4:20 Smuggle Brew
Brouwerij Kerkom

Purchased at the BSF bar, GBBF 2009, this is a contract brew for "Alex Liberati, Brasserie 4:20" in Rome, Italy. Coming in a 330ml brown bottle, bottle-conditioned; BB 12/11/11, served mildly chilled (around 10 centigrade, as suggested by the label) in Hapkin's bulb-shaped sniffer.

A: pours a pale golden hue with semi-lively fine carbonation and a commendable clarity as almost all yeast sediments stay quietly at the bottom of the glass, topped with a superbly-lasting pillowy white frothy head that leaves tight lacing as it fades out.
S: fresh and juicy Goldings-like citric hop aroma dominates the theme, skirted by a light resinous note, lager-malt like clean sweetness, unripe white grapes, salty-sweet apples and a touch of spice. Not ve...ry estery in terms of yeast influence.
T: the effervescent swallow of lightly-flavoured malts and semi-stinky dried hops is quickly ensued by salty yeastiness, phenol/leather, and faintly banana/apple-ish fruit esters, while the bitter elements of hops and bitter citrusness manage to linger pretty well in the end, along with a touch of unknown spices (aniseed?). The finishing palate is not particularly dry as a Triple, but still slightly chewy and rather bitter to reflect a good amount of hops used in the brew.
M&D: the initial carbonation is slightly effervescent but, as it goes, turns softer and softer to match the light body ever so well. This is a decently crafted ale, showing very little trace of alc. and a pronounced phenolic-bitter yeastiness on a par with bitter-ish hops. Easy drinking and quaffable like a hoppy English Bitter.