Flavour and racing stars work together at The House of Peroni

At the launch of the House of Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0% this week, among the racing elite, top bartender Simone Caporale tells db what kind of spritz is likely to be a hit for the summer.

The three-day immersive event, which saw guests including Scuderia Ferrari HP driver Lewis Hamilton in attendance at the launch along with world-renowned bartender Simone Caporale, set out to merge the world of racing with Italian style.

The activity, which has been timed ahead of this weekend’s British Grand Prix, follows the company revealing its partnership last year and also divulging its owning company Asahi’s plans to have 20% of its portfolio comprising alcohol-free products by 2030 with the drinks company aiming to promote responsible drinking alongside the increased demand for low- and no-alcohol beverages.

Hamilton officially launched the experience, where guests enjoyed bespoke pizzas and signature mocktails, titled the #44 and #16 that had been created by Caporale and were inspired by his and fellow Scuderia Ferrari HP teammate Charles Leclerc’s racing numbers.

Speaking to db at the launch event, Caporale said: “I’m a bartender but, throughout the years, I have evolved a little bit with what I do and what I’ve been involved with, but when working with Peroni 0.0, I make infusions. Even if people are not thinking of consuming beer, they often fall in love with Peroni 0.0 because of them. With The House of Peroni we always put passion into what we do, mainly because we like to eat and drink and always try to get all these important points into an event whether it is for one day or one month, we aim to make each day special.”

Describing what else he has done for the partnership and the pop-up, Caporale explained: “There is an infusion I have made with a very niche boutique product called Almave. Almave is a non-alcoholic agave, or non-alcoholic Tequila and it is a product developed by Lewis Hamilton as one of his side projects. It’s a very boutique brand, and we decided to mix it together. People attending will be able to also try the #44.”

During the launch this week, as crowds gathered, Hamilton also took part in a live interview with broadcaster Nick Grimshaw, sharing his experiences and insight into the world of racing. The event, which will continue to run until 5 July, includes a pizza masterclass with pizza chef Michele Pascarella as well as a cocktail-making workshop hosted by the mixologist Federico Riezzo.

Guests attending the event can get up close to a Scuderia Ferrari HP show car and view replica helmets worn by Hamilton and Leclerc as well as peruse a specially-curated fashion gallery showcasing race-inspired looks influenced by the two drivers.

To complement the experience, a daily aperitivo hour will serve up the bespoke driver-inspired pizzas and cocktails, accompanied by perfectly chilled bottles of Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0%. Plus, the Pit Garage bar will pour Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0% throughout, with DJs such as Roman Kemp providing a selection of trackside tunes.

According to Caporale: “Every ingredient, it can be a beer, it can be a glass of water, it can be a piece of rosemary, it can have the same equivalent gastronomic values if you know how to handle them and if you know what to do with them. A slice of pear is not necessarily less important than a tin of caviar. A portion of something can be more expensive and so we generally associate the value of things according to how they are priced, but, you know, it’s not true. You can do incredible things with any edible product and with Peroni 0.0, we just knew it could change the game.”

The location of the event is also purposefully a place where adventure and experience can find a home. As Caporale told db: “London is a very important hub for people that want to do things. They want to make things happen. I think it is the only city in Europe where whatever you had in mind, someone will support to make it happen. A place where people always appreciate something new because they are curious. A curious audience is the best audience, because once people have a demand for something then they will push you to make it happen. If nobody cares and if everyone is indifferent, that’s not a good audience, because they will never push you to do things.”

He added: “We need to think not just about offering service or hospitality, but instead how you make people feel, and that goes beyond the taste of every single thing that you try. Hospitality changes the taste of everything and that’s why it is super important.”

Does The House of Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0% have any tips for mixing in the height of summer? Caporale considered this for a moment and said: “I remember doing these spritzes with some Aperol and Peroni 0.0 and some bitters and lemonade, but instead of a slice of orange as a garnish, I put a scoop of a blood orange sorbet on top. In a month, we had sold over 30,000 of those spritzes.”

Worth a try.

The House of Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0% is open until 5 July at The Stables, Covent Garden. Free tickets are available via sign-up at Club Peroni.

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