Salford’s The Old Fire Station has teamed up with students from the BA graphic design programme at the University of Salford to launch new custom-designed craft beers from the in-house Lark Hill Brewery.
The new beers, titled Northern Crown and Aurora Beerialis, had their labels designed by third-year student Annabelle Wrigley. She won a competition among 66 BA graphic design students to pull together 12 beer labels in six weeks to help market the new beers.
The brewery, based in Chapel Street, approached the programme to design the labels for the new beers earlier this year, providing students with the opportunity to work with a client on a professional brief as part of their studies.
Annabelle’s striking designs were chosen for the labels by Changmin Lee, Lark Hill Brewery’s head brewer, who employed her on a short contract to make final amends to the labels before the beers could go on sale.
“It’s been an absolute dream to work on this project,” said Annabelle. “My dad has always been a big fan of craft beer and would go far and wide to try them, so I grew up knowing about respecting the beer and what makes the labels stand out.
“So when I got given this project, I felt that it was something that was perfectly suited to me. The timing for a project like this at the start of my last year is perfect!”
While Annabelle’s designs were chosen for the final product, the Station’s café has had walls decorated with a broad range of the designs that came in from the students over the last few months.
Annabelle added: “I was completely gobsmacked that I won. I instantly put my working hat on and have had such a professional relationship with Changmin as we’ve gone back and forth to finalise the labels.
“This project has made me feel confident about my career post-graduation. I hadn’t really decided what I wanted to do before, but these last couple of months have told me that I’m ready to head into the industry.”
It is hoped that up to six beers will be sold wholesale from the brewery in the new year. Northern Crown is a tropical, hazy IPA, while Aurora Beerialis is a honey Kolsch.
Changmin sai: “It has been a very successful project that has had a clear goal of working with university students and giving them the opportunity to work with the food and drink industry.
“Beyond the design work, it has also helped teach them an understanding of how food and beer labels work and what you can and can’t put on the label. I’d say that the designs we have now are what you would expect from others within the industry.”
