When you spend an afternoon mapping out the commercial future of a brewery, eventually, you have to put down the pens and actually taste the product.
As a branding and digital agency, we spend our lives talking about how things look, sound and feel. We know how to build a visual identity and digital experience that draws people in. But a brand is only as good as the physical product it represents, because it’s the uncompromising quality of the product that keeps customers coming back.
And as we quickly discovered in the kitchen, the Purple Moose product is truly exceptional.
The heritage behind the pint
Purple Moose (or Bragdy Mŵs Piws) is a multi-award-winning craft brewery based in the historic harbour town of Porthmadog, North Wales. Using only UK malted barley and water from the hills of Snowdonia, they’ve built a strong reputation for taste and quality with the perfect pint for any taste and occasion.
Having their team down in Shrewsbury for the day gave us a chance to really get down to the absolute heart of their brand. Before we start on their strategy, we need to understand the brewing process, the heritage and the standards behind the product.
The best way to do that? Work through the range, from light to dark. Served with a side of Margo, Phillipo and Bavarian from local pizzeria, Dough & Oil, here are the tasting notes from the Studio floor.
01. Snowdonia Ale
- Profile: A refreshing pale golden ale.
- Verdict: We kicked things off with their flagship and it didn’t disappoint. Soft and refreshing for light, easy drinking, it’s perfectly balanced with scents of lemons and peaches. This is the type of reliable, high-standard core offering that successfully anchors a brand.
02. Mŵsh Lager
- Profile: A crisp, clean and flavourful Kölsch-style lager.
- Verdict: With a delicate passionfruit aroma and a soft, slightly sweet finish with hints of toffee, this was a big hit with the team. Its clean, crisp taste is an undeniable crowd-pleaser for late afternoon in the studio kitchen.
03. High Hops IPA
- Profile: A vibrant tropical hazy pale IPA.
- Verdict: Full-bodied and refreshing, it delivers tastes of mango, grapefruit and lime followed by lingering zesty tropical fruits. This is the one that pushes modern flavour profiles while still maintaining incredible brewing balance.
04. Chocolate Moose Stout
- Profile: A smooth, rich and decadent stout brewed with real chocolate.
- Verdict: Pouring this completely shifted the mood of the tasting. It delivers deep cocoa and vanilla notes with a perfectly balanced bitter finish. It immediately sparked a debate about what the ultimate dessert pairing would be.
05. Black Rock Stout
- Profile: A deep, dark and roasty traditional stout.
- Verdict: The perfect closer. Packed with roasted malts and a warming depth, this stout showcases Purple Moose’s mastery of traditional brewing techniques. Complex, uncompromising and incredibly satisfying.
The standard of craft
Great brands are built on real products. Fortunately, Purple Moose has spent years getting the fundamentals exactly right. And working with businesses like this, who care deeply about their craft, is one of the best parts of agency life.
Whether you’re brewing a Snowdonia Ale in the hills of North Wales or building a high-performance digital ecosystem here in Shrewsbury, the standard of care is the same. It takes patience and a refusal to cut corners.
It’s going to be a brilliant project. We’re looking forward to sharing the results of the brand workshop soon. Until then, iechyd da! (Cheers!)
