Global drinks giant Heineken has rolled out its most advanced pint glass to date in Northern Ireland, representing a multi-million-pound investment aimed at significantly enhancing the beer-drinking experience for local consumers. The next-generation glassware is currently being introduced in pubs and bars throughout the country.

The culmination of over two years of research and design, the sleek new glass features an innovative star-shaped base that extends up the length of the glass, shining a spotlight on the brand’s globally recognised Heineken star. According to Heineken, this star shape is not merely aesthetic but also functionally engineered to optimise taste, aroma, and presentation, while reinforcing brand identity.

Andrew Hollywood, Marketing Manager for Heineken's Northern Ireland distribution company United Wines, explained: “Since the 1880s, the famous Heineken star has been a symbol of ‘excellence’, representing the brand’s promise of ‘quality in every sense – good beer and good times’. It’s been nine years since Heineken’s last new glassware launch and there’s been so much innovation within the brand in that time, that the company wanted the new glass to reflect that while also paying homage to its globally recognised symbol." He added: “This glass isn’t just about brand style, it’s engineered to optimize taste, aroma and presentation – with visual impact, perfect height and head retention, and an ergonomic design to ensure a comfortable grip for both customers and bar staff. It’s as functional as it is beautiful. It’s especially exciting that Ireland was the first market globally to roll out the new glasses and the response we’ve been receiving from the Northern Ireland on-trade has been extremely positive."

Char+Mash, a new £3 million bar and restaurant complex at Belfast’s refurbished Odyssey Pavilion, was one of the first venues in Northern Ireland to receive the new glasses. Ross Hurley, General Manager of Char+Mash, reported: “As one of the first bars in NI to receive the brand new Heineken pint glass, we’re delighted to report that it is literally ‘going down’ very well with customers… Drinkers are very impressed and the general feedback that we have received is that the new glass looks amazing, with its distinctive star base, is easy to grip and feels good in the hand."

More than 5,000 of the new Heineken pint glasses are being distributed in the initial phase across Northern Ireland. Additionally, new bespoke glassware for Heineken® 0.0 is also being introduced, reflecting the increasing sales and demand for the non-alcoholic beer in the region.