![]() ![]() And for the first time, the brewery will release 22-ounce bombers, a move spurred on by a new bottling machine the brewery acquired last year. Twelve-packs of Hans Pils and Fireman's #4 cans should be available soon, if they aren't already. The labels aren't the only changes coming to Real Ale's in-store line. ![]() Initial reaction to the re-designed was mixed, but Farbstein quoted Greg Owsley of The Storied Brand, another consultant he'd sought advice from on the rollout, on that reaction: "If you don't upset enough people, you didn't try hard enough." Farbstein had some entertaining stories about reactions to the redesign, the best of all coming from a fan of the Devil's Backbone who left a "pretty funny" 30-minute voicemail in which he eventually explained he would boycott Real Ale for "about two days" in response. The new style will be used across cans, bottles, and taps. Ultimately, Real Ale worked with Marty and Adam Butler, The Butler Bros., an Austin-based design and marketing firm, to create the new look for real ale. Eventually, Real Ale was left with a "house of brands" rather than a "branded house," terms Farbstein credits to Paul Evers of TBD Agency, the first design team Real Ale consulted on their rebrand. As Real Ale pressed on, each new release or line or releases got its own logo - whether they were a full line of releases like the Brewer's Cut series, or individual beers like the Lost Gold IPA. ![]() The first three had a consistent logo and style, but the Fireman's #4 logo and label was unique to that beer. Not long after, the company began producing Rio Blanco Pale Ale and Fireman's #4. When Real Ale initially rolled out in 1996, it only made Full Moon Pale Rye Ale and Brewhouse Brown. ("We had Fireman's #4 fans who didn't realize we made Devil's Backbone or Hans Pils we had Pils fans who didn't know about our other beers.") According to Real Ale's research, many fans of a particular style of beer didn't realize Real Ale made many others as well. Real Ale founder Brad Farbstein explained the biggest reason for the rebranding was to end buyer confusion. The label re-design coincided with the tap room's opening, and now the new label brews are finally making their way to Houston. The taproom will feature the first opportunity to try many specialty brews by Real Ale. Real Ale's tap room opened March 7, with 14 beers on tap. I should say "recognize the old labels," because in conjunction with the opening of a new taproom, Real Ale has completely redesigned its logo- for the first time, the entire Real Ale lineup will have a consistent logo across styles. Longtime craft beer drinkers will recognize the familiar old-timey photos on the labels of Real Ale's oldest brews, or the red, silver, and gold of the Fireman's 4 label. The time off did my good I think.Real Ale Brewing Company, based in Blanco, Texas, has been a mainstay of the Texas craft beer scene since it opened in 1996. I ended up taking two weeks off from the bike, and now that I am starting to peddle around again I do feel stronger and fresher than even before the race. The key to a more successful race next year will be a better hydration strategy and a year's worth of pushing my pain cave threshold. Disappointed? Yes, I would have liked to have finished it but I think I found my limits of suffering in terms of what I was willing to put myself through voluntarily. Like a Hollywood movie desert wanderer my mumbles of "must go on" eventually stopped motivating me and I took the easy way out (a rented school bus and the promise of a cold beer.)Ĭould I have gone on and completed the race? Maybe - but judging by the finish times of those around me, it would have taken more than 9 hours. Eventually it was the exposure that got me with about 1/3rd of the race to go. the cramps meant walking, the walking meant slower going, and the slower going meant more time in the direct sun. I simply wasn't able to keep the cramps at bay no matter how much water I forced down. What made the HBR different was the heat and humidity. Only a few short weeks ago I mad a run at the Devil's Backbone Mountain Cross - a race of similar length and amount of climbing, and although my finish time was a bit on the long side I had no issues completing the race. Ultimately I set my sites on completing the Hilly Billy Roubaix as my 30th birthday challenge, and ultimately I failed. Sort of a goal to get in shape and feel less aged, sort of a big dumb memorable event to mark the occasion, sort of a thing I might otherwise do anyway but where the timing coincided sufficiently to feel symbolic. With the milestone birthday approaching I decided I wanted to attempt some physical feat in the closing days of my 20's. ![]()
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