Behind the Label - Whiter Shade IPA
Join us for a behind-the-scenes look at the branding at Starr Hill Brewery with our Marketing & Creative Manager, BJ Swing. This is the tenth post of a series spotlighting the inspiration and process behind our designs. Our last post featured our Christmas beers. If you like what you see, we have released some of our most popular labels as prints on heavy-weight, uncoated poster paper. Be sure to join our newsletter and follow us on social to stay up-to-date with these posts.
BJ Swing, Marketing & Creative Manager
Thursday, January 11, 2023
New year, new beer! Well, sort of.
An updated version of Whiter Shade leads in Starr Hill’s seasonal lineup for 2024. We haven't highlighted this beer as much as others in our portfolio. Still, it was awarded Gold at the prestigious World Cup of Beer and carries a story in the brewery’s history of duality and ambiguity.
Whiter Shade of Pale was released in May of 2013. The beer was an experiment for the brewing team. A marriage of two beer styles – a Belgian Wit and India Pale Ale, known as a White IPA. The development was led by Robbie O’Cain who had just joined the Starr Hill team in 2011 and quickly risen through the ranks to become Manager of Brewery Operations. A brewing experiment such as White IPA was a departure from the classic recipes Starr Hill brewed at the time. Specialty hops such as Falconer’s Flight and Citra used in the recipe were not widely available to the brewing community. Starr Hill had to barter and trade resources to acquire them.
The first packaging for Whiter Shade of Pale was a 22oz “bomber” bottle. The label art featured the hand-drawn tree from the 1967 Procol Harum album with the popular single “A Whiter Shade of Pale”. A collection of white roses is centered, along with the brewery’s circular star logo. Art nouveau ornamental designs pulled from the album cover and used to create a bottom border.
In 2014, Whiter Shade of Pale White IPA was awarded the Gold at the World Cup of Beer in the category of American-Belgo-Style Ale. This competition style is a catchall term for American Beers that use a Belgian yeast stain. Two things at once. The 22oz label was updated to proudly display the award. The Procol Harum album references were removed and the roses became more prominent.
A new label was created in 2015 for the beer, now known as Whiter Shade White IPA. Once a black label, the palette was inverted to a white canvas featuring two roses – one white and one black. Nods to the album art are slipped in with leaves from the tree at the top of the label and the art nouveau ornamentals peeking out along the bottom. Objectivity, the design is simple, but it hints at history and the dualism of Whiter Shade. Robbie was promoted to Brewmaster that same year and led the brewery operations into a new era while conserving Starr Hill’s established legacy.
Our White IPA quietly rotated through draft and small packaging runs until 2022. We decided to round out the winter variety pack with Whiter Shade. I approached a new label with a minimal stance. The color palette was inverted back to a black canvas. I introduced our Jackalope – a jackrabbit with antelope horns. Two things at once. This wild experiment is in a full sprint, racing forward.
Almost 10 years later, Whiter Shade has returned as our Spring release to toast the changing of the seasons. The label art has been updated to fully embrace its psychedelia and experimental story. Our Jackalope runs through surreal and art nouveau elements. Duality is referenced again with icons of rotating suns and moons. Roses are paired with other spring flowers in full colorful bloom.
Whiter Shade is now styled simply as an IPA, but the beer is far from simple. It’s complex, yet mellow, smooth, and full of surprising flavors and aromas. The style White IPA doesn’t accurately describe the beer anymore and the term has an association with past trends.
While discussing the beer this year, Robbie admitted that the recipe has continued to change and morph over the years. An experiment isn’t ever truly finished in the eyes of its maker. It will live in one state or another. Finished yet not. Similar but different. Two things at once.
If you are interested in a print of our artwork, they are available in the brewery’s online shop. Even though the fundraising phase of the project is complete, you may donate directly to Cystic Fibrosis Foundation or you can get involved with our monthly charity partners.
Have a question or want to drop me a note? You can contact me here.
Cheers!
