More East End Beer Bottle Labels
November 10, 2017
Paul Shearsmith kindly sent me more thirst-inspiring mid-twentieth century beer labels. These are from Taylor Walker & Co at the Barley Mow Brewery in Limehouse (1730-1960) and Whitbread at the Hind Brewery in Chiswell St (1750-1976). At this time of year, my instinct is to install myself in the snug and stay there till spring, sampling ales by the fire. I cannot decide whether to start with a pint of Taylor Walker’s Cannon Stout or Whitbread’s Double Brown.
You may also like to take a look at
Stephen Killick’s Truman’s Beer Labels
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Nice labels, although I must confess that I don’t drink beer, or tea for that matter. Enjoy yours! Valerie
These are great examples of very simple and honest design and typography. The colours balance and lettering all done with care and skill, I think some of the lettering is even hand drawn in a few cases. I remember a fair few, especially the Whitbread labels, their colours in particular. The intermittent comma between Taylor and Walker also a nice quirk.
Thanks for the post.
I grew up knowing the name Taylor Walker – it seems my granddad’s pubs were all of that brewery – with my dad frequently referring to the name in his numerous reminiscences. But no personal experience of the brand, alas. The labels are of another age and suggest genuine quality. It would have been nice to test that supposition.
I am just old enough to have known genuine Truman’s beer and briefly managed a Truman’s pub after Grand Metropolitan had destroyed the product. I may have been the only landlord to have directed a tourist who had come to sample a British pint away from my pub to a neighbouring Young’s pub. It was in Wandsworth after all!