Amiata Marruca

Marruca

The Marruca is a thorny shrub (Paliurus plug-christi), belonging to the family of Rhamaceae and can grow to heights ranging from 1 to 4 meters. It grows on dry slopes and in thickets from 0 up to 500 meters above sea level and is quite popular in Italy. The flowering period is from May to July. The name probably derives from the “fluke” rustic pointed and sharp tool that was used to cut the grass. In Maremma has always been used to delimit the pen where the animals grazed or lived, in virtue of the strength and endurance and size of the bush of thorns, they could hold off even less docile animals. In the high and low Maremma, as well as the slopes of the Amiata still craftsmen who are beekeepers move their hives in Marrucheto in flowering times, to obtain a very distinctive honey amber color, pungent taste initially, but then reveals sweet notes of caramel. The Marruca is therefore a beer flavored with honey thorn.