Heineken® 0.0 is now available on tap everywhere in New Zealand, including a remote mountain hut.

Anyone taking on Southland’s Welcome Rock Trail and stopping in at Slate Hut this summer will find an unexpected surprise waiting 1,130 metres above sea level: an ice cold Heineken® 0.0 beer on tap. 

The remote high-country hut, nestled in the mountains of Slate Range, has been transformed into The Heineken® Hut, a makeshift taproom with Heineken® 0.0 pouring from November until January 2027.

The hut is one of more than a hundred establishments nationwide serving Heineken® 0.0 on tap from this month, marking the largest distribution of alcohol-free beer in New Zealand’s history, and an expression of Heineken®’s commitment to making 0.0 available everywhere.

The roll-out reflects a growing number of Kiwis embracing moderation and supports the way New Zealanders are choosing to drink and socialise, offering them the same options as those choosing to drink alcohol, without compromising on the same taste of an ice cold, freshly poured pint. 

“After a successful pilot launch in Auckland earlier this year which exceeded our expectations, we’ve listened to the needs of our consumers, and will now have Heineken® 0.0 available on tap everywhere in New Zealand,” says Fraser Shrimpton, Marketing Director at DB Breweries.

“We want to make sure that Heineken® 0.0 can be part of the social occasion, wherever it happens. From catching up at the local to sharing a beer with new friends after a day in the mountains, Heineken®’s ambition is to make a freshly poured 0.0 available everywhere in the country.

“Looking at international trends and the response to our trial, we believe New Zealand is moving toward a future where a zero alcohol beer tap is a normal part of every bar. Heineken® has always been about bringing people together as the original social network, and we believe choosing zero alcohol shouldn’t change that experience.”

When it’s not a makeshift taproom, The Heineken® Hut is Slate Hut, a private backcountry hut, which offers walkers a place to connect and rest after a day exploring the Welcome Rock Trail. It is owned and run by Tom O’Brien and his family, a fourth generation farming family who have owned Blackmore Station since 1911. 

But this is certainly the first time in its history that it has served ice cold beer on tap.

“Slate Hut has always been a place to stop, put your feet up and share a few stories after a day exploring this beautiful high country,” says Tom.

“But we’ve certainly never had a beer tap out here before. Being able to sit down with mates and enjoy a crisp pint of Heineken® 0.0, with a pretty incredible view of Slate Range to match, is a real treat, and something we never thought we’d see this far off the beaten track,” he adds.

The Heineken® Hut will be operational from 7 November to 31 March and Heineken® 0.0 on tap will be available free of charge to anyone hiking or biking the Welcome Rock Trail that books in for an overnight stay. Visit www.welcomerock.co.nz for more information and to book.