Interesting blog on Newquay Steam Beer

A C O U P L E  of months ago, I opened an email received from beer blog writing team, Boak and Bailey. Their enquiry arrived out of the blue, as our name had been stumbled upon via Google by Ray Bailey and Jessica Boak, the pair who write a hugely interesting and authoritative blog about the best beers and the pubs that serve them. Their informative blog can be found here. 

Ray told me that he and Jessica were planning to write an in depth article on Newquay Steam Beer, the west country beer brand success of the late eighties and the one in which my design agency, Hampson Partnership was actively involved. 

He asked if I might help him with any details regarding the creative work that Hampson Partnership had been responsible for in those heady days. That was all the encouragement I needed to head over and retrieve images from my files, re-boot my memory and recall the 'thousand miles an hour' design projects of days working with Devenish Brewery. 

Weymouth day trips never have and never will be quite the same.

 

A detail of the first label for Newquay Steam Bitter  |  Packaging designed by Hampson Partnership

Ray's article recalls how, during a design progress meeting, Micheal Cannon approved our label design, but was hesitant at the inclusion of the expensive 'Grolsch-style' ceramic stopper proposed in our design.

Paul Hampson:

"I recall presenting sketches of our ceramic flip-top stopper to Michael, the result of which was a prolonged silence. Didn’t  I know how much more expensive the ceramic top would make this new product and wasn’t I aware of the potential cost saving of a bog standard metal cap?  A couple of heart beats later, he approved our ceramic top design and instructed us to forge ahead with production without delay."

Ray's blog continues:

Cannon’s nose for what would make money was infallible. Those stoppers, and complete transparency about ingredients and alcohol content, helped the brand stand out in a market place where beautiful-looking bottled beers were then few and far between.


Ray and Jessica's blog deserves a read if good beers, pubs, branding and beer imagery hold any interest for you. Their informed post gives a complete insight into the way in which the Newquay brand was developed, designed and launched. From a former sleepy west country brewery to successful brand owner, Newquay Steam was eventually swallowed by Whitbread. Read the blog at boakandbailey.com

 
For more on how packaging remains my specialisation and passion, call me on 01425 402115 for  a chat on brand design or email me on this link.

Paul Hampson