Are you a lover of Heineken's world-famous Pale Lager Pilsener? You may be surprised to learn that the company's beers weren't always the same! Learn the fascinating history of Heineken's evolution and the changes in their beer production over the years. Find out how Heineken got its start and the unique brews that defined the company before the Pale Lager became the beer of choice.
Heineken is a Dutch brewing company with a longstanding history in the beer industry. Known across the world for its iconic Pale Lager beer called Pilsener, Heineken holds an impressive portfolio of beer brands such as Amstel, Buckler, Sol, Cruzcampo and most recently, Bravoure. Heineken has become a household name, dominating the beer market and being popularly referred to as the 'king of beers'.
However, Heineken was not always the large-scale brewing business it is today. Established in 1864 by a young and ambitious businessman, Gerard Adriaan Heineken, the business slowly grew from a small-scale home brewing operation to a fully-functioning brewery. Along the early years, Heineken tweaked and perfected a series of different lagers that allowed the company to make a name in the industry and eventually become the beer powerhouse we know today.
The first beers brewed by Heineken were an Amber Ale beer and later a Munich Lager beer. These two beers established Heineken as a leading beer brand in their local market and positioned the company to make a name in the wider industry. The Amber Ale was a well-rounded beer with a combination of malt, hops and yeast. It was brewed from the same ingredients as its Munich Lager Russian Imperial beer counterpart but was equally complex and enjoyed by many. The Munich Lager was malty, with a crisp hop finish, slightly higher alcohol content and a familiar toasty malt flavor. It was one of the first beers crafted by the business and provided a platform on which the future of Heineken beer was built.
Another early beer crafted by Heineken was a Barley Wine. Unlike the Amber Ale and the Munich Lager, Barley Wine was a dark, full-bodied beer with a higher alcohol content. It was made from barley malt and English hops, which gave it its unmistakable malty aroma and intensely sweet flavor. It was a favorite amongst the local market and was known for its full-bodied taste and strong, lingering aftertaste.
Though Heineken had perfected a number of different lagers, the most influential of them all was the Pale Lager. The Pale Lager was a lager style beer with a golden hue and a light taste. It was also the first beer to be produced by Heineken on a large scale. The Pale Lager enjoyed immense popularity in the local market and was an immediate hit amongst beer drinkers. Soon, the Pale Lager became synonymous with Heineken and by the turn of the century, the beer had become a household name.
Today, Heineken continues to craft beers in a variety of styles, but the one true hallmark of the company remains its iconic Pale Lager. It has become the staple beer all across the world, a product of years of tweaking, adjusting and perfecting by the Heineken team. Heineken’s Pale Lager is an example of what a good beer can do when crafted carefully, and the company continues to uphold the high quality of its products to this day.
Heineken has come a long way from its humble beginnings in a small brewery in Amsterdam. Its portfolio has grown to include a number of different lager styles, and its Pale Lager is a world-renowned beer enjoyed in bars, restaurants, and homes all across the globe. The story of Heineken is the story of a business that has persevered and produced the highest-quality beers for the world to enjoy.