Photo: Tecate

By THÉRÈSE MARGOLIS

The Terraza Josefa by Urbanista in Mexico City was Ground Zero on Tuesday, March 14, for the launching of Tecate 0.0, a new Mexican abstemious beer catering to adult palates looking for a amber brew without the alcohol.

Developed by the master brewers of the Monterrey-based Cervecería Cuauhtémoc beermaker to mimic the taste of its more potent regular Tecate, Tecate 0.0 joins the company’s Heineken 0.0 to take the lead in Mexico’s rapidly expanding nonalcoholic beer market.

Branding its new product with the phrase “now you have zero excuses” to not enjoin a cold one with your afternoon meal, Tecate is promoting the new near-beer as an “option for intelligent consumption.”

The company is counting on an adult market that craves a good hops-based lager but that doesn’t want to contend with the negative effects of alcohol consumption.

And while Tecate 0.0 is, as the name implies, virtually free of any alcoholic content, the company has decided to ban its sale to minors on the grounds that it could entice them to taste a more “robust” alternative.

“We are convinced that Tecate 0.0 will quickly catch on as one of the most popular beers in Mexico, building true human connections and crafted with the highest safety, ethical and social responsibility standards, thus reaffirming our commitment to provide a better world, leave a positive footprint on the planet and promote social responsibility,” said Lino Villareal, Tecate brand director during the lavish inaugural event, which included a sampling of the new beer along with an array of Mexican dishes.