Kirkstall Brewery is placing the iconic Three Swords symbol at the forefront of its cask beers with new branding for its core range.
The refreshed branding has been designed to highlight Kirkstall’s presence in an ever more competitive market, both in its heartland of Yorkshire and nationwide.
“Cask beer is our lifeblood, and how we started as a business,” explained founder and director Steve Holt.
“Many of these brands – Three Swords, Dissolution IPA and Black Band Porter – have been with us from the very beginning. We have always sought to give credit to our predecessors, so it is fitting for us to pay homage to the 19th century branding used by our forebears.”
The latest Three Swords pump clip design is based on historic branding taken from an original Victorian Kirkstall Brewery showcard.
It has been so well received by both the trade and consumers that it has now been extended to the rest of the core range.
Dissolution IPA, Black Band Porter, Kirkstall Bitter, Kirkstall Pale and Kirkstall Blonde now feature the original crest heraldry as well as metallic and gloss finishes.
“Bringing together such a wide range of beers under a single cohesive brand was a huge challenge,” said Chris Hall, Kirkstall’s brand manager.
“After updating the Three Swords branding last year, we realised it provided the framework for a diverse brand identity with one unifying story: heritage, consistently great beer and the Three Swords crest – all things that we are widely recognised for.”
The Three Swords crest, used by the Kirkstall Brewery Co of 1833-1983, was previously used in the masonry of Kirkstall Abbey, where Cistercian monks brewed beer since 1152.
“The Three Swords symbol precedes any other beer trademark and is the most important part of our story and our identity,” added Hall.
“Three Swords is also our hero cask brand, and it now leads an ensemble cast of beers that celebrate heritage, stand for quality, and belong together on bars across the nation.”
