In 1873, a young businessman named Gerard Heineken discovered his passion for brewing. He then bought land in the region that is now downtown Amsterdam, built a brewery and dedicated himself to perfecting the recipe that would soon become the first "premium" lager in the Netherlands. News quickly spread and the name Heineken®, stamped on each bottle, became a national symbol of quality. At the heart of Heineken's® success are pure and natural ingredients: malted barley, water, hops and a small and yet very significant element called yeast A.