Big Rock has announced on its brewer’s blog that they have re-designed their labels and packaging. It is more of a tweak than an overhaul, but the new design aims to be more artistic and draw attention to the artwork. Key behind this was Big Rock’s 25th Anniversary last fall. To mark the occasion they asked the artist who hand-designed their initial labels, Calgarian Dirk Van Wyk, to rework the labels, maintain as much as possible the original artwork, but finding a way to accent their best features.
They write in the blog “the result was a brand new look with an original art work feel and all the labels outlined in black to mimic frames that further enhance these beautiful creations.” In addition, Big Rock’s “signature” brands – McNally’s Extra, IPA and Magpie – will now also be wrapped in black foil to allow for sales of singles.
Also, the blog announced the impending release of their Brewmaster’s Series of rotating seasonal beer. All will be brewed on their Kasper Shulz pilot brewery (a small scale brewing set-up they built last year to allow for experimentation and small batch releases). The blog reports the first seasonal will be Magpie in open six-pack cases. No word yet on future releases, or on how widely the Series will be distributed.
March 4, 2011 at 12:03 PM
wrapped in foil for single bottle sales? Are you serious? What a waste of material – that’s what we need is more senseless garbage. Is there something in the laws or something that states that singles can not be sold outside of cases? Maybe there’s a pic available of this? Questions!!!
March 4, 2011 at 7:25 PM
Jeff,
I appreciate your perspective on this. There are LOTS of things in the brewing industry that drive me crazy in terms of wastefulness. However, there are a couple of complicating factors that need not reduce your overall frustration, but may redirect it away from the folks at Big Rock.
First, all beer must be sold in tamper-evident containers. A sealed box, a non-twist off cap or other such plan. For breweries using industry standard bottles who want to do single bottle sales, they must either cover it with a strip of adhesive label, wrap it in foil, or (as Half Pints does) dip it in wax. There may be other solutions as well, but these are the ones on the top of my head.
Second, there are a lot of breweries that use foil wrap. It is standard on Unibroue standard bottles, and even our good friends at Alley Kat put a foil wrapper on necks of their Old Deut.
Third, I think it is a good idea that Big Rock wants to move to single bottle sales for its seasonals and other less known brands. One of the struggles micros have is that people fear buying 6 of a beer of which they have never heard. What if they don’t like it, they think. Single bottles (as well as mixed packs) help solve this problem.
So, you are right. More foil in the landfill is bad. I would rather they not do that. But their options are fairly limited. I, personally, am thankful that we don’t live in the U.S. where every bottle is crushed because they are too anti-government and anti-cooperation to institute an industry standard bottle and extensive recycling programs.
Thanks for the note. Please don’t take this as an attempt to mute your anger. Channel that frustration, my friend, and help make change happen.
Jason
March 7, 2011 at 10:06 AM
Great descriptive answer. That is a process that I was unaware of. Thanks for the info!