Black Sheep Brewery announces ‘major rebrand’ after takeover and £1m investment

Black Sheep will debut its new identity at trade show Northern Restaurant & Bar on 12 March, providing senior figures from across the industry the chance to see the brewer’s new look.

The new design will feature on all Black Sheep beers across the keg, cask and bottles format, and will be rolled out across supermarkets including Tesco and Morrisons later this spring, and in pubs and bars over the next few weeks.

The move comes less than a year after the beer producer was purchased by BREAL Group, which has since been rebadged as Keystone Brewing Group, for £5m. Keystone also owns Purity Brewing Co, Brick Brewery and Brew by Numbers.

Following the purchase of Black Sheep, Keystone announced plans to invest £1m in its Masham brewery, a move that consolidates the production of Black Sheep, Brick and Brew by Numbers beers at one site.

Meanwhile, it was announced last month (February 2024) that the brewer’s former chief executive Charlene Lyons had stepped down.​​

'Rebrand continues brand's legacy'

Paul Theakston, a fifth-generation brewer, departed from the family business in 1992 to establish his own brewery in Masham. In doing so, he became the 'black sheep' of the family, which inspired the name.

Commenting on the rebrand, Keystone CEO Mark Williams, who alongside CFO John Hunt is running Black Sheep’s day-to-day operations following the exit of Lyons, said: “Black Sheep Brewery was born from 200 years of brewing experience and a family rebellion, founded by Paul to brew the highest quality beer without ever compromising on quality. 31 years later, our ethos and our iconic beers remain the same: we brew to challenge convention, with fresh Dales water in Masham, Yorkshire.​

“With this rebrand, we will ensure to continue Paul’s legacy, by investing heavily to champion growth and secure our future right here in our ancestral home​.”

In other news, Rooster’s Brewing Co has announced the acquisition of fellow Harrogate beer maker Daleside Brewery.​​