While we live in a county best known for our craft breweries, I am reminded of an older regime, one where foreign brands were more popular. To spread their reach, Heineken Beer added family members like Newcastle and Dos Equis: A wise move on their part, but the explosion of microbrewries began to inch them out of the US. They may be a recognizable name, yet drinkers were more inclined to support local. Heineken needed a plan to keep up.
I found myself sitting across from Dolf Van Den Brink, President and CEO of Heineken USA. He arrived to celebrate the West Coast launch of their newest project, showcased at the bar inside Zimzala at Shorebreak in HB.
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The goal was simple: Recreate a taste as close to the source as possible. Not only did they succeed, but it became an environmental mission as well. Best known for bottled brews, they turned to a draft option for greater appeal. Simply explained to me, this is like a keg within a keg. Utilizing what's being coined the Brew Lock, no outside sources (i.e. CO2, air or nitrogen) make contact with the beer until it reaches your glass–creating a cleaner taste.
A bonus: The innovative kegs are plastic, making them completely recyclable. No more heavy steel containers taking up precious space. All this tech savvy is exclusive to Heineken USA, improving their competitive edge in this market. If you want additional knowledge, check out their retailer video here. Thanks for the drink, Dolf!
For further inquiries, please contact James Hughes at jh*****@he*********.com
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A contributing writer for OC Weekly, Anne Marie freelances for multiple online and print publications, and guest judges for culinary competitions. A Bay Area transplant, she graduated with a degree in Hospitality Management from Cal Poly Pomona. Find her on Instagram as brekkiefan.