UK and Italy.

See also

Every beer sold as Italy · Every brand owned by Heineken N.V.

Sources

  1. Tesco (tesco.com), 5 September 2026: 4.7% ABV, Sardinian beer, first brewery opened in Cagliari 1913; sold by marketplace seller Drayman Direct (Beviqua Ltd)
  2. LWC Drinks (wholesale) (catalog.lwc.co.uk), 6 September 2026: Birra Ichnusa Lager 24 x 330ml NRB: 4.7%; Country of origin Italy; producer field names Kingfisher Beer Europe (the UK distributor).
  3. The Beerhive (thebeerhive.co.uk), 6 September 2026: Birra Ichnusa Lager Beer 330ml: 4.70%; Country of origin Italy, region Sardinia; described as brewed at Assemini near Cagliari.

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