At 1,130 metres above sea level, in New Zealand’s Slate Range, visitors have been able to order alcohol-free beer on tap since the beginning of November. Heineken, in collaboration with Special PR New Zealand, has transformed the Slate Hut mountain shelter into Heineken Hut, a taproom for hikers and mountain bikers travelling along the Welcome Rock Trail.
Behind this activation is a business development involving much more accessible locations. Heineken 0.0 is being introduced on tap at more than 100 venues across New Zealand from November. According to DB Breweries, this represents the largest expansion of alcohol-free beer distribution in the country’s history. The decision follows a successful pilot project conducted earlier this year in Auckland, amid growing demand for alcohol-free options.
Rather than presenting the distribution expansion through a conventional announcement of new venues, the agency took the idea of availability to the extreme. It transformed one of the country’s most remote mountain huts into a taproom, using the location itself to demonstrate how far the brand is willing to go to make its alcohol-free beer accessible.
The activation was carried out in partnership with Welcome Rock, a family-run destination on Blackmore Station, an estate owned by the O’Brien family since 1911. Slate Hut has welcomed visitors to this mountainous area for more than a century, but this is the first time it has been equipped with a beer tap.
From the perspective of DB Breweries, the aim is to allow consumers to enjoy the experience of draft beer without alcohol. Fraser Shrimpton, the company’s Marketing Director, emphasised that choosing alcohol-free beer should not mean giving up the social experience associated with going out for a drink. While Heineken Hut demonstrates just how remote a location serving Heineken 0.0 can be, the nationwide expansion is intended to make it possible for consumers to find it much closer to home.
Heineken Hut opened on 7 November and will operate until January 2027. Visitors aged 18 and over who book an overnight stay at Slate Hut will be able to enjoy complimentary Heineken 0.0 on tap.
