While Italy’s outstanding local wines and bright aperitivo cocktails dominate the country’s drinking culture, Peroni has made its mark as the quintessential Italian beer. With its rich history and iconic label, Peroni has solidified itself as the world’s go-to Italian brew.
The brand dates back to 1846, when Francesco Peroni set up his first brewery called Birra Peroni in Vigevano, a historic town in northern Italy. Peroni’s beer rapidly rose to fame in Italy, and when the brand launched its signature Nastro Azzurro beer in 1963, it became a worldwide phenomenon.
Still one of the most popular beers in the world today, Peroni Nastro Azzurro has stood the test of time. The easy-drinking premium pale lager is sought after for its crisp and refreshing profile that evokes the feeling of summer on the Italian coast.
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Here are seven things you should know about Peroni.
Peroni Was an Instant Hit
After Francesco Peroni established the first Peroni Brewery in 1846, the beer instantly became an Italian favorite, so Francesco’s son Giovanni opened another location in Rome in 1864. Just eight years later, Peroni shifted its headquarters to Rome, which further accelerated its growth, and, by the early 1930s, Peroni was the largest brewer in Italy.
Peroni’s Key Ingredient Is Not What You Would Expect…
The secret to Peroni’s signature flavor is Nostrano dell’Isola maize, a rare corn variety grown exclusively in the northern Italian region of Lombardy. Peroni sources this unique ingredient from the small town of Bergamo, which is situated between the Adda and Brembo rivers. This allows the Italian maize’s soil to be irrigated by melted snow from the nearby Alps, contributing to the beer’s distinct Alpine freshness.
Peroni Should Be Served With Style
Peroni believes that it is not only what you serve, but how you serve it that’s important. Peroni’s commitment to serving beer with Italian flair, or “Servito Con Stile,” has been part of the brand’s massive success since the early 1960s. Peroni has a chic signature glass for draft pours and even launched Masters of Style with Simone Caporale, winner of the World’s Most Stylish Bartender award for four consecutive years. The online program includes a series of videos that show how to serve Peroni with style, including pointers on how to attain the welcoming Italian charm.
Peroni’s Flagship Beer Is Named After an Award-Winning Boat
Peroni’s signature premium lager was released in 1963 and named “Nastro Azzurro,” meaning blue ribbon. The name was inspired by the SS Rex, an Italian ocean liner that won the Blue Riband in 1933, an award that was presented to the fastest passenger liner to cross the Atlantic Ocean. Peroni admired how the SS Rex achieved this honor with passion and Italian flair, and decided to include a blue ribbon logo on the Nastro Azzurro bottle as a reference to this great Italian feat.
…and So Is Its New Rooftop Bar in Dubai
In 2021, Peroni launched Rex Bar at the Dubai Marina as a nod to its nautical inspiration. The rooftop bar is named after the SS Rex and is designed to replicate the feeling of setting sail on the ocean with a Peroni in hand. In addition to plenty of Peroni flowing on draft, the Rex Bar offers a selection of signature cocktails crafted with Peroni Nastro Azzurro.
Peroni Just Launched a New Non-Alcoholic Beer
In 2023, Peroni debuted its non-alcoholic lager in the U.S., which it claims provides the same crisp taste and Italian quality as the flagship Peroni Nastro Azzurro. Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0% is brewed with the same Italian Nostrano dell’Isola maize as the original beer. Peroni launched this new product to encourage consumers to “Live Every Moment” with Peroni.
…and It Partnered With the Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One™ Team.
Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0% partnered with the Aston Martin Formula One team for launch in the U.S. Fans can see the Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0% logo displayed across the Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant car at races in Miami, Las Vegas, and Austin this year. Both known for their iconic styles, Peroni and Formula One aim to bring a European flair to Formula One Fans and beer drinkers across the U.S.
