The Freedom

Challenge: Tight Schedule and Strictly Limited Production Cost

The project began with intense pressure. AB InBev set an ambitious goal — to launch on July 4th, a date chosen to embody authenticity and the freedom to enjoy quality draught beer anywhere. However, the Altitude team was brought on board only at the beginning of January, leaving just a few months to design, develop, and deliver.

Adding to the challenge, AB InBev capped the production cost of the BIB (bottle-in-bottle pressurized container) dispenser at $10.00. The vision was to create a simple, semi-disposable tool that could elevate the BIB experience and help boost sales, while staying true to the brand’s practical business strategy.

From day one, the Altitude team had to balance creativity with feasibility — pushing the limits of design innovation within strict time and cost constraints.

Establishing a Design Direction Focused on Delivering an Authentic Draught Beer Experience

The genuine purpose and benefit of AB InBev’s bottle-in-bottle pressurized container (BIB) was to provide an authentic draught beer experience, regardless of location. The new BIB dispenser needed to embody and elevate this experience through its function, look, and feel, maximizing the sense of true draught beer enjoyment.

To achieve this goal, the Altitude team conducted design research focused on understanding what defines an authentic draught beer experience. The aim was to establish a clear design direction that could communicate this authenticity through the dispenser’s aesthetics and tactile qualities, while collaborating closely with the mechanical engineering team to develop mechanical solutions that enhance usability and reinforce the draught beer experience.

Based on this research and AB InBev’s requirements, the team established three design concept directions:

1. Low-cost and compact approach, inspired by the authentic beer growler.

2. Premium, fully finished product approach, inspired by the authentic beer keg.

3. Genuine dispenser approach, inspired by the authentic beer tap tower.

Design development progressed along these three directions, with the design team working closely with the mechanical engineering team to refine part designs and estimate the BOM cost in parallel with concept development — a necessity given the tight project schedule.

Freedom of Authentic Draught Beer Experience!

“The Freedom” was designed, inspired by the authentic beer keg and tap tower. When the dispenser and the bottle-in-bottle pressurized container (BIB) are attached together, it becomes a complete beer keg with a tap faucet, delivering the authentic AB InBev brand identity as well as the look and feel of real beer through the product itself.

Every design detail reflects this approach. The faucet and tap handle are intuitively designed to communicate their use immediately, based on traditional shapes that people are familiar with.

The handle on the back of the dispenser, inspired by an authentic keg, improves portability, maximizing the freedom to enjoy draught beer anywhere.

The dispenser’s color was carefully chosen for the Budweiser brand, in line with AB InBev’s launch strategy, symbolizing authenticity and freedom through the brand itself on July 4th.

It takes only seven simple steps to get authentic quality draught beer, from set-up to the first pour.

“The Freedom” provides the simplest way to enjoy authentic, high-quality draught beer whenever and wherever you want.