Blackford Brewery
This process started with an idea. What if there was a Scottish brewery near me? What would it look like? What would the environment be like? That idea then turned into the creation of a brand. And that brand would need an entire design system to be created around it. So I started with the history of Scotland and Beer.
Blackford Brewery gets its name from history. Blackford in Perthshire is said to be the first brewery in Scotland. This is also where King James IV was said to have purchased a barrel of ale. Now the Scots are no strangers to beer. There is evidence that some sort of fermented beverages were being “brewed” possibly as early as the mid-to-late 4th millenium BC. At one time a sweet stout was very common in Scotland. Now the Scottish have been known to be very good at holding their liquor and tend to be a bit heavy handed with their pours. The term “wee-Heavy” originated when these strong ales were sold in 1/3 Imperial Pints 'nips'; hence "wee" (nip), "heavy" (stronger end of the alcohol spectrum.)
Project Information
The objective of this process is to create and design the brand from the ground up. This brand will need an entire system design and collateral materials. While the brewery may be new, the intention is to create a more historic evironment for it’s customers. While the atmosphere of the brewery is old-fashioned, it is important to keep up with the times. A web presence will need to be established in order to compete with other local breweries. During this project I hope to better my typography and illustrations skills. I also hope to gain a better understanding of web design with the completion of a new website for the client.
Target Audience
The target audience for Blackford Brewery would generally be local males, form the ages 30-45. They should be men who enjoy a good beer as well as knowing the history behind it. This audience appreciates being considered a local and enjoys spending their time tasting specialty brews. Blackford aims to brew beer and comradery.
EVENTS
Trivia Night
We enjoy our history almost as much as our haggis. Trivia nights are way for people to come compete, drink, and be part of the community.
Barley Walking Bar Crawl
There are plenty of breweries/bars in the downtown area of Kearney. By hosting a bar crawl, Blackford Brewery shows they are community driven, willing to collaborate wih other businesses, and the kind of neighboring brewery you want to have around. It's also no question that the Scottish enjoy a good bar crawl.
Brewery Tours
Brewery tours are so important. People like to see how their beer is made. These tours allow the customers to speak with Blackford's expert brewers. Not to mention, get some free beer on us!
Design Elements and Process
COLORS
The color palette for this brand is straightforward. Just like the men that started the brewery, the colors are bold, strong, and pair nicely with historic appreciation.
TYPEFACES
The reasoning for the typeface chosen to represent Blackford are the same as the color pallettes. The primary typeface can stand on it’s own. The serif is appropriate for the older-style of a brewery and the thicker strokes have the ability to be seen from accross the bar with ease.
Solution
WEBSITE
Part of the solution to this design was to design and create a functioning website for the client. This website covers Blackford Brewery and their handcrafted beer.
Visit the Blackford WebsiteCONCLUSION
"Not only did this project test my skills, it made me grow as a designer. "
The solution to this process involved the creation of a brand and all of it’s collateral materials. These included beer glasses, illustrated cans, shirts, a website, and much more. Blackford was created for people who love beer and enjoy a collective culture. Throughout this design process, I had to manage my own deadlines, communicate with my professors on my progress, and adapt to a large amount of change. I was also able to highlight my illustrations as well as identity design skills.
Not only did this project test my skills, it made me grow as a designer. Often times in life we have a specific plan of how we want things to go. My original plan for this project was to create a physical display for my graduating gallery show. Due to COVID-19 my entire plan got flipped on it’s head. Instead of producing a lot of the assets myself, I had to figure out the best way to display this project digitally. I have to say that I am happy it happened though. This big change made me become adaptable with my design. Although I have always considered myself quick on my feet, this change required me to re-think my entire show half-way through the semester.
Although the end result did not match my original vision. I designed a brand from the ground up, created assets to match the brand, re-learned how to code, and embraced the constant change we face as designers everyday. This project took everything I have learned throughout my years as a student, and packaged it into one.