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Following their much anticipated £5m brewery investment, Cheshire family brewers, Robinsons, have released an innovative ‘new look’, ‘new feel’ for their beers.  The brewery, which now boasts the biggest Hopnik in the world, has the capability to make some seriously tasty and exciting beers ... and now has the designs to go with it.

“We’ve been working on this range for over a year now,” explained David Bremner, Robinsons Director of Marketing.  “Some of our ales have matured gracefully over the last 120 years, whilst some younger siblings reflect recent changes to the market, but the great thing about the investment the 6^th generation are putting into the business is that we have had the time to make these beers the best in the industry.”

Traditionally more readily associated with evolution than revolution, it may come as a surprise to hear that Robinsons are heralding an era of innovation. Robinsons have defied design limits as well as messages with their new look brands. By challenging accepted industry design standards Robinsons are the first brewery to include units of alcohol and hop details to the front of the pump-clip; using a uniform tab system ... pre-empting what will surely become a legislative requirement of the future.

“Unlike some who want to give their pump clips the same generic outline, our research carried out directly with licensees and consumers suggested that we should give each its own personality and look.   We’ve taken that to the extreme”, enthuses David. 

Robinsons have used new pump-clip production techniques for their core range of ales.  1892 (formerly Hatters) is a nut brown Cheshire ale from that year and a special resin has been used to replicate a tree cross section.  Cumbria Way resembles slate and Cumbrian XB looks like layered wood, whilst Cwrw’r Ddraig Aur, a full blooded bitter beer, has the look and feel of chiselled stone. Each of these designs has been inspired by individual brand heritage, using organic materials symbolic to the origins of each ale.  Robinsons are breaking the mould (pardon the pun) and customers are in for a real treat.

“We are especially proud of our premium metal range which will undoubtedly drive sales” continued David. “Dizzy Blonde has already received exceptionally good feedback from consumers, as we thought it would, and I’ve never seen a better pump clip than Unicorn - you really have to hold it to believe it.  There is also a healthy mix of images used following consumer feedback that pictures influenced their decision to buy a beer as well as words.”

Oliver Robinson, recently appointed as joint Managing Director of Robinsons, continued “We are committed to many more generations of family brewing and pub ownership and these recent investments should be seen as a sign of that.  Cask beer is set to have a very solid ten years with innovation remaining key.  There are nearly 900 brewers in the UK, driving the only growth in the pub trade, and they are all trying to stand out.  We want to lead the way and our new Visitor Centre, due to open later this year, will give customers a close up of everything we do.  We have been brewing three of our beers since the 1890s and won 30 awards for them in the last 25 years.  Now is the time to make some noise about them.”