A real ale that championed a Sheffield blade maker whose clientele included the Royal family has been axed because it “promotes knife crime”.
Stan IPA, produced by Little Mesters Brewery, honoured Stan Shaw, featuring a cartoon version of him holding one of his famous blades in its branding.
Shaw was one of the Steel City’s last self-employed knife makers known as “little mesters” and was awarded a British Empire Medal in 2017 – becoming the first of his craft to receive the honour.
The master craftsman’s customers included Queen Elizabeth II, the Duke of Edinburgh and members of Elvis Presley’s band, before he died aged 94 in 2021.
However, an anonymous complaint was launched about the beer’s hand pull, shaped like a knife handle, and its clip, depicting Shaw holding a blade.
The complaint said: “The idea of Stan is a homage to one of the last ‘little mesters’ in Sheffield.
“As much as I appreciate the respect to the history of the city of Sheffield, using a knife handle as a tap handle is perhaps a step too far and could encourage alcohol-related violence.”
In its submission, the company argued the tap was a specially made ornamental knife handle to commemorate the craftsmanship of Mr Shaw.
The company described him as “a master craftsman”, who made various knives ranging from ceremonial swords to pocket knives, which had been made for “numerous notable people including Queen Elizabeth II”.
So-called “little mesters” made Sheffield famous in the Victorian age. They were a network of self-employed craftspeople working out of small workshops or even their own homes and would specialise in particular products ranging from razors to penknives, knives or surgical instruments.
Mr Shaw became an apprentice at 14 and went on to spend almost 80 years forging, grinding and finishing blades and continued to work into his 90s.
It was upheld by Portman’s Group Independent Complaints Panel (ICP), which said the image of the knife had been the “central focus of the design”.
Rachel Childs, the ICP chairman, said: “A drink, its packaging and any promotional material or activity should not in any direct or indirect way suggest any association with bravado, or with violent, aggressive, dangerous, anti-social or illegal behaviour.”
She added: “While [we] acknowledged that the producer had simply sought to celebrate an important local craftsman, it was of the view that any depiction of knives on alcoholic packaging had to be approached with great caution.
“Rates of knife crime in Sheffield and the rest of the UK had risen over recent years and generate a high level of public concern.”
The panel found that the imagery could “potentially glamourise the depiction of sharp knives which were often used as weapons in violent crime”.
The tap pull’s design was also seen to “mimic a knife handle”.
As a result, the panel concluded that the “overall impression” created by the tap handle, pump clip and imagery “all resulted in a cumulative effect which glamourised knives that were not ceremonial or cutlery-like but instead sharp blades which could potentially be associated with knife-related violence”.
A Little Mesters Brewery spokesman said: “We respect the decision made by the Portman Group and the important role they play in the industry.
“However, we do not agree our branding, celebrating a master craftsman and the huge part he and other little mesters played in building industry in our fantastic city in any way encourages antisocial behaviour nor promotes knife crime.”
The product has since been discontinued.
Little Mesters Brewing company said: “It is with a very heavy heart we have to inform you we are retiring the Stan beer from our portfolio.”
It said as a result of a complaint – which they believed to come from a “disgruntled” ex-employee, they had decided to retire the brand “as we believe the image without reference to his craftsmanship just wouldn’t do him justice”.
Fans of the drink, or Mr Shaw, were encouraged to buy any remaining cans as the now limited edition stock was sold.
