Craft Beer Marketing Idea of the Week: 2SP Brewing revives forgotten lettering in new series

The latest entrant into our erroneously named Craft Beer Marketing Idea of the Week series is Philadelphia-based 2SP Brewing Co. Call us book nerds if you must (and you should), but we think this is cool: The brewery is partnering with Post Typography, a Baltimore-based creative studio, for a collaboration series of limited 16-ounce cans that will feature forgotten lettering, like 17th Century Italian calligraphy, and unappreciated lager styles, including pilsners and dunkels.

Typö Pils, the first beer of the Typography series, is a hoppy and bright 5.5 percent ABV pilsner made with calypso and saphir hops. The Typö Pils label combines two Teutonic letter styles — Bauhaus-era modernism lettering with a Kurrentschrift style over top. Kurrentschrift, a nearly-forgotten lettering style, was popular in Germany in the early 20th Century but was banned by the Third Reich.

“In an industry that champions IPAs over lagers, people are quiet about liking lagers and pilsners,” said Michael Contreras, director of marketing and sales for 2SP Brewing Co. “Nolen Strals at Post Typography thought the same thing about different styles of fonts, so we wanted to work together on a project to make these styles great again.”

Although lagers dominate the beer market in the United States, the German style of beer has been lacking in the craft beer realm. Today, there are few craft lagers available and more drinkers are wanting a style that is easy to drink but with some depth.

On Sept. 29, 2SP Brewing and Post Typography, which is also behind the branding and graphic identity of the brewery, will host a Typö Pils Release Party at the 2SP Brewing Tasting Room from 6-10 p.m. The 2SP Brewing Co. and Post Typography teams will both be on-site to answer any questions about the collaboration.

“Both the design and style of the Typö Pils are more dynamic than as imagined,” said Nolen Strals, partner of Post Typography. “The beer represents how two seemingly different companies can work together to bring back what they are most passionate about — redeeming taste.”