About this beer

In 1864, the young Gerard Adriaan Heineken bought a brewery in the centre of Amsterdam, and within a few decades his green-bottled lager was being shipped around the world. One of the secrets is the Heineken A-yeast, cultivated for the brewery in the 1880s and still used today; it is responsible for the beer's light fruity note. In India, Heineken is brewed by United Breweries, the Kingfisher brewer in which Heineken holds a majority stake.

The recipe is short: water, malted barley, hops and A-yeast. What you get is a clear, golden lager with a fine head, a gentle malt sweetness, a hint of green apple from the yeast and a clean, lightly bitter finish. It is the international lager many people reach for by default, and with good reason: it is balanced and versatile. Keep 330 ml bottles for dinner parties and the larger 500 ml pack for the fridge on weekends.

Key facts

• Gerard Adriaan Heineken founded the brewery in Amsterdam in 1864
• Brewed with water, malted barley, hops and Heineken's own A-yeast
• Heineken is the majority shareholder in United Breweries, which brews Heineken in India
• Recognisable green bottle and red star; stocked here in 330 ml and 500 ml packs

Tasting notes

Aroma:

light malt, green apple and floral hops

Taste:

crisp, gently sweet malt with a subtle fruity note

Finish:

clean, lightly bitter and refreshing

Serve

Serve chilled at 3-5°C in a stemmed lager glass with a two-finger head.

Food pairing

Great with Chinese-Bengali chilli chicken or Tangra-style garlic prawns, and with fish and chips.