Allsopp’s Brewery Revival Brings History to Life

With roots that go as far back as the 1740s, Allsopp’s brewery fell out of favor in the early 20th century and eventually dropped as a brand in 1959. And until very recently, it was thought to be relegated to the history books, faded memories, and supremely cool beer signage at your local watering hole.

And then, Jamie Allsop, great-great-great-great-grandson of founder Samuel Allsopp, made a discovery. Having found a ledger of recipes, thought to be the only one in existence, the beer scion went to work test brewing and consolidating relevant trademarks, finally able to relaunch the brand that bears his ancestors’ name.

To bring the brewery back to life, Allsopp gathered an A-Team of designers and dug deep into the brand's archives for an exquisitely crafted visual identity. The team behind Allsopp’s brand revival includes designer and typographer Alec Tear, illustrator Lloyd Stratton, design strategist Silas Amos, project manager Shiran Shaya, and production manager Lisa Stillman, along with copywriting from Christopher Sharpe. 

“The opportunity was immediately clear: to create a modern classic that drew on an incredible design archive,” said Silas Amos of the project. “With new beers based on the brands' original recipes, and a company going to great lengths to be both authentic and ‘All for the Taste,’ our ambition was to create a design that was equally crafted and ‘properly done.’”

The illustrated hand found inspiration via innkeeper signs of the 17th and 18th centuries, an indicator to guests that their ale was in quality condition. The hand-illustrated logo gets superbly shadowed in a style that lends instant heritage visually. Principal typography is strong enough to stand against the bright red logo with supporting fonts reinforcing themes of legacy and the beer's roots. The brand color palette is simple and works well against dark glass bottles. The white signature on the neck also speaks to the family ties of the revived brand.

“Every single aspect of the new look for Allsopp’s has been carefully considered and crafted to rebuild a brand that is as genuine, charismatic and fresh today as it was during its illustrious past,” said Alec Tear. “Achieving this fine balance required meticulous sifting through Allsopp’s vast archives to find: the right typography to redraw; colours to refine; and imagery to repurpose.” 

Allsopp’s will launch with a pale ale and an IPA, the latter of which is significant to the brewery, as Allsopp’s had developed a hoppy pale ale for export at the behest of the East India Company in the early 1800s. According to the reborn brand, it's also one of the first IPAs ever brewed (and, as legend has it, Samuel made his first batch in a teapot).

Anyhow, not bad for a brand that hasn't seen the light of day since 1959.