The Grainstore Brewery
The Grainstore Brewery Tap opened its doors in September 1995 and today is recognised as one of the best brew pubs in Britain.
Today the brewery continues to build on its strengths brewing traditional English Ales and supplying hundreds of free trade outlets as well as wholesalers and beer festivals nationwide.
Brand Identity
Print Design
Packaging
Vehicle Livery
Ilustration
The Grainstore Brewery has proud roots situated in the heart of Rutland – England’s smallest County. The County’s heritage is represented by the upside-down horseshoe which has become synonymous with the Grainstore identity (theory is - the reason for hanging them this way is so that the devil cannot make a nest in the bottom of the horseshoe).
The Grainstore Brewery uses only the finest quality materials to brew its beers, with the majority being sourced from within the UK.
As well as their core range of real ales, they offer limited edition ales, brewed in limited supply each month. These more experimental ales celebrate UK holidays and the best of English culture - each requiring their own unique pump-clip design.
In 2014 their ambitions lead them to releasing a range of new ciders made from 100% British apples. I was asked to design each of three new ciders that would carry through their graphic style.
Festivals
The brewery hosts three annual festivals throughout the year.
RUTLAND BEER FESTIVAL
Having ran for over 20 years, the Rutland Beer Festival has become a staple on the small County’s calendar. Spanning over 5 days with live music and over 80 real ales on offer, the festival curates an ever-changing selection from breweries all over the UK. Each festival requires a new logo for glassware, drink’s menu and clothing memorabilia.
CIDER & SAUSAGE FESTIVAL
Starting in 2010 during the May Bank Holiday the brewery go a wee bit ‘Wurzel’ and host their Cider and Sausage Festival. Featuring 40 real ciders straight from the barrel and locally crafted sausages including their very own pork and ale, this is another lively festival full of great music.
CRAFTFEST
Beginning in 2016 and running on the first bank holiday weekend of the year Craftfest was set up in response to an ever booming market in craft brewing, offering the best of craft beer from the UK and America. 2018 saw the addition of Ginfest, rounding-off the festival with a showcase of selected British gins.
It’s not all about the beer!
If the beer is varied and exceptional, food at the Grainstore Brewery Tap is not to be sniffed at either. The menu features warming broths, Ploughmans, homemade burgers, chilli con carne made with Grainstore beer, and rustic sandwiches.
No pub visit is complete without a packet of pork scratchings! The Grainstore offer pork scratchings in a range of flavours that use their own ale and cider in jam dipping sauces.
Grainy Days
A special range of limited edition ales released of each month of 2016.
This one-time-only range
was delivered to pubs and venues that were part of the Grainy Club - an accreditation to which met the brewery’s high standards of cellermanship and service.
Dubbed “Grainy Days” the theme of the ales explored a more mysterious and dark nature
.
A completely new illustration style and pump-clip shape was developed to stand apart from the Grainstore’s core range.
