Why Wye Valley Brewery has renamed its flagship beer
Wye Valley’s rebrand of its historic Wye Valley Bitter marks the end of an era that lasted four decades. db finds out why it made the change.
The new name for the brew, which is now known as Pyoneer, is a moniker that, according to the brewery, captures both heritage and ambition. It is a compound term constructed using the words ‘pioneer’ as a nod to its future and ‘Canon Pyon’ which is a hat tip to its past since it is the name of the Herefordshire village where the brewery was originally founded in 1985.
Speaking to the drinks business, Wye Valley Brewery head of sales and marketing Abbie Gadd said: “The name Pyoneer honours what makes this award-winning session ale special” and noted how the name will also help the beer attract new a demographic because the new pump-clip “gives it standout on the bar, reaching more drinkers than ever before”.
The move, which is considered to be the next chapter in the brewery’s journey is also meant to be a way to interlink both its history alongside its plans for looking forwards. Describing this, Wye Valley Brewery MD to Vernon Amor suggested that the new name “honours the beer’s long-standing legacy while setting the tone for the future”.
Discussing the reasoning behind it, Amor explained: “We wanted a name that honoured our roots but also looked forward. Pyoneer is exactly that—this was the beer that launched Wye Valley Brewery, and it’s still as loved today as it was 40 years ago. The name gives a nod to Canon Pyon, where it all began, and to the pioneering values that continue to shape our brewery today.”
While the name and branding have evolved, so too has the ABV which has been reduced from 3.7% ABV to 3.4% ABV. Though, Amor assured, that the historic brewing recipe relied upon to create the amber session ale, remains unchanged.
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He also revealed that the new name was “one of many” actions planned for the brewery this year and hinted that the rebrand will soon be supported with a series of events that will showcase how the business has evolved in its four decades of brewing.
Was it a sign that if a beer becomes a little old and dusty in the eyes of its audience, there are ways it can be refreshed while still keeping all of the nuances of what makes it compelling enough to have been award-winning Once Upon a Time. Agreeing with this notion, Gadd told db: “We’ve always been proud of Wye Valley Bitter, but after 40 years, it was due a brand refresh.”
Gadd admitted: “The decision to rebrand was driven by evolving tastes and terminology within the beer-drinking community. Terms such as ‘bitter’ and ‘mild’ are seen as outdated and off-putting to younger drinkers, which is why we took a bold step in renaming this classic ale.”
Plus, there are also reasons based on the brewery looking to attract more people to its beers and help publicans sell more of its beers in the process.
Gaff added: “We want more pub-goers to choose to try this fantastic beer and not overlook it on the bar. We also want to support pub licensees in offering an excellent session ale.”
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