New Year, New Look for Schlafly Beer

From Schlafly:

(ST. LOUIS, MO –  January 29, 2019)—Schlafly Beer announces today new packaging design for the brewery’s portfolio. The largest, locally owned brewery in St. Louis will slowly introduce new packaging throughout 2019 for its core styles, seasonals and more. With updated design elements and increased storytelling, the packaging changes showcase the brewery’s commitment to the brand, but also continued focus on innovation, even after 28 years.

“We call this a packaging evolution, not revolution,” says Head of Marketing Wil Rogers. “We preserved the Schlafly Beer brand that beer drinkers have come to know and love, but we also gave it a little facelift. One aspect, however, stays consistent – our focus on the beer itself. We don’t add fancy names to our beers. We lead with the style because we are confident that our beers are true to that.”

Style is at the forefront of the new packaging. Schlafly Beer’s signature round circle at the center of packaging now features the beer’s style with corresponding style color, instead of a cream circle with the Schlafly logo. Lead Designer Sarah Frost explains, “Authenticity is important. We believe that many consumers make their purchasing decision, first and foremost, based on style. Since we focus our beers on being true-to-style, we showcase this in a great way throughout the new design with vibrant colors, marks and graphics that correlate to the ingredients and story of the beer.”

The Schlafly brand is still present in the corner of the packaging as well as now around the neck of each bottle. Each style also includes a bit of storytelling about the beer’s history with Schlafly Beer on the side panel. “It connects the consumer to our brewery’s rich history and showcases our personality,” explains Frost.

For example, Schlafly Beer’s Coffee Stout has a long-standing history as being one of the best for the style. Now, the packaging incorporates coffee bean graphics and deep, rich browns to exemplify the beer’s superior taste. The package now also tells the story of how Coffee Stout came to be. The beer is the result of a close partnership with the local St. Louis coffee company, Kaldi’s Coffee. In the 1990s, the roastery used to be located down the block from the Schlafly Tap Room. The roasters would come over after their shift to enjoy a pint. One day, they dropped a shot of Kaldi’s espresso in a Schlafly Oatmeal Stout, and Coffee Stout was born.

Schlafly’s Coffee Stout

Another example is Schlafly’s award-winning Kölsch. Co-founder Tom Schlafly’s wife, Ulrike, is from the style’s birthplace of Köln, Germany. She introduced Tom to Angela and Heinrich Becker, owners of Gaffel Brauerei, one of the most respected breweries in Cologne. They offered their famous, authentic yeast strain for brewing Schlafly Kölsch, one of the earlier styles for the brewery. The packaging showcases the style’s signature vibrant green with elements from Köln’s coat of arms.

The new design first rolled out earlier this month with Schlafly’s flagship beer, Pale Ale, now available in 12-packs of 16-ounce cans. Consumers will start to see the packaging throughout all styles in 2019. For more on Schlafly Beer’s distribution, visit http://www.schlafly.com/beer-finder/.

About Schlafly Beer: Schlafly Beer, Missouri’s largest locally owned, independent craft brewery, proudly offers over 60 unique styles of beer. Each is handmade at the Tap Room in Midtown St. Louis or Schlafly Bottleworks in Maplewood. Utilizing 102 hop varietals, 77 malts and grains, 59 different spices and fruits and 10 separate yeast strains from around the globe, Schlafly also works with local suppliers for everything from farm-fresh food to packaging and labeling. As part of its commitment to sustainability, Schlafly donates spent grain to local farmers to feed their livestock and utilizes 100% renewable energy throughout its operations. The largest Missouri-owned-and-operated beer maker offers free tours of the Tap Room (2100 Locust Street) every Sunday from 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on the hour and Schlafly Bottleworks (7260 Southwest Avenue) from noon to 5 p.m. every half hour on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. The brand continues to define craft across 12 states and throughout countless fine establishments, backyards and basement bars. Join us at either of our locations and on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. For a full listing of seasonal and year-round beers and for information on distribution, visit Schlafly.com.