THE Amacord Brewery, named after Federico Fellini’s Oscar winning 1975 film, was set up in the Italian coastal town of Rimini by a group of young beer enthusiasts during the 1990s. The beers quickly acquired a cult following in their home country, necessitating a brewery expansion, and a search began to find a suitable site with a source of water that would give the beers a unique touch.

In 2008 such a site was selected in the village of Apecchio with a spring drawn from beneath the Apennine mountains.

The village itself is situated in the world’s oldest republic, the tiny state of San Marino, also home to one of Europe’s most consistent international football teams, sadly not in a positive way (biggest win 1-0 v Liechtenstein; biggest defeat 13-0 v West Germany, but it’s the taking part that’s important).

Brooklyn brewmaster Garrett Oliver has played an advisory role in the creation of this week’s feature Ama Bionda.

Hazy pale gold in colour, the beer has a vigorous fizz as it pours, leaving a steady, thin head. It is very aromatic, with flowers, orange blossom and honey to accompany the light fruit notes of peach and pear. There is a scent of clove too, suggestive of a wheat beer (though wheat is not listed as an ingredient), and a little acidic sting.

It has a foamy mouthfeel, and plenty of light, biscuity malt on first sip, with honey, vanilla and minty banana mid palate. The flavour becomes increasingly dry in the aftertaste with a green, stalky, herbal bitterness towards the finish.

A complex, distinctive beer; the brewer recommends pairing it with pasta, pesto, pizza and seafood, though not necessarily all at once.

And a beautifully elegant, stylish bottle too.