A SCOTTISH ale is under-going a design change to bring out the best of the pint.
Belhaven Best brewed in Dunbar, but is owned by England-based Greene King, the new look of a striking blue and gold design is created in partnership with Scottish drinks agency Thirst.
The swap will begin in mid-May with pubs receiving new tap fonts, keg lenses, handles, t-shirts, bar runners, and new glassware.
“Belhaven’s success over the past 300 years is built on creating exceptional quality beers, but also on our ability to respond to the changing tastes of modern drinkers,” Fiona Matheson, Belhaven brand manager, said.
“Best is as popular as ever and is currently gaining in market share, but we felt that it deserved better when it came to its presentation.
“We also wanted to challenge the old-fashioned image of ale and communicate its freshness.
“This has been a labour of love that the Belhaven team has worked on for many months and we are thrilled with the results.
“The new design looks stunning, premium and appealing, perfectly balancing Best’s past and our ambition for the future, whilst reflecting the wonderful qualities of the ale inside. We know our customers are going to appreciate and love it.
“And while things change – for Belhaven Best – times shared together over a good pint will always be the 'Best'.”
This comes as Belhaven is hoping that national pride will help people buy the ale, Steven Sturgeon, marketing controller told Scottish Grocer: “Data shows us that Scottish consumers see the importance in sourcing locally and supporting Scottish businesses, with 72% of Scots agreeing it helps when buying products produced in Scotland.
“As Scotland’s oldest working brewing, Belhaven continues to celebrate Scottish beer and recently secured the brewing of Caledonian beers, including Deuchars IPA and Maltsmiths, with the purpose of ensuring that consumers still have their traditional Scottish beers in the market and more importantly are still brewed locally.”
Gary Todd, site manager at Belhaven, added: “We introduced a new kegging line at the end of last year, which has not only reduced emissions and transport costs, but also allowed us to employ a team from the Caledonian Brewery to work on the line, protecting jobs in the area.
“Culture and heritage are at the heart of Belhaven and protecting the community around us is just as important as the actions we take into our brewery and beers, so we are proud to support initiatives such as Sustaining Dunbar’s Garden Project and other local activities.
