1664 (beer)

Lore & Background

In 1649, Geronimus Hatt obtained his master brewer certificate, and fifteen years later in 1664 he opened Brasserie du Canon in Strasbourg. Nearly 200 years later, the brewery relocated to the village of Cronenbourg due to consistent flooding. Strisselspalt hops were introduced to the lager in 1885 and have been used ever since. The brewery changed its name to Tigre Brock in 1922 and then to Kronenbourg after the Second World War. The beer now known as Kronenbourg 1664 was launched in 1952 to celebrate Hatt. It was sold in France and imported to Britain in time for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, later being exported to 68 other countries. Scottish & Newcastle acquired Kronenbourg in 2001 for £1.7 billion. Heineken purchased the licence to produce the beer in the UK in 2008. In 2023, Heineken's license to produce Kronenbourg 1664 in UK, was purchased by The Carlsberg Group, in doing so the ABV% was reduced from 5% to 4.6% with new marketing and labelling following suit in 2024 once the transition was complete. Kronenbourg has breweries in the UK, France and Australia. The UK brewery is in Manchester and received a £50 million investment. The beer is available on draught and in 275ml bottles, 660ml bottles, 568ml and 440ml cans.

Reader's Guide

Kronenbourg 1664 has been marketed in the UK through a series of notable advertising campaigns. In the 1980s, the 'A Different Kind of Strength' campaign featured a young man who, after training and drinking the beer, wins a game of pool. The 2000 'Femme fatale' campaign, created by Rainey Kelly, showed men distracted by what appears to be a woman but is actually a glass of the beer; it received over 60 complaints, all rejected by the Advertising Standards Authority. The 2004 'Composer' campaign, directed by Malcolm Venville, played on the idea that opening a bottle requires one to stop and enjoy it. In 2009, 'Smaller Bubbles, Smoother Taste' was directed by Tony Kaye and depicted chefs using cooking tools to create perfect bubbles for the beer. October 2010 saw the 'Slow the Pace' campaign, featuring Motörhead performing a slow acoustic version of 'Ace of Spades' and Madness playing a toned-down 'Baggy Trousers'. In March 2013, the 'A Taste Suprême' campaign starred Eric Cantona as brand ambassador, with the ad playing on hop farmers being treated like celebrity footballers; it was banned in 2014 for being misleading but the ruling was overturned after Heineken requested reconsideration. In 2016, Cantona returned for the digital campaign #lebigswim, promising to swim the English Channel if 10,000 British people agreed the beer is the best tasting in the world. That same year, he appeared in the television advert 'The Alsace-tians', featuring Alsatian dogs delivering the beer.

Did You Know?

• Kronenbourg 1664 won first place in Class 2 (4.6–6.9% ABV) at the International Brewing Awards during 2004–2005.
• The beer uses Strisselspalt hops, a variety native to the Alsace region of France, first used in 1885.
• The 2010 'Slow the Pace' campaign featured Motörhead performing a slow acoustic version of 'Ace of Spades'.

Origins & Heritage

Geronimus Hatt earned his master brewer certificate in 1649, and fifteen years later established Brasserie du Canon in Strasbourg. For nearly two centuries the operation remained in that location until persistent flooding forced a relocation to the village of Cronenbourg, just west of the city. The brewery's identity shifted over time — by 1922 it was known as Tigre Brock, and after the Second World War it became Kronenbourg. In 1952, Brasseries Kronenbourg introduced the pale lager that would carry the 1664 name, a tribute to Hatt's original founding year. The beer debuted in France and crossed the Channel in time for Queen Elizabeth II's coronation, after which it found its way into 68 additional countries. That single launch moment transformed a regional Alsatian brew into an internationally recognised golden lager.

Brewing & Ingredients

The defining ingredient of Kronenbourg 1664 is Strisselspalt, a hop variety native to the Alsace region of France. First incorporated into the recipe in 1885, these hops have remained central to the beer's character ever since, lending it a distinctive bitter edge paired with a fragrant citrus aroma. The finished product is a golden pale lager carrying 5.5% ABV in continental European markets, while UK consumers have been offered 4.6% and 5.0% variants. Production takes place in breweries across the UK, France, and Australia. The Manchester-based UK facility received a £50 million investment to upgrade its production capabilities. The beer reaches British drinkers on draught as well as in 275ml and 660ml bottles and 440ml and 568ml cans, giving it a broad retail footprint.

Corporate Ownership & Market Shifts

Kronenbourg 1664 has changed hands several times in the modern era. In 2001, Scottish & Newcastle acquired the brand for £1.7 billion, a landmark sum that underscored the lager's commercial weight. During 2004–2005, the beer claimed its first International Brewing Awards title, finishing first in the 4.6–6.9% ABV category. In 2008, Heineken purchased the UK production licence from Scottish & Newcastle, taking over brewing in the British market. Then in 2023, The Carlsberg Group bought Heineken's UK licence, assuming global ownership and brewing of Kronenbourg. As part of that transition, the UK ABV was reduced from 5% to 4.6%, with updated marketing and labelling rolling out through 2024. The Carlsberg Group now brews the beer in all markets, including the UK, France, and Australia.

British Advertising & Cultural Impact

Kronenbourg 1664 has built a distinctive British advertising identity spanning decades. The 1980s 'A Different Kind of Strength' campaign told a pool-hall story on UK television, while the 2000 'Femme fatale' spot — created by Rainey Kelly — drew over 60 complaints before the ASA rejected them all. The 2004 'Composer' ad, directed by Malcolm Venville at Therapy Films, centred on pausing to savour a freshly opened bottle. In 2009, Tony Kaye directed a chefs-and-bubbles narrative for 'Smaller Bubbles, Smoother Taste.' The 2010 'Slow the Pace' campaign paired Motörhead and Madness with BBH London, and Madness' slowed track later appeared on their 2011 box set as 'Le Grand Pantalon.' Eric Cantona became a long-term brand ambassador, starring in the 2013 'A Taste Suprême' ad created by Ogilvy & Mather to Queen's 'We Are the Champions,' the 2016 #lebigswim digital challenge, and the 'Alsace-tians' spot featuring Alsatian dogs delivering pints.

Gallery