Abbaye de Forest: This beer has been brewed at Brasserie de Silly since 2007. It is based on a recipe created by the Benedictine monks who lived in the eponymous abbey from the 13th to the 18th century. The beer’s label had been unchanged since 2007 and a change was overdue.
The new, pared-down house style keeps the grey and gold colours with their references to the monastic world. Images of the cross-shape of pointed arches curving towards diagonal rib vaults and the outline of leaded windows are instantly recognisable.
This is a very pretty make-over for a top-quality abbey beer that comes in 33 cl and 75 cl bottles and 20 l barrels. The new, imposing and elegant balloon glass on its tall stem is an excellent way to enjoy Abbaye de Forest.
Silly range: The different Silly beers are grouped into families: Blanche, La Divine, Pils, Bio, Saison, Scotch and Super 64. These beers had been developed over the years since the Silly Saison was first brewed in 1850. Its old label wasn’t the original but it did have quite a few miles on the clock. The same is true of the Scotch, a beer that dates back to 1918. The Pils entered the market in 1950, and the Super 64 dates back to, and was named for, 1964. Blanche de Silly was launched in 1990, La Divine in 1991 and Bio joined the range in 2011.
Now the whole range has been re-styled to give it a unified look and feel. The Silly brand itself is the eye-catcher, with a focus thrown onto the first and last letters of the name with an enlarged font – it is a design that makes the brand stand out straight away.
The beer style is depicted below the brand name in a beer glass-shaped icon complete with frothy head.
The beers within the range are categorised by colour and by symbols: a unicorn for the Blanche white beer (representing purity and the white colour); angel’s wings for La Divine; a hop cone for Bio; a scythe to denote a Saison, and a sword for the Scotch (created in 1918 amid the conflict of World War I).
The collars of the bottles now also carry labels. New bottle labels and collar labels have been introduced for the 25 cl and 33 cl bottles as well as the 75 cl bottles available for the Blanche, Pils, Saison and Scotch.
The Silly range now also comes with a choice of five new glasses: a rustic straight pint glass for the Blanche, Bio and Super 64, and a large, tall-stemmed balloon glass for La Divine. There is a pils glass for the pils, a ribbed glass for the Saison and a chalice for the Scotch.
THE RESULT: MORE ATTRACTIVE AND COHERENT BEER FAMILIES
The brewers at Brasserie de Silly are passionate first of all about flavours. The brewery now offers a range of 16 beers, a big choice for a Belgian family brewery, and the previous labels were too diverse. Packaging has to stand out on the shop shelf where all brands compete for the attention of the beer lover. Packaging is the silent seller and its impact helps to determine sales.
From now on the 16 beers made by Brasserie de Silly will be grouped in their families with a strong, unifying brewery identity. Eight of our 16 beers are undergoing a face-lift in 2017 and the new, pared-down house style of Abbaye de Forest is class personified. The Silly family numbers seven different beer styles, all in vivid colours. We also produce the Enghien family of regional beers, comprising a blond and a dark beer, as well as our Christmas beer.
The Killer family stands out straight away thanks to the aggressive bulldog on the label – an image that appeals to an ever-widening customer base in Belgium and abroad. Recent introductions to the range, Silly Rouge and Silly Sour, are popular beers in part thanks to their cartoon-like labels. The very latest addition to the range is Triple Swaf. This newcomer was well received thanks to its simple design with striking elongated letters and a name that sounds like a pun – beer lovers enjoy life and like a chuckle. And the large Triple Swaf glass is hard to overlook.
Brasserie de Silly is bringing its brand image into line with the quality and the taste of its beers. This latest restyling is a great step forward. We put our trust in it. The taste of our brewers deserves all the success it can get.