April Fool’s Day always brings out the best and worst of the e-commerce industry’s creative teams. This year alone, we got hydration gamer headphones, knives with fully-serrated handles, and even cologne that smells like peated Scotch (though, we wouldn’t have been mad if that one had been real). Hot-as-can-be tech newcomer Nothing seemed to be in on the jokes as well when, on April 1, the brand announced that it was going to be releasing its very own beer. We all thought it was fake.
The joke, however, may have been that it sounded like a joke. Nothing followed up the very next day saying that the upcoming Beer (5.1%) is very real indeed, and it will be coming out this summer. The minimalist name follows Nothing’s other products, such as the phone (1) smartphone and the ear (1) earbuds — two products that seek to change the landscape for their respective spaces. It’s yet to be seen, or tasted, how Beer (5.1%) will shake things up, if at all. And one could argue that the microbrew industry doesn’t need any big changes — only good beer.
Putting its 5.1% ABV in the product name itself, Nothing has given its upcoming release a minimalist packaging as well, with a sleek silver-colored can featuring the brand’s signature stippled font depicting only the name of the beer vertically. Inside the can is an unfiltered rice lager that’s been made in collaboration with Welsh microbrewery Freetime Beer Co and is said to have a crisp tasting profile with subtle pear notes. Back in December, Nothing served prototypes of the beer at the launch party for its brick-and-mortar store in London’s Soho district. The brand has also stated that we can expect an alcohol-free version of the beer coming in 2024.
Fresh off the heels of Tesla revealing its own beer, Nothing won’t be the first tech brand to delve into the realm of alcoholic beverages, but it still has a chance to be one of the best. With fresh, seemingly-superfluous features brought to the phone (1) and ear (1), Beer (5.1%) is very on-brand in terms of Nothing’s objective for making things fun for the consumer and will also be supported by the Nothing X app upon launch. Head over to the brand’s website to learn more.
