Tampa Bay Brewing Company, which this food editor will promptly start shortening to “Co.,” is embracing a longtime community-given nickname throughout its new branding.
“Like most mature organizations, our brand identity has slowly morphed over time and was due for a more significant refresh to better reflect our spirit and uncorporate culture,” said managing partner David Doble in a statement. “Furthermore, both internally and on the street people have been referring to us as TBBC for years, versus our full name.”
That’s why the updated corporate logo and can designs for the Tampa brewery now prominently display four bold letters: TBBC. Packed products — including Reef Donkey APA, Old Elephant Foot IPA and seasonal releases (think Last Days of Summer, Florida Tart and Gourds Gone Wild) — will bear the refreshed TBBC logo immediately, as will its Ybor City and Westchase locations, marketing materials and merch.
According to creative director Larry Costigan, the transition won’t happen overnight, but these changes have been in the works for more than a year. Fans of TBBC likely took notice last month when a reworked can of Old Elephant Foot was released.
One of the first cans scheduled to launch post-refresh is Hop Silo #1, an imperial pilsner brewed in collaboration with Cigar City Brewing — another Tampa brewery whose branding experienced a facelift not too long ago. The release is part of TBBC’s limited series of hop-centric beers.
Brew day for Hop Silo #2, made in partnership with Pipeworks Brewing Co. of Chicago, is planned for the upcoming Tampa Bay Beer Week, while Hop Silo #3 will debut as a New England-style IPA.
“This new series, which will include three unique styles of beers that celebrate the creative use of hops, will release quarterly in limited case quantities and be available via distribution,” Doble said.