Haacht Brewery taps into alcohol-free keg: 860,000 euros for Primus 0.0 and blood orange beer

Haacht Brewery is jumping on the non-alcoholic beer bandwagon. The family-owned brewery is investing 860,000 euros in its own production facilities and modified tap systems, and is launching a Belgian first: the first non-alcoholic fruit beer on tap. By the end of 2027, every beer brand in the lineup is set to have a non-alcoholic version.

Non-alcoholic fruit beer

Non-alcoholic beer is one of the few growth markets within the shrinking Belgian beer sector. According to the industry federation Belgian Brewers, demand is rising by 25%. Haacht Brewery is now capitalizing on this trend with a 660,000-euro investment in new production facilities, which will enable the group to brew its entire line of non-alcoholic beers in-house from now on.

The first products to emerge are Primus 0.0 and Super 8 Blood Orange 0.0. With the latter, Haacht claims a Belgian first: the first non-alcoholic fruit beer on tap. The brewery is primarily targeting younger consumers, who are increasingly opting for non-alcoholic beverages. The new Primus 0.0 will soon be available on tap in restaurants and bars, with Super 8 Blood Orange 0.0 following in the spring. Starting in March 2027, both beers will also be available in cans at supermarkets.

Alcohol-free straight from the keg

“About half of young people prefer non-alcoholic options, but until now, you couldn’t get them on tap,” says Séverine Distave, Chief Marketing Growth Officer at Haacht Brewery. The completely non-alcoholic Primus is also intended to support international expansion, particularly in the Netherlands, where a non-alcoholic beer must actually contain 0.0% alcohol.

In addition to the production investment, Haacht is allocating 200,000 euros for modified tap systems at its hospitality partners. Non-alcoholic beer is more susceptible to bacteria and quality degradation, which means traditional tap systems aren’t always adequate. The new systems use interchangeable, refrigerated beer lines. “Beer simply belongs in a bar. That’s why we want to be able to offer that same experience even without alcohol: freshly tapped, at the bar,” says Distave.