Family Pale Lager Style Continental Lager
Country Italy ABV 5.1%
Price $$ Packaging 12oz/355ml bottle
Characteristics Bitter, refreshing

Overview “Nastro Azzurro” is Italian for “blue ribbon,” and this lager is the premium product of Italy’s largest brewery, though the regular Peroni Lager sells more beer in Italy. In 2005 Peroni became part of the SABMiller empire.

Flavors and aromas Peroni is built like a warm-climate German pilsner, from the noble hops, light cooked-corn malt, and, yes, slight skunkiness of the nose, to the palate, which starts out with light-bodied malt and bitterness that starts crisp and grows increasingly focused. Here, however, the light body is hard-pressed to take the edge off the hops, and there’s a harshness that can register as astringent or metallic.