Edmonton’s Amber’s Brewing Co. today launched a new label and name for its former Bub Lunch Pail Ale. Gone is the portly, hard hat clad plumber Edmonton cartoon icon Bub, replaced by a still solidly working person lunch pail. The name is simply Lunch Pail Ale. So, really, the change is fairly minor but it probably gives the beer a wider appeal, given that Bub Slug is mostly known in Edmonton parts.
I have not spoken with Amber’s Jim about his rationale behind the change, but my suspicion is that he is hoping to expand sales to other centres in Alberta and Saskatchewan (Amber’s Australian Mountain Pepper Berry Lager is already available in that province).
In related news, Amber’s has been slowly tweaking its recipes in the last few months to give their beer an updated, cleaner edge. Nothing radical going on, just a bit more of this, a bit less of that kind of thing. So, if you have had any Amber’s in a while, give them another try as you will be getting something slightly different.
August 7, 2010 at 10:43 AM
I think you’re right in that they’re trying to give the beer a wider appeal…though maybe they are also trying to make the beer appeal more to men – Bub was a little cutesy-pie, you’ve got to admit. When I visited Amber’s a couple years ago, Jim mentioned that their marketing strategy was almost wholly targeted to women. Not sure if that’s still the case.