"The labels changed. The star never did. This is how it happened."
From the first hand-drawn label of 1873 to the campaigns that made the green bottle the most recognised beer in the world — this independent archive documents the visual, cultural, and commercial evolution of the Heineken brand across 163 years.
The World is Green
This isn't just a map — it's a window into the past. Watch the Red Star conquer new borders year by year, from a single brewery in Amsterdam in 1864 to 156 countries today. Slide through any year and discover breweries lost to history.
The Legends Behind the Star
From the founders who risked it all to the master brewers who protected the secret — meet the people who built Heineken into what it is today.
Meet the legends III — The VaultThe Global Portfolio
748+ beers. Every brand, brewery, and bottle that has defined the Heineken legacy across six continents — from Gerard's first barley beer in 1864 to the beers being brewed right now.
Explore 748 beers IV — The BreweriesGlobal Production Heritage
298 breweries across 156 countries. From 19th-century Amsterdam to the modern hubs of Asia and Africa — every location where the Red Star has ever been raised.
Explore 298 breweries V — Symbols & IdentityThe Evolution of an Icon
A green bottle is just glass until you put a soul behind it. Trace the smiling 'e', the first labels, the red star, and every campaign that made the world thirsty.
Trace the evolution
Built by a collector.
Verified by the archive.
This site was built and is maintained by Dennis van der Meer — a 27-year Heineken employee and passionate collector. Every entry has been researched from primary sources. Where facts are uncertain, they are flagged. Where dates cannot be confirmed, they are left blank.
The archive grows constantly. If you spot an error or have a source, please contact me
— Dennis van der Meer, famvandermeer.com