Java Pils

Java Pils was the flagship beer of the Nederlandsch-Indische Bierbrouwerij in Ngagel, Surabaya — widely regarded as the first mass-produced beer in Southeast Asia. The brewery opened in November 1931, brewing according to the Nathan method which prevented the beer from coming into contact with outside air to avoid infection — a necessary innovation for brewing lager in a tropical climate. Initially sold simply as Java Bier, it was a light-coloured pale lager brewed with imported European barley and hops. In 1935 Heineken acquired a majority stake in the brewery through its connection with investor Interbra and the Cobra brewing company. Two years later, in 1937, the brewery was renamed Heineken's Nederlandsch-Indische Bierbrouwerij Maatschappij and the Java Pils was rebranded as Heineken's Pils — ending the Java name but beginning a new chapter that would eventually lead to the creation of Bir Bintang, Indonesia's most famous beer.