How Heineken 0.0 Became the Best Non-Alcoholic Beer Around

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You may have already felt the vibe shift this festival season towards something new: moderation. It seems like the long-standing grip that tall boys and water-y cocktails in plastic cups have had on outdoor events is finally loosening as the sober-curious movement gains momentum. Whether that’s a result of a post-pandemic focus on mental health and self-care, or just that Gen Z is the “lamer” generation (mostly according to Millennials on TikTok) has yet to be seen, but clearly there’s a desire there to celebrate without compromise. 

Arguably the stigma for sober partying, or sipping on a non-alc beverage, has all but disappeared in the past few years — a 2023 Gallup survey found that alcohol consumption among U.S. adults under 35 has declined over the past two decades. In 2023, just 62% of young adults reported drinking alcohol, down from 72% in 2003. But what exactly opened the door for this open soberness to flourish? Maybe it was as simple as brands making non-alc beverages “cool” again. 

For outdoor events or live shows like concerts, a good portion of venue revenue still comes from concessions: an Arizonan venue entertainment director reported that alcohol sales at shows with a majority Gen Z audience have dropped by as much as 25% compared to concerts with older crowds, according to Billboard. The response to this slump in alcohol sales seems to have been offering more NA options, and leading the charge in this cultural shift is a legacy brand that’s managed to reinvent itself without losing its roots: Heineken.

While many beverage brands are just now trying to crack the code on making alcohol-free drinks feel more inclusive (and most importantly, not lame), not only has Heineken 0.0 had a head start, they’ve already crossed the finish line. Through smart partnerships in music, sports, and pop culture, Heineken didn’t just join the non-alcoholic movement, but helped define it — here’s how. 

The History of Non-Alc Beer (You Don’t Need to Be First, Just Better)

Non-alcoholic beer in the U.S. has come a long way from a dusty shelf in the back of a liquor store to the coolers at some of the country’s biggest music festivals. This is partially because for decades, non-alc beer was largely viewed as a hand-waving compromise. 

While Anheuser Busch and Pabst were some of the first to create what was called “near beer” (beer with an ABV of less than 0.5%) during Prohibition, products like O’Doul’s, which launched in 1990, became one of the few mainstream, recognizable names in the space. They were mainly consumed out of necessity though, relegated to designated drivers, people in recovery, or those avoiding alcohol for religious or medical reasons. Flavor was an afterthought, and the cool factor? Nonexistent.

That all started to shift in the mid-2010s, driven by a perfect storm of changing attitudes toward wellness, and as discussed before, cultural drinking habits. The rise of the “sober curious” movement (particularly among Millennials and then Gen Z) pushed the conversation forward, as these generations weren’t necessarily quitting alcohol altogether — but what they did crave was a bit more flexibility. There was always the question of why having fun on a night dry night out meant relegating yourself to seltzer water or Diet Coke. 

At the same time, innovation in brewing technology — especially de-alcoholization techniques that preserve flavor and body — meant non-alc beers were finally starting to compete with the real deal on taste. Some brands like Athletic Brewing Co., which launched in 2017, first gained traction in fitness and outdoor circles by marketing beer that could be part of an active, health-conscious lifestyle. While they helped shake off the stigma, the category still had a very “niche” vibe to it. 

That same spirit drove the development of Heineken 0.0, whose major strength was being specifically brewed for beer lovers, by beer lovers. Instead of rushing to market with a bland or watery alternative (as many competitors did at the time), Heineken invested in perfecting the recipe, launching globally in 2017 after years of research and refinement.

No matter how “cool” your branding is, people won’t come back if the drink itself doesn’t deliver, and their result was a beer that (what a concept) actually tastes like beer: malty, crisp, and refreshing, with none of the awkward aftertaste often associated with non-alc brews. In fact, when we spoke with Heineken Master Brewer, Willem van Waesberghe, at the Heineken Global R&D Center, he admitted that they still aren’t done perfecting the flavor. “We are always looking to get it as close to the flavor of our flagship Heineken as possible. We’re playing with the levels of malt flavor, and still tweaking it to this day.”

But it wasn’t just the taste that made Heineken 0.0 stand out. The non-alc beer category is becoming a more crowded space than ever in the U.S. — New data from the Beer Institute shows that the NA beer category is up 22.2% year-to-date and 16.4% over the past 12 months. As of 2025, it’s a $1.5 billion market, and still growing. And while new entrants continue to pop up in the craft and wellness lanes, it’s the brands that are meeting drinkers in socially relevant moments that seem to be breaking through the most.

By entering the category with a globally-recognized brand and, more importantly, making non-alcoholic beer part of mainstream, pop culture-forward experiences, Heineken redefined what non-alc could look and feel like in the U.S. No longer reserved for the “opt-out” crowd, Heineken 0.0 made it normal, cool, even, to opt in. Their success in this space isn’t accidental — The brand has always prided itself on being at the forefront of beverage innovation. From pioneering cold filtration methods in the early 20th century to becoming one of the first global beer brands to embrace sustainable brewing, Heineken isn’t afraid of a little change.

How Heineken Won Over the Sober-Curious Crowd

For decades, Heineken has been everywhere from the electric buzz of the US Open to the high-octane spectacle of Formula 1, and the sun-drenched sounds of Coachella. But in recent years, it’s been their alcohol-free counterpart, Heineken 0.0, that’s been grabbing center stage. 

Rather than launching Heineken 0.0 as a separate, wellness-focused sub-brand, the company took a bold stance by integrating 0.0 directly into the fabric of events they were already embedded in. That means festival bar booths at Coachella offering Heineken 0.0 right alongside traditional beer, race-day fans at the Las Vegas Grand Prix sipping it trackside, and even high-energy games at Citi Field or Hard Rock Stadium where designated drivers don’t feel left out after the tailgate is over. Their strategy is simply not treating non-alcoholic beer like a consolation prize — “Moderation is the hottest headliner,” as Heineken puts it, and they’ve spent the last few summers proving it on the global stage.

Most alcohol-free brands enter the space with a health-forward angle (sober is smarter, clean is cool, alcohol is out). But often, this messaging feels alienating or overly earnest, and forgets the core truth of drinking culture: it’s not just what’s in the glass, it’s about sharing experiences. That seamless integration is one of the reasons Heineken 0.0 now ranks as the #1 international alcohol-free beer brand, growing double digits in major markets. It’s also why you’ve been able to find 0.0 at more music festivals globally than ever before — the brand even saw a major spike in non-alcoholic sales at Coachella this year, with Heineken 0.0 showing a 125.5% increase in sales from 2024.

“As festival culture evolves, so do we — making it easier for people to embrace moderation. We know that taste in drinks is as individual as taste in music, so choice matters,” said Joanna Price, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer at Heineken in a statement. “That’s why by 2024, we ensured that at least one strategic brand in 91% of our markets offered a zero-alcohol option, surpassing our 90% goal. Whether you choose to drink or not, everyone should always have a choice.”

There’s another reason Heineken is dominating this category: they understood early on that the future of drinking is flexible. Sober-curious isn’t just a phase anymore, and Millennials and Gen Z are frequently more keen to move fluidly between drinking and not drinking during a single event (or “zebra-striping” as some call it). The brand has created cool, buzz-worthy experiences that are the same whether you decide to crack open a buzzy beverage or sip on a non-alc one.

Specifically at Coachella, Heineken’s footprint is legendary. Their immersive Heineken House has become a destination in its own right (2025’s Weekend One included performances from The Pharcyde, DJ Premier, Pusha T, Southside, Murda Beatz, and more). They’ve always featured surprise DJ sets, custom bars, and plenty of chilled Heineken, including 0.0. It’s the same reason Formula 1 fans in the Heineken-sponsored Paddock Club can toast with 0.0 and feel like they’re part of the experience, not missing out on it. It’s why tennis fans at the US Open can sip a Heineken 0.0 (in clever, limited-edition “L0VE.L0VE” cans) in the sun without worrying about hydration.

Nobody wants an anti-drinking message wrapped in health jargon, but by giving everyone a seat at the table (whether they’re drinking alcohol or not), the party feels seamlessly inclusive.

Meanwhile, in the Cooler: An Overstuffed, Confused Space

Heineken clearly isn’t the only player in the non-alc world nowadays, but they’ve certainly emerged as the most culturally resonant. Other brands have made attempts, but few have hit the same stride, for a couple reasons.

Budweiser Zero for example launched in 2020 with much fanfare, being backed by Dwyane Wade — but has struggled to build the same lifestyle following. Despite the strong celebrity tie-in, it often feels like a product meant for the gym, not the dance floor. Even Coca-Cola’s Topo Chico Hard Seltzer attempted a pivot with Topo Chico Sabores, a non-alc offering aimed at social drinkers, but still it hasn’t made a dent in festival culture yet.

Tom Holland’s earnest passion project, Bero, has also delivered big on authentic brew flavors from Pilsners to Hazy IPAs, but still aims for more of a “craft” beer drinker crowd than your average festival headbanger. Arguably their closest competitor is Athletic Brewing Co., one of the fastest-growing craft non-alcoholic beer brands out there, who recently signed a multi-year deal with Live Nation to bring their beers to major music festivals (including Bonnaroo).

That being said, what they win on quality and community, they lack in global pop culture dominance. This might change in the near future with their recent venue deal, but Athletic Brewing Co.’s early branding that positioned their non-alcoholic beer as a health-conscious beverage might prove to be a bit of a trap — you’re arguably more likely to think of a Whole Foods before you’d grab it for the main stage of a music fest.

This is not to say that these aren’t good products (we’ve tried and enjoyed many of them ourselves). But none have cracked the lifestyle code quite like Heineken has, putting the drink where the people are, and making it feel as relevant as any album drop, match point, or checkered flag.

From Amsterdam to the Main Stage (And What Comes Next)

While Heineken’s 150-year-old legacy remains firmly rooted in their Dutch brewing heritage, the brand’s modern chapter seems to be all about cultural fluidity. It knows where it came from, but more importantly, it knows where the party is going. It feels especially deliberate that Heineken 0.0 has no special branding, nor strange new flavors. It’s the same recognizable, crisp green bottle as before, just without the alcohol.

The Heineken 0.0 strategy has been more than just a clever pivot to meet the current trends. By aligning with the biggest names in music, the fastest machines in sport, and the most dynamic global moments, Heineken made moderation part of the mainstream. This clearly isn’t your parents’ O’Doul’s — as Heineken continues to expand the reach of 0.0 to even more events (think hybrid wellness-music festivals, or more creative collabs with artists), it’s clear the brand isn’t slowing down anytime soon. So the next time you’re at a festival just vibing in the crowd, take a look around. That green bottle in someone’s hand? It might not have any alcohol in it, but it’s still the life of the party.