For the first time, draught alcohol-free beer has been made widely available in pubs across the country, thanks to cutting-edge technology from HEINEKEN.
A freshly poured pint of beer is a staple of the UK’s thousands of pubs, but for the millions of people who are moderating their drinking or abstaining altogether, the familiarity of a pint has been unobtainable, until now.
HEINEKEN’s Blade machine makes draught Heineken 0.0 alcohol-free beer a reality, as existing pub cellar technology has been a barrier. Instead, the Blade machine sits on top of the bar, meaning drinkers can get a pint of great tasting beer, without any alcohol.
With more people viewing moderation as a lifestyle choice, rather than as a fad during Dry January, social stigma around abstinence is waning and moderation is becoming more culturally acceptable. A recent study demonstrated 29 per cent of 16 to 24-year-olds now class themselves as teetotal, an increase of 11 per cent since 2005[1].
Laura Willoughby, Co-founder of Club Soda and the Mindful Drinking Festival explains why the time is right for alcohol-free on draught; “We want to see diverse and lively social spaces where nobody has to feel out of place not drinking. From needing to drive, getting up early for the gym, or waiting until after an important meeting, there are multiple reasons why the UK public is cutting down or choosing not to drink. But, that shouldn’t mean that they can’t go to their local and have just as good an experience as everyone else. Being able to order an alcohol-free beer like Heineken 0.0 on Blade is a leap in the right direction and a great response to the growing consumer demand. We are looking forward to listing all the venues with Heineken 0.0 on Blade on our Guide for Mindful Drinkers at clubsodaguide.com.”
Head of Blade at HEINEKEN UK, Otto Esser, commented: “A pint of great tasting beer and a great British pub go hand in hand – but there are times when we just don’t fancy the alcohol. The technology behind Blade means we can now make draught alcohol-free a reality, boosting the appeal of the pub as the heart of communities across the UK.”
[1] University College London, 2019