With lockdown days simmering down and summer just around the corner, fashion fanatics are finally whipping out pieces that have been patiently waiting at the back of their closets since the start of COVID-19. Besides getting ready to strut the summer streets in last year's chunky leather boots, monochromatic sweatsuits, and animal print handbags, the summer of 2021 also welcomes one-piece wonders, wide-leg flare trousers, and soft pastels. But even if you are repping the trendiest, or most luxurious pieces this year brings, what truly constitutes great style isn't how à la mode your outfits are, it's who you are and how you carry yourself.
Great style is about being comfortable in your own skin and owning your own personal story and flair. It's confidence and elegance; unmistakable, yet also indescribable, something impossible to measure as it does not conform to a specific formula.
And just like how a person can become their own icon of style, brewery does hold its own kind of fashion — not only through its taste, but also on the purpose of its inception. Like Peroni.
History of Peroni Nastro Azzurro
Established in 1846 Pavia by Francesco Peroni, Peroni Nastro Azzurro has been capturing the spirit and style of Italian beer for over a century. As a beer that quickly made its name for embodying Italian values, quality, and craftsmanship within a short amount of time after it was first introduced to the market, there was an extremely high demand for a second brewery in Rome where Francesco Peroni's son, Giovanni, took over in 1864.
In the 1950s, when Italy's economy entered an exceptional period of growth that continued over the next few years, the country saw a huge increase in consumption as there was a sudden rise in people moving into Italy's most urban areas, especially Rome. This shift radically transformed the fabric of Italian society, as much as it transformed Birra Peroni because it was in the second half of this decade that they became one of the most well-known breweries in Italy.
The 'Blue Riband' ('Nastro Azzurro' in Italian)
To answer how Peroni managed to achieve such incredible growth so swiftly, we can look at Amarcord, Federico Fellini's 1974 Oscar-winning film, which opens with the line: “Here she is... Here she is! Papa, Papa! The Rex, the Rex!”
In Fellini's film, the characters spend the night off the coast of Rimini at sea, patiently awaiting the passage of the magical, mythical ocean liner, the SS Rex, who appears glittering with bright lights as she gracefully crosses the ocean’s waters and vanishes into the night.
As one of Italy's largest, fastest, and most luxurious ships, the SS Rex serves as a token for the glamorous liners of the 30s, quickly seizing headlines around the world when the announcement was made of her construction.
And after winning the coveted ‘Blue Riband' (‘Nastro Azzurro' in Italian) in 1933, a prize awarded to the fastest transatlantic crossing by passenger liners, not only has the SS Rex become a symbol of national pride and achievement for the whole country of Italy, but a source of inspiration and distinctive mark for Peroni as well.
To pay homage to their nation's success, the sea, and sailing world, a passion strongly held by the Peroni family, Peroni’s clever marketing campaigns, which is responsible for the majority of their success, features a model styled in a sailor suit and hat, wrapped with a blue ribbon--- similar to that of the SS Rex's Blue Riband and the Blue Riband on Peroni's trademark bottle as well!
The distinctive flavors of Peroni
Peroni Nastro Azzuro owes their crisp flavor to Italy's climate and proximity to the glacial mountains, the perfect conditions to grow high-quality ingredients. The first ingredient worth noting on the list is Nostrano dell’Isola maize from Bergamo, a city in the alpine Lombardy region of northern Italy. In the region lies a beautiful fertile plain, irrigated by freshly melted snow from the nearby alps, known locally as ‘the island earth,’ nesting between the rivers Adda and Brembo — perfect for growing maize. The beautiful Italian maize grown on this plain gives Peroni its distinct clarity and light, golden colour, reminiscent of prosecco.
Next up is Peroni's subtle, yet captivating citrus aroma. Saaz-Saaz and Hallertau Magnum, both noble varieties of hops, allow the beer to deliver a clean bitterness and smooth citrus flavor that delivers a subtle balanced aroma that’s light on the palate.
These two essential components, including the two-row spring barley and pure low-carbonate water, helps Peroni create a distinctive pale, medium-strength beer with a crisp and refreshing taste, and a fast and clean finish.
Having been brewed by three whole generations of master brewers who share the same care for details, Peroni Nastro Azzuro has embodied Italian values of quality and craftsmanship since day one. And when served in their signature sleek brown bottle, with gentle curves reminiscent of the Mediterranean waves in which the SS Rex sailed on, Birra Peroni reveals the true Italian flair and style upon which it was formed.
Lighthouse Group Indochina is recognized as one of the leading independent importers of Spirits, Beer & Cider in Vietnam with over 10 years of experience. LGI purchases 100% of their products directly from their respective distillery and/or brewery and has one of the most extensive and diverse product ranges in the region. All their products are registered, imported, and tested to meet all Vietnamese laws and regulations.