The “mastro birraio” has passed away.
Obituary | Giorgio Zasio, an eminent and celebrated member of the Italian brewing industry, died unexpectedly on 6 August 2024 in Rome. Zasio was born on 10 December 1941 in Feltre in the province of Belluno, Italy. Immediately after finishing his schooling, he began learning German and completed several internships in breweries in Germany, where he earned enough to finance his studies at the Technical University of Munich-Weihenstephan. In 1962, he was awarded the degree of Diplom Braumeister.
Upon returning to Italy in 1963 to pursue his chosen profession, he began his career at “Itala Pilsen” in Padova. After Birra Peroni acquired the company, his area of responsibility continued to expand within the company. In 1979, he was offered the position of Central Director of Technology at the Birra Peroni Group and moved to Rome. He remained in this position until 2004 and was responsible for brewery technology and quality control as well as for all of the process engineering involved in beer production and for the acquisition of raw materials. His idea for “Nastro Azzurro” – still synonymous with beer “Made in Italy” – deserves special mention. In 2004, he became Managing Director of the SAPLO malting plant in Pomezia near Rome, which belongs to the Birra Peroni Group. His achievements at Birra Peroni are not limited to his tireless efforts to introduce modern techniques and cutting edge technology to the processes of malt, wort and beer production but also include the creation of a brewery museum and a book on the 150-year history of Italian beer.
For Roman government agencies, Zasio was their contact person for all things beer. He served on numerous committees and associations at home and abroad, including the Brewers of Europe, Euromalt and AssoBirra, the Association of Italian Brewers and Maltsters. Zasio was also on the board of AITBM, the Italian Association of Master Brewers and Maltsters, and was a member of the Weihenstephan Alumni Association (VeW) and a founding member of Slow Brewing. He authored numerous publications in various languages and appeared in many interviews and on television to discuss the topic of beer.
Zasio was instrumental in the founding of CERB, the Italian Center for Brewing Research. He was a lecturer at CERB until 2018 and was involved in the planning of the pilot brewery as well as in the training of students. He was also central in furthering the development of the Scientific Center for Beer in the Faculty of Agriculture at the University of Perugia.
Zasio was known for being clever yet quiet but was also adept at conversation and negotiation – he knew how to safeguard and promote his interests. However, he was quick-witted and in prickly situations, he always had a wisecrack ready to alleviate the tension. He was able to quench his inexhaustible thirst for culture in his adopted home of Rome. He had an intimate knowledge of the city and thus was a consummate tour guide and connoisseur of Rome’s famous cuisine. His expertise and confidence, always sprinkled with colorful quotes and anecdotes, aided him throughout the course of his life and made him a great conversationalist. His modesty, discretion and sophistication were renowned and respected by all who knew him.
Zasio, the “mastro birraio,” was proud of his education as a Weihenstephaner Braumeister and of his brewing profession, which he practiced with great passion until the end.
The funeral service took place on August 9, 2024, in Feltre (BL). Numerous representatives from the brewing industry were in attendance and paid their last respects to him there. He is survived by his wife Michela, his sons Carlo and Tommaso and his grandchildren, for whom he will be remembered as a loving husband, father and grandfather.
