STEVENS POINT, Wis. – What’s new at the Stevens Point Brewery?
There’s an updated brewery logo for starters. Point is also introducing new graphics for each bottle and can of the Point family of handcrafted specialty beers. Each new bottle, can, six-pack and 12-pack now features a simple, elegant new logo on a red banner scripted with the slogan “Celebrating Great Beer Since 1857.” Then there’s a new shape for the 12-ounce bottle, new neck labels that shout out the beer’s style, and new black caps to crown the bottles, too.
The new logo and graphics deliver a stylish new look in the marketplace for the Point family of craft brands, including year-round beers Point Special Lager, Classic Amber Lager, Onyx Black Ale, Beyond the Pale IPA, Smiley Blue Pils and Drop Dead Blonde Ale; and seasonal brands St. Benedict Winter Ale for the cold months, Point Bock and Apricadabra Apricot Wheat Ale for spring, Coast Radler in the summer and Point Oktoberfest for autumn.
It’s about family and personality
Designed by invok, a marketing and design agency, the new packaging features a consistent look across the Point brand family while giving each craft beer its own distinct personality, according to Julie Birrenkott, Steven Point Brewery Marketing Manager.
The new bottle shape is similar to a traditional 12-ounce longneck beer bottle, but with a higher shoulder to accommodate a larger label panel. New neck labels are larger, too, to better communicate brand attributes. Point’s bottle caps have been updated from gold to black. invok redesigned the six-pack carriers with higher top and side panels to better protect flavor and freshness by keeping out light, one of beer’s enemies.
“The new packaging goes a long way to helping our Point brands stand out amidst the craft beer clutter, a sea of color that craft-beer consumers now face at retail,” Ms. Birrenkott said. “Our new primary and secondary packages focus on the beer’s style while maintaining its identity as a member of the Point family. We’re confident our fresh new look will appeal to craft-beer fans of all ages.”
There’s more to come
A new Point pale ale in bottles and cans with graphics that fit right in with the new look is coming soon. Point S.P.A. (Session Pale Ale) is a crisp and flavorful American-style pale ale hopped exclusively with Citra hops, a trendy new hop variety that imparts a smooth citrus aroma and flavor. Citra hops are particularly well-suited for pale ales, Ms.Birrenkott reports.
Plans are also underway for a new summer seasonal beer in 2016.
Stevens Point Brewery
Stevens Point Brewery, founded in 1857, uses only the highest-grade barley malts, specialty malts, grains and the choicest hops to brew its handcrafted beers.
The brewery’s year-round lineup features flagship Point Special Lager; Point Onyx Black Ale, a robust dark ale; Point Drop Dead Blonde Ale, a 110 calorie golden ale; Point Amber Classic, an American-style amber lager; Point Beyond the Pale IPA, a robust, hoppy India Pale Ale; and Point Smiley Blue Pils, a Czech-style pilsner.
The brewery’s seasonal beers include Point Bock, a traditional full-bodied bock available from January through March; Apricadabra Apricot Wheat Ale for the spring; Point Coast Radler, a mix of beer and natural citrus flavors for the summer; Point Oktoberfest, a Bavarian-style Märzen beer; and Point St. Benedict’s Winter Ale, a rich, dark beer available from November through February.
In addition to the year-round and seasonal craft brands featuring the new look, Point offers four seasonal variety 12-packs, each containing three bottles of four unique beers available only in the variety packs. The Long Nights variety pack features Malted Milk Shake Lager, Pistachio Nut Brown Ale, Gingerbread Ale and Salted Caramel Toffee Ale. The Harvest Craft Creations 12-pack features Point Cranberry Wheat Ale, Point Squash Ale, Point Pumpkin Peach Ale and Point Blood Orange Amber. The Long Days variety pack offered in the warm months features four refreshing fruit lagers: Point Lime Lager, Point Mango Lager, Point Tart Cherry Lager and Point Watermelon Mojito Lager. Four unique year-round India pale ales – Point Spruce Tip IPA, Point Peach Mango IPA, Point White IPA and Point One Shot IPA – are available only in the Point IPA variety 12-pack.
Whole Hog Limited Edition “big beers” include year-round Whole Hog Espresso Stout and Whole Hog Six-Hop India Pale Ale. Seasonal offerings include Whole Hog Russian Imperial Stout, Whole Hog Barley Wine and Whole Hog Pumpkin Ale.
Point also brews four unique James Page specialty beers sold only in convenient 12-ounce cans: A Cappella Gluten-free Pale Ale, Casper White Stout, Healani Pineapple Hefeweizen, and Bastian Black Forest Cake, a dark porter just introduced at retail.
Point’s Ciderboys Cider Co. hard ciders blend unexpected fresh fruit flavors with apple cider. Ciderboys’ year-round products are First Press, a traditional hard cider; Raspberry Smash, alive with the tartness of raspberries; and Strawberry Magic, a blend of fresh strawberries and apple cider. Ciderboys also produces winter seasonal Mad Bark, made with natural cinnamon; fall seasonal Cranberry Road, a pairing of apple cider and cranberries; and seasonals Pineapple Hula, Peach County and Grand Mimosa. Pineapple Hula is made with fresh Hawaiian pineapple, Peach County combines pure peach flavor with apple cider, and Grand Mimosa is a winter cider made with succulent Florida oranges.
Gourmet soft drinks from the Stevens Point Brewery include Point Premium Root Beer, Point Premium Diet Root Beer, Point Premium Orange Cream, Point Premium Vanilla Cream, Point Kitty Cocktail and Point Premium Black Cherry Cream Soda.
For more information about the Stevens Point Brewery, please visit www.pointbeer.com or call 1-800-369-4911. Tours of the brewery are available; schedules are listed on the website.