Pale Lager • Family Member since 1873
Heineken Lager
Beer Description
First brewed in Amsterdam in 1873 by Gerard Adriaan Heineken, this 100% natural premium pilsner evolved from a local Dutch export into the world’s most globally distributed lager. Its signature character is defined by a meticulous 28-day brewing process—twice as long as most industrial lagers—and a unique horizontal fermentation method. This specific technique allows the proprietary "A-Yeast," perfected in 1886, to thrive under ideal pressure, resulting in the iconic balanced taste and subtle fruity notes that have remained unchanged for over 150 years.
🍺 At a glance
Style
Pilsner
Style category
International Lager
First brewed
1873
In Heineken portfolio since
1873
Still in portfolio
Yes
Name History
- 1864-1873 — Beijersch
- 1873-1953 — Heineken’s Lager Beer
- 1910-1920 — H.B.M Lager
- Early Export (France- Belgium) — Bière de Bavière
- Early Export (South Africa) — Windmill Beer
🧪 Brewing & appearance
Color
Brilliant Gold
Filtered
yes
Fermentation
Bottom Fermented
ABV range
4.1–5.0%
Ingredients
- Water
- Malted Barley
- Hops
- A-Yeast
👅 Taste Profile
Flavor profile
- Fresh
- Crisp
- Malty
- Bitter
- Floral
Body
Medium-Light
Finish
- Clean
- Snappy
- Fresh Bitterness
🌍 Brewed by Tradition: The Sites 89 Currently Brewing
2024–present
2023–present
2023–present
2022–present
2020–present
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2018–present
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2017–present
2016–2025
2015–present
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2014–present
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2012–present
2011–present
2011–present
2011–present
2011–present
2010–present
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2009–present
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2007–present
2005–2023
2004–present
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2003–present
2003–present
2003–present
2002–2023
2001–present
2001–present
2000–2008
2000–2022
1999–present
1999–present
1998–present
1997–present
1996–present
1996–present
1995–present
1994–present
1994–present
1990–present
1990–present
1988–present
1987–present
1986–present
1986–present
1986–present
1985–present
1985–present
1985–present
1984–present
1984–present
1983–present
1981–present
1981–2003
1978–present
1978–present
1976–present
1975–present
1975–present
1975–present
1974–present
1973–present
1973–present
1971–1990
1968–2003
1967–present
1958–present
1958–present
1890–1988
🚢 Global Presence: The Import Markets 84 Current
1992–present
Albania
1954–2008
Algeria
1954–present
American Virgin Islands
1964–1964
Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station (1964)
1946–present
Angola
2020–present
Anguilla — Presence (2020)
1960–2020
Anguilla — Presence (Early)
1960–present
Antigua and Barbuda
1954–2003
Argentina
1995–present
Armenia
1954–present
Aruba
1946–1953
Australia
1954–2004
Australia
1954–2003
Austria
1995–present
Azerbaijan
1960–1986
Bahamas
1954–2015
Barbados
1992–present
Belarus
1954–present
Belgium
1969–2018
Belize
1948–present
Benin
1954–present
Bermuda
1954–present
Bolivia
1954–present
Bonaire
1982–present
Bosnia & Herzegovina
1960–present
British Virgin Islands
1982–1996
Bulgaria
1946–present
Burundi
1946–1953
Burundi
1975–present
Cabo Verde
1991–present
Canada — Presence (1991-)
1954–1990
Canada — Presence (early)
1962–present
Cayman Islands
1900–1940
Chad
1946–present
Chad
1972–present
Chechia
1982–present
Chechia
1954–2003
Chile
1983–present
China
1954–2019
Colombia
1954–1986
Costa Rica
1982–present
Croatia
1954–1959
Cuba
1990–present
Cuba
1954–present
Curacao
1954–present
Cyprus
1954–present
Denmark
1962–present
Dominican Republic
1954–2020
Ecuador
1953–2002
Egypt
1954–present
El Salvador
1946–present
Ethiopia
1954–present
Finland
1918–1940
France
1946–1986
France
1995–present
Georgia
1990–present
Germany
1900–1940
Ghana
1946–-1
Ghana
1954–1981
Greece
1962–1975
Grenada
1954–2003
Guatemala
1960–1984
Haiti
1954–present
Honduras
1972–present
Hungary
1954–present
Iceland
1990–2011
India
1954–present
Ireland
1954–1990
Italy
1960–1972
Jamaica
1970–1983
Japan
2023–present
Japan
1946–present
Kenya
1992–present
Latvia
1961–present
Liberia
1995–present
Liechtenstein
1992–present
Lithuania
1954–present
Luxembourg
1960–present
Madagascar
1931–1971
Malaysia
1954–present
Malta
1959–present
Martinique
1992–present
Moldova
1959–present
Monaco
1982–present
Montenegro
1960–present
Montserrat
1953–1979
Morocco
2024–present
Morocco
1990–2010
New Caledonia
1954–1994
New Zealand
1954–present
Nicaragua
1946–1964
Nigeria
1982–present
North Macedonia
1992–present
North Macedonia
1954–present
Norway
1961–present
Papua New Guinea
1954–2020
Paraguay
1954–2020
Peru
1933–2016
Philippines
1933–1995
Philippines
1972–2000
Poland
2007–present
Portugal
1972–present
Romania
1993–2002
Russia
1991–2017
Rwanda
1954–present
Saba
1960–present
Saint Barthélemy
1954–1976
Saint Lucia
1995–present
San Marino
1982–present
Serbia
1948–present
Sierra Leone
1954–1984
Singapore
1954–present
Sint Maarten
1972–present
Slovakia
1982–present
Slovenia
1990–2013
Solomon Islands
1946–present
South Africa
1975–1981
South Korea
1954–1984
Spain
1954–present
St. Vincent and the Grenadines
1948–present
Sudan
1961–2021
Suriname
1954–present
Sweden
1954–present
Switzerland
1954–1998
Switzerland
1960–1974
Tahiti
1987–2022
Taiwan
1948–present
Trinidad and Tobago
1954–1999
Trinidad and Tobago
1953–2008
Tunisia
1954–present
Turkey
1960–present
Turks and Caicos Islands
1992–present
Ukraine
1918–1940
United Kingdom
1946–1968
United Kingdom
2003–2017
United Kingdom
1933–1940
United States
1946–present
United States
1954–present
United States
1954–present
Uruguay
1995–present
Vatican City
1992–1994
Vietnam
1954–1989
West Germany (FRG)
1946–present
Zimbabwe