LeBi
Wood in Beer
Research, territory and brewing innovation
Research, territory and brewing innovation
LeBi – Wood in Beer is a project funded by the Tuscany Region within the framework of DEFR 2022 – Interventions supporting organisational and production process innovation in the agricultural cooperation sector and forestry consortia. The project aims to experiment with a process innovation in brewing, connecting the local forestry supply chain, wood processing and beer maturation.
At the core of LeBi is the use of local chestnut wood for the production of barrels (carati) used in beer maturation. Through an experimental process that begins with wood selection and seasoning and continues with chemical, microbiological and sensory evaluation of the final product, the project investigates the role of chestnut as both an identity-defining and functional material for craft beer.
LeBi is based on the collaboration between scientific partners (Fondazione per il Clima e la Sostenibilità and Food Micro Team) and productive partners (Birrificio Agricolo La Diana), with the aim of developing knowledge and replicable protocols capable of enhancing local resources and strengthening the competitiveness of the cooperative enterprises involved.
The LeBi project is structured into a series of integrated actions covering the entire process from partnership management to the dissemination of results. Alongside coordination, monitoring and communication activities, the project includes the implementation of the following operational actions:
The project begins with the forestry phase, involving the selection of local chestnut wood and experimentation with sawing, seasoning and stave preparation techniques. The activities aim to define quality standards suitable for the production of barrels for beer maturation, involving local sawmills and promoting the transferability of the experience.
Using the selected and seasoned staves, 250-litre chestnut wood barrels are produced, specifically designed for brewing use. In these containers the cooperative brews two batches of a beer style suitable for wood ageing, initiating comparative maturation trials.
During maturation, FoodMicroTeam carries out chemical, microbiological and sensory analyses to monitor the evolution of the beer over time, evaluate product stability and identify optimal maturation conditions. Tests are also repeated on barrels in their second and third use to study their reusability.
The innovation of the LeBi project lies in the integration between the local forestry supply chain, brewing design and scientific validation, applied to an area – beer maturation in wood – that is still relatively unexplored from a territorial perspective.
From a technical standpoint, the project introduces the use of new barrels made from local chestnut wood to mature a beer designed for long ageing periods. Compared to other woods more traditionally used, chestnut represents a distinctive choice that significantly influences the aromatic, flavour and sensory profile of the final product. The barrel therefore becomes a central element of the process, capable of giving the beer a unique character.
Innovation also concerns the container production phase: LeBi experiments with a model that begins with wood selection in the forest, continues through sawmill processing and controlled seasoning of the staves, and ends with the production of barrels specifically designed for brewing. This approach allows the acquisition of skills, cost data and operational guidelines useful for making the experience replicable for other agricultural breweries.
Another innovative aspect is the scientific evaluation of maturation, carried out through chemical, microbiological and sensory analyses throughout the entire ageing period. The project allows systematic observation of the interaction between beer and chestnut wood, defining timing, optimal conditions and possibilities for barrel reuse.
Overall, LeBi proposes an innovation model that goes beyond the final product and involves the entire supply chain and territory, creating new opportunities to enhance local wood resources and offering the brewing sector practical tools to develop distinctive, traceable productions rooted in the Tuscan context.
The LeBi project is carried out by a partnership integrating productive, forestry and scientific expertise
Agricultural cooperative coordinating the project and carrying out the brewing activities. It is responsible for managing the Temporary Association of Purpose (ATS), coordinating the project actions, producing the beer batches and conducting the barrel maturation trials.
The Foundation operates in the initial phase of the project, focusing on the experimental activities related to the local chestnut wood supply chain: raw material selection, stave production and seasoning, and the construction of barrels in collaboration with local sawmills and coopers.
Academic spin-off of the University of Florence, FoodMicroTeam is responsible for chemical, microbiological and sensory analyses during the different stages of beer maturation. Its role is central in evaluating product quality and defining the most effective maturation techniques.
A new beer will be born from the LeBi project.
The name and official release date will be revealed soon.
