Branding a new brewery: a step-by-step guide from story to identity

The logo is the last thing to brief

Ask a new brewery owner about branding and within a minute the talk turns to the logo. We understand the itch. The logo is the part you can see. It is also the last thing you should brief, because a logo drawn before you know what it has to say is a guess with a nice font.

We have split the work into nine guides in the order we use with brewpubs and microbreweries: strategy first, then the name, then the pictures. If you are opening a brewpub in Bengaluru or a production microbrewery outside Pune, read them roughly in the order below. If you are already trading and the brand no longer fits, skip to the last section.

Steps one to three decide what the brand stands for

Start with brand and positioning: what each word means and why good beer alone will not stand out on a board of 12 taps. Then write down your values. List 15 to 25, then cut to 3 to 5 you would still keep when money is on the line. Our guide to mission, vision and values covers that exercise.

Third, boil it all into a brand essence: two to five words that say why the brewery matters. Every later choice gets checked against that line. Expect these three steps to take two to four weeks of evenings, most of it spent talking to people.

Steps four and five give the brand a way of speaking

Next, imagine the brewery as a person. Young or old? Working class or high-brow? From that list of traits comes the brand voice: how your menu board, Instagram captions and WhatsApp replies sound. In India that may mean a menu in English with Kannada or Marathi alongside, so decide early how the voice survives translation.

Then look inward. A brand is what your staff do on a busy Saturday night as much as what your posters say. Our guide to culture and brand shows how to brief a floor team of 15 so the service matches the story.

Steps six and seven pick a name you can keep

Only now choose the name. Our guide to choosing a brewery name sets out the tests a good name passes. We suggest a shortlist of at least 10 before you fall for one.

Then check it. At the Trade Marks Registry, beer sits in Nice class 32, other alcoholic drinks in class 33 and taproom or restaurant services in class 43. Our trademark guide for India explains the public search and why a trademark attorney should see the name before anything is printed. Finding a clash after 5,000 labels have come off the press is an expensive way to learn this.

Steps eight and nine turn the words into a design

With an essence, a voice and a cleared name you are ready for a designer. Our guide to hiring and briefing a design firm covers what to send them and what to ask in return. The hardest part for most founders is turning a three-word essence into a brief a designer can act on. That is where someone who has written advertising briefs for years earns their keep.

The design itself should be a system rather than a one-off label. A modular identity system keeps a core layout fixed across 330 ml and 500 ml cans and 650 ml bottles while each beer gets its own colour or illustration. That matters here because each new label goes through state excise label approval and has to meet FSSAI labelling rules. The process varies by state, so check the current notification or ask a licensing consultant. Our label rules guide covers the basics.

Already trading? Start from the rebrand series instead

Everything above assumes a blank page. A brewery that has poured for three years has regulars, habits and a stock of old labels to think about. Use our rebrand guide, which walks through seven stages from the first pain point to launch day. The tools overlap, so the essence and voice guides here still apply.

Whichever camp you are in, here is a first step for this week. Block out two hours. Write down in one sentence what your brewery is, in plain English. Then ask three people on your team to do the same without seeing yours. If the four sentences disagree, you know where to start.

About the authors

Ankur Napa is a Master Brewer who also works in data and AI. Chatty Girija spent more than 30 years in advertising, hosts the Cheers Chatty Beer Podcast and teaches at Craft Beer School.

Common questions

How long does branding a new brewery take?

The strategy steps can be done in a few weeks of evenings. The design work usually takes longer. Label approval adds its own wait, so start well before your opening date.

Can we do the strategy ourselves and hire a designer only for the visuals?

Yes. Many small breweries do the values, essence and positioning work in house, then brief a designer with the results. An outside facilitator helps keep the founders honest.

Do we need a trademark before opening?

You need to know the name is clear before you print anything. Ask a trademark attorney to search classes 32, 33 and 43 and advise on filing. This guide is not legal advice.