Heineken Brewlock

7 A Beer Beer In an industry full of gimmicks that rarely fulfill their promises, this claim might seem a little too lofty to believe. To quiet those doubts, all one needs to do is try the beer flowing from the tap. Like any beer imported from another country, Heineken and Newcastle face a lot of issues due to the wear and tear of travel, especially when it comes to the green and clear bottles that are susceptible to UV rays penetrating the light-colored bottle in transit or in storage. With the BrewLock, the freshness expe- rienced in Amsterdam or Northeastern England makes its way to The States. The lack of CO2 or other mixed gases also ensures the correct and consistent amount of carbonation in each pint. "We surveyed 1,200 consumers in three cities," explains Libonate, "and of those who had tried BrewLock, 86 percent said they would try it again. They pointed to how fresh the beer tasted as a key factor in their response. That's a powerful number that proves tasting is believing—it drives not only repeat sales, but also trial when the consumer notices the POS materials or a bartender mentions the system." Beyond the customer appeal, barbacks (and OSHA) will undoubtedly appreciate the reduced mass to lug around—the BrewLock weighs 25 per- cent less than the standard keg. In small beer coolers, this format will create much needed space, and you no longer have to worry about storing drained kegs to ensure you receive the deposit back—you don't even have to worry about deposits anymore—simply recycle the BrewLock once the beer is spent. On top of that, the system features an EasyFit coupler that makes changing the keg a breeze. In order to further educate and engage the end consumer, HEINEKEN USA plans to roll out a program over the next year with over 2,400 tastings in roughly 25 key markets. It will also enrich the conversations between patrons and bartenders by engaging with bartenders through the system's social media, website (www. brewlocksystem.com)and app; additionally, they offer accounts with back- of-the-house materials like posters, magnets and cards that provide quick selling points for staff to use when talking to guests. Looking to the future, Libonate hinted at big plans: "We are finding that customers are asking which brands we have in this format because they love it and want to take on another brand in it. We would love to answer that call and my hope is that in three to four years an account could buy all of HEINEKEN's portfolio on BrewLock." The BrewLock's EasyFit coupler allows bartenders and barbacks to quickly change out kegs—it also comes with easy-to- follow instructions to post nearby.

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