retiredmartin

February 2026. Turin.

You’ll be wanting to see Mrs RM’s tourist map for Turin,

the highlights marked with chocolate bars.

Our first target after checking at I Reali guesthouse was food.

What’s more authentically Torino than an artisan burger at a brew pub with cask near a skate park ?

Open Baladin is the BrewDog (RIP), or possibly bod of northern Italy.

See, there’s even a Canadian link here for our Russ.

It’s certainly the most youthful and modern building in the centre,

with reclaimed seating,

and this. Whatever this is.

Look, it’s not going on the itinerary for either Paul’s tours of Italian cask outlets,

and at 4pm on Friday we’re the only trade, despite the busy location.

We weren’t sure whether to order at the bar, like normal people, or via the barcode on the table that wasn’t working, so just waited dumbly for the waitress.

I made an early decision to drink every beer on hand pump I saw over the weekend,

and Mrs RM had the strong keg one as Dryanuary faded to a distant memory.

Only 7% !?  In fairness, I’d ordered and that was the only one I could read, but half the beers seemed to be over 10% (and all priced the same again).

And they must have been good enough (NBSS 3 the cask), as my wife insisted, insisted, we stay for a second pint.

Despite there being no burgers till 6pm.

Two strong pints on an empty stomach ? Big mistake, huge.