1664

1664 is a French beer brand associated with Brasseries Kronenbourg, the Strasbourg-rooted brewer now owned by the Carlsberg Group. The brand name commemorates 1664, the year in which Geronimus Hatt, a qualified master brewer, established the brewery that became the historical foundation of Kronenbourg. The flagship Kronenbourg 1664 is a golden pale lager whose European formulation is commonly described as having an alcohol content of 5.5% by volume. Versions with lower alcohol content have been produced for particular markets, including the United Kingdom. The beer’s identity is closely linked to Alsace. Strisselspalt hops, a fragrant hop variety associated with the region, are used in the lager and contribute bitterness and citrus-like aroma. The historical brewery moved from Strasbourg to Cronenbourg after recurring flooding problems, and the business adopted the Kronenbourg name after a succession of earlier names, including Hatt Brewery and Tigre Bock. The 1664 label was introduced in 1952 to mark the brewery’s heritage and the legacy of its founder. Kronenbourg 1664 expanded beyond France during the 1950s, reaching the United Kingdom around the time of Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation and subsequently being exported to many other countries. Its international positioning has generally combined French and Alsatian provenance with a premium mainstream lager proposition. The portfolio has also included variants such as 1664 Blanc, a pale wheat beer marketed for its lighter appearance, citrus character, and distinctive blue packaging. Ownership and production arrangements have varied by market. Scottish & Newcastle acquired Kronenbourg in 2001. Heineken later held the UK production licence, while the Carlsberg Group owned and brewed the brand in other markets. In 2023, Carlsberg acquired the UK licence from Heineken; the UK transition was accompanied by revised packaging, marketing, and a reduction in the principal UK draught and packaged product’s stated alcohol content from 5% to 4.6%. The brand has maintained visibility through long-running British advertising. Campaigns have used themes including a distinctive kind of strength, the sensory appeal of opening and enjoying a bottle, smaller bubbles and smoother taste, slowing down to savour a beer, and the supposed celebrity status of Alsatian hop growers. Former footballer Eric Cantona became a prominent advertising figure in the 2010s. The brand remains active as part of Carlsberg’s international beer portfolio, with production and packaging formats differing by country.

The historical roots of 1664 reach back to Strasbourg in Alsace. Geronimus Hatt received his master brewer certificate in 1649 and established the Brasserie du Canon in 1664. That date later became the central heritage reference for the brand. The brewery was eventually moved from Strasbourg to the village of Cronenbourg because its original location was repeatedly affected by flooding. Strisselspalt hops were incorporated into the brewing tradition in 1885. The variety, associated with Alsace, became an enduring part of the beer’s regional identity and is credited with contributing aromatic and citrus-like notes alongside bitterness. The brewery’s corporate identity changed over time: Hatt Brewery became Tigre Bock in 1922, and the business later adopted the Kronenbourg name after the Second World War. Brasseries Kronenbourg launched Kronenbourg 1664 in 1952. The name honoured the brewery’s founding date and linked the new beer to Hatt’s legacy. The product was sold in France and entered Britain around the 1953 coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. From Britain and France it expanded into wider export markets, eventually becoming available in dozens of countries. The ownership history changed substantially in the twenty-first century. Scottish & Newcastle bought Kronenbourg in 2001 for a reported £1.7 billion. Heineken subsequently held the UK production licence from 2008, while Carlsberg owned and brewed Kronenbourg products in other markets. In 2023, Carlsberg acquired the UK licence from Heineken. The UK transition brought changes to production, labelling, and communications, including a move from a 5% to a 4.6% ABV specification for the relevant UK product. Production has taken place in France, the United Kingdom, and Australia, with the precise brewer and formulation dependent on the market. In the UK, the brand has been sold in draught form and in bottles and cans, including 275 ml and 660 ml bottles and 440 ml and 568 ml cans. The UK brewery in Manchester has received significant investment in facilities and production capacity. Marketing has been an important part of the brand’s international identity, particularly in Britain. The 1980s “A Different Kind of Strength” campaign presented the beer as a source of confidence in a pool-playing story. The 2000 “Femme Fatale” advertisement used comic misdirection to suggest that men were distracted by a woman before revealing their fixation on a glass of beer. The advertisement attracted complaints to the UK Advertising Standards Authority, but the complaints were rejected. In 2004, “Composer” presented opening the beer as a moment that should interrupt ordinary activity so the drink could be enjoyed. “Smaller Bubbles, Smoother Taste,” first shown in 2009, dramatized chefs manipulating a large bubble into smaller bubbles to communicate a smoother drinking experience. In 2010, the “Slow the Pace” campaign featured Motörhead and Madness performing slowed-down versions of songs in a pub setting, encouraging consumers to pause and savour the beer. The 2013 “A Taste Suprême” campaign featured former footballer Eric Cantona and portrayed French hop farmers as figures deserving the same status as celebrated British footballers. The UK regulator initially banned the advertisement after complaints that it was misleading, but the ruling was later overturned following a reconsideration request by Heineken. Cantona returned in 2016 for the digital #lebigswim campaign, which challenged a stated number of British participants to affirm the beer’s taste and proposed that he would swim the English Channel if the target was met. He also appeared in “The Alsace-tians,” an advertisement that adapted the familiar image of rescue dogs with barrels by having Alsatian dogs deliver Kronenbourg 1664. Today, 1664 remains an active beer brand under the Carlsberg Group. Its proposition rests on French origin, Alsatian brewing references, Strisselspalt hops, a broad international distribution network, and a portfolio extending beyond the core golden lager to products such as 1664 Blanc.

1. 2023Carlsberg takes over the UK licence

   Carlsberg acquired the UK production licence from Heineken, later implementing a revised UK product and packaging specification.

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2. 2008Heineken receives the UK production licence

   Heineken took over the licence to produce Kronenbourg 1664 in the UK from Scottish & Newcastle.

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3. 2001Scottish & Newcastle acquires Kronenbourg

   Scottish & Newcastle purchased Kronenbourg, changing the ownership context for the 1664 brand.

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4. 1953The brand enters Britain

   Kronenbourg 1664 was imported into Britain around the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II and later expanded to further export markets.

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5. 1952Kronenbourg 1664 launches

   Brasseries Kronenbourg introduced the beer under a name commemorating the brewery’s 1664 origins.

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6. 1922Hatt Brewery becomes Tigre Bock

   The historical brewery changed its name from Hatt Brewery to Tigre Bock.

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7. 1885Strisselspalt hops enter the brewing tradition

   The Alsatian Strisselspalt hop variety was used in the creation of the lager and remained associated with the beer thereafter.

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8. 1664Brasserie du Canon is established in Strasbourg

   Geronimus Hatt opened the brewery that forms the historical origin story of the later Kronenbourg and 1664 businesses.

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9. 1649Geronimus Hatt qualifies as a master brewer

   Geronimus Hatt received his master brewer certificate, preceding the establishment of the brewery associated with the 1664 heritage.

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Premium French and Alsatian beer with an accessible international lager profile.

• Kronenbourg 1664Pale lager1952

  The core 1664 product is a golden pale lager associated with French and Alsatian brewing. Its continental European version is commonly described as 5.5% ABV and uses Strisselspalt hops, which contribute a fragrant, bitter, and citrus-influenced profile. Market-specific versions can differ in alcohol content; the UK specification transitioned from 5% to 4.6% after Carlsberg took over the UK licence. It is sold in draught, bottle, and can formats.

• 1664 BlancWheat beer

  1664 Blanc is the brand’s best-known wheat-beer variant. It is positioned as a lighter and more aromatic alternative to the core lager, with a pale, cloudy presentation and a fruit-forward, citrus-associated taste profile. The product is particularly important to the brand’s international image because it extends 1664 beyond conventional golden lager while retaining the French premium positioning.

• 2016#lebigswim

  United Kingdom

  Eric Cantona challenged British consumers to endorse Kronenbourg 1664 as the world’s best-tasting beer, promising to swim the English Channel if a stated participation threshold was reached.

  Outcome. Used a digital participation mechanic to extend the Cantona brand association.

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• 2016The Alsace-tians

  United Kingdom

  The campaign adapted the familiar image of rescue dogs carrying barrels by showing Alsatian dogs delivering Kronenbourg 1664.

  Outcome. Connected the product with Alsace through a humorous television concept.

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• 2013A Taste Suprême

  United Kingdom

  Eric Cantona starred in a campaign presenting French hop farmers as celebrities comparable to famous British footballers. The advertisement used French agricultural provenance as a premium cue.

  Outcome. The UK advertisement was initially banned as misleading after complaints, but the ruling was later overturned following reconsideration.

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• 2010Slow the Pace

  United Kingdom

  Motörhead and Madness appeared in advertisements performing slower, more relaxed versions of their music in a busy pub environment. The campaign encouraged viewers to slow down and savour the beer.

  Outcome. Extended the brand’s cultural positioning through music partnerships.

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• 2009Smaller Bubbles, Smoother Taste

  United Kingdom

  Chefs used exaggerated culinary tools and techniques to turn a large bubble into smaller bubbles, expressing the beer’s claimed smoothness.

  Outcome. Created a product-focused television execution centred on carbonation and mouthfeel.

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• 2004Composer

  United Kingdom

  The campaign portrayed opening a bottle as a moment that should cause people to stop what they are doing and enjoy the beer. The advertisement was directed by Malcolm Venville.

  Outcome. Reinforced the idea of beer as a deliberate, sensory pause.

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• 2000Femme Fatale

  United Kingdom

  The advertisement initially suggested that men were distracted by a woman, then revealed that their attention was directed toward a glass of Kronenbourg 1664.

  Outcome. The campaign received more than 60 complaints to the UK Advertising Standards Authority; the complaints were rejected.

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• 1980A Different Kind of Strength

  United Kingdom

  A television campaign used a pool-playing narrative to associate Kronenbourg 1664 with confidence and a distinctive form of strength.

  Outcome. Established a memorable British advertising platform for the brand.

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• 2023Carlsberg acquires the UK production licenceM&A

  Heineken had been responsible for UK production under licence since 2008, while Carlsberg owned and brewed the brand in other markets.

  What changed. Carlsberg purchased the UK Kronenbourg 1664 production licence from Heineken.

  Aftermath. The UK product moved to a 4.6% ABV specification from 5%, with revised labels and marketing introduced during the transition.

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• 2013Regulatory review of the A Taste Suprême advertisementOther

  The advertising campaign featuring Eric Cantona attracted complaints that its presentation of the product was misleading.

  What changed. The UK Advertising Standards Authority banned the advertisement; Heineken requested reconsideration.

  Aftermath. The original ruling was subsequently overturned.

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• 2008Heineken takes over UK production licensingOther

  The UK production arrangement for Kronenbourg 1664 changed after Scottish & Newcastle’s ownership period.

  What changed. Heineken acquired the licence to produce the brand in the United Kingdom.

  Aftermath. Heineken produced the UK version until the licence was transferred to Carlsberg in 2023.

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• 2001Scottish & Newcastle acquires the Kronenbourg businessM&A

  Kronenbourg and its associated brands, including 1664, became part of Scottish & Newcastle’s brewing operations.

  What changed. Scottish & Newcastle completed the acquisition.

  Aftermath. The brand later operated under licensing and ownership arrangements involving Heineken and Carlsberg in different markets.

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• 2024UK packaging and marketing transition follows licence change

  Following the transfer of the UK licence to Carlsberg, revised packaging and marketing were introduced as the production transition was completed.

  OtherProduct generation
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• 2023Carlsberg acquires the UK Kronenbourg 1664 licence

  Carlsberg acquired the United Kingdom production licence from Heineken. The subsequent UK transition included new marketing and labelling and a reduction of the principal UK product specification from 5% to 4.6% ABV.

  M&AProduct generationOther
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• 2008Heineken takes the UK production licence

  Heineken obtained the licence to produce Kronenbourg 1664 in the United Kingdom from Scottish & Newcastle.

  M&AOther
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• 2005Kronenbourg 1664 receives an International Brewing Awards distinction

  Kronenbourg 1664 won recognition in the 4.6% to 6.9% alcohol category at the International Brewing Awards during the 2004–2005 award period.

  Other
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• 2001Scottish & Newcastle acquires Kronenbourg

  Scottish & Newcastle acquired Kronenbourg, bringing the 1664 brand into its brewing portfolio.

  M&A
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1. 1664 (beer)
2. 1664 official website