Wikipedia: Serendipity means a "happy accident" or "pleasant surprise"; specifically, the accident of finding something good or useful without looking for it.
Summer evening at the buffet table at a party in Pompeii. I was holding a plate of o cuppetiello, fried foods; potato crocchette, and arancini all wrapped in brown paper. Tasty fried salty goodness just begging for something to wash it down with. At the time, I was talking with a friend, catching up on what he'd been up to as we both headed towards the drink table. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that the usual spumante wasn't being served...at least not on this side of the terrace.
Though listening intently to Francesco, out of the corner of my eye, I couldn't help noticing a glass being poured. Ah beer...ok, I thought...qualcosa diversa...something different.
The conversation continued...Si, Si, blah, blah, blah as I reach for a glass on the table. A glass filled with a spectacular light amber colored liquid. The foam was settling as I held the glass to my mouth to take a sip. Really? blah, blah, blah...
But then I stopped...Francesco sort of faded into the background as intense aromas of lemons and other citrus fruits came to the foreground. A sip...a long satisfying sip. Then another as I glanced at the bottles in the ice bucket, my bottle on the table. ReAle Extra by Birra Del Borgo.
Buona? Francesco asked smiling. I smiled back while nodding my head.
I later learned from their web site that during production the hops are varied especially in quantity: a huge amount is added in a different technique. All the hops are added during the last 10 minutes of the boil, using 3 times more than regular ReAle. The result is an explosion of perfumes, in a range from citrusy to resiny (pine resin and incense). The mouth feel is dry, with immediate bitterness, then it finishes with a beautiful, persistent tangerine note.
Si? I'd like to add that it also paired perfectly with o cuppetiello, a summer evening, and light conversation at the buffet table.
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