Shepherd Neame has unveiled a new look for its Classic Collection of premium bottled ales — India Pale Ale, 1698, and Double Stout.
A decade after the collection was last refreshed, Shepherd Neame has teamed up with global creative partner, Thirst, to deliver distinctive new labelling. This is designed to celebrate the character and heritage of these much-loved beers, while making them more relevant and appealing to the modern drinker.
India Pale Ale (6.1% ABV) is a deep golden ale with spiced fruit notes and a distinctive, hoppy bitterness. Its label now features a vibrant colour palette, with purple at its heart, along with bespoke typography inspired by Indian block printing to reference the beer’s origins.
First brewed in 1998 to celebrate Shepherd Neame’s tercentenary, 1698 is a copper-bronze Kentish Strong Ale (6.5% ABV). Thrice-hopped during the brewing process, the bottle-conditioned ale boasts notes of liquorice, caramel, and spicy orange. Its formerly monochrome label now features two rich tones of red, adding warmth and depth, with enlarged typography.
Crafted using a blend of four different malts, Double Stout (5.2% ABV) is a black, velvety-smooth beer with cocoa and coffee notes. Its label retains the distinctive black, white, and gold colour palette associated with the stout category, while introducing new imagery of two brewers rolling barrels, inspired by original heritage artwork.
“Re-imagining the look of beers which are so well loved without losing their character was always going to be a significant challenge,” said Shepherd Neame chief executive Jonathan Neame. “We are delighted with the finished results, which we believe will be welcomed by the collection’s long-standing fans, while also attracting and engaging a new audience.”
Matt Burns, executive creative director and co-founder of Thirst, added: “Traditional British ale has incredible substance, depth, and brewing excellence, but the way it shows up doesn’t always communicate that. There’s a real opportunity to make premium bottled ale feel more attractive, interesting, and relevant to a new generation of drinkers.
“Shepherd Neame has centuries of brewing expertise and a story few breweries can claim, so our role was to give that heritage the confidence and presence it deserves today. This work is about helping people rediscover what makes these beers distinctive and giving them a reason to engage with the category again.”
