Review: Peroni 0.0% and Nastro Azzurro (2024)

Italy’s Peroni is the latest brewer to enter the non-alcoholic fray, and the approach here is decidedly unsurprising: Peroni 0.0% is meant to recreate classic Peroni Nastro Azzurro, just without the alcohol. Now Peroni is exactly no one’s idea of a flavor-forward beer, so it’s worth asking yourself if a zero-alc version of Peroni even makes logical sense. Ready to find out? Here’s a look at the N/A option, plus a fresh review of classic Peroni, side by side.

Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0% – Cracker crisp and lightly sweet, this beer is quite a surprise, offering a classic lager construction that features notes of saltines with butter, some grassy malt, and a pinch of white sugar to clean up the finish. Toasty with just the lightest hint of mushroom, it avoids the skunk and funk of competing beers like Heineken 0.0, finishing with a borderline refreshing quality. As with standard Peroni (see below), there’s not a whole lot to the experience, but the beer has an acceptable flavor profile and, more importantly, never comes across as weak or watery. I’d have another. B

Peroni Nastro Azzurro (2024) – No real change in opinion here: Side by side, the beer has a notably bigger body, but that heavy mineral quality dominates, pairing fitfully with the heavily malted core. Grainy and chewy, a slight funkiness, again evoking sauteed mushrooms, dominates the finish. This time out, I catch a squeeze of lemon peel, too. 5.1% abv. B- [BUY IT NOW FROM TOTAL WINE]

each $11 per six-pack / peroniitaly.com

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