Lost & Grounded’s not-a-rebrand

Our most local brewery, lager specialists Lost & Grounded, has redesigned its packaging after a decade with the same look, and their choices tell us something interesting about how 2026 is different to 2016. First, it comes with a refocusing of the core range on five beers, all between 4% and 5.2%, and all either lagers or pale ales. Saison and Tripel are out – presumably because, classy and interesting as those styles are, they were nobody’s choice for a harbourside bag-of-cans. Secondly, the designs themselves are much simpler and bolder, with one strong rainbow shade per can in most cases. This makes sense when you think about the need to compete on supermarket shelves, and to be more instantly recognisable. Thirdly, it says something about the passing of time and design trends. The press release refers to the old branding as a “panoramic design”. This fits with how, a decade or so ago, there was a sort of soft retro earthtone thing going on in design. But in 2026, perhaps there’s…