Mystery Label #2

Here we go with Dale’s second choice.

This is a newer one that I picked up in late 1993. It is a commemorative and from the name, ‘Charlie’s Choice’, it could be from Charles Wells or is Charlie just the man who is pictured on the label?

Mystery Label #2

And what about the dates, this label must have been issued in 1989 or so, but do these dates represent ‘Charlie’s date of birth and death? Maybe Charlie was a regular at one of the brewer’s tied houses or a brewery worker and his loyalty was rewarded with a special label?

Let me know your thoughts, via a reply to this post. Dale

6 Comments

  • AlastairW

    This may be a retirement label. I understand that Youngs Brewery (Wandsworth) were regulars in producing such labels. Ushers of Trowbridge did the odd one or two as well. There is a label around (I think a Young’s one) celebrating a Ruby or Golden wedding of a couple who worked at the Wandsworth brewery. So, such labels are not uncommon. They weren’t for a special brew, but were put into a bottling run. (vis: If Charlie’s favourite brew was, say, Young’s Special, a number of labels would be put in the magazine of the labeling machine along with the normal ones when Young’s Special was being bottled). A phone call to the Young’s archivist at the Wells & Youngs brewery, Bedford might help.

  • Fascinated by beer labels

    I think this is spot on, although the label was unlikely to be distributed wider than Charlie and his mates. Youngs were particularly good at celebrating long tenancies or retirements, but always made sure the brewers name was prominent.

  • Dale Adams

    So there seems to be a consensus ‘best guess’ that this label was produced by Young & Co Brewery Ltd in Wandsworth. Trouble is that I have looked through all my labels from Young’s and although they did produce labels of the same size and shape, I can find none that match anything close to the design. All of the Young’s labels that I have in my collection that are for events as mentioned by Alastair from around the same date, i.e. 1989 are a very different format and style so I am prone to discount Young’s as the source. As to Ushers of Trowbridge, I have nothing similar to this label from them in my collection so I am unable to make a connection there.
    I think this mystery is still unsolved so is there anyone else out there with clues or a solution!
    Come on all you labologists out there! Get into those label albums and have a search! No Googling this one, just some good old fashion research!

  • Mat B

    This is listed within a bottle collection sale list I have as originating from Gibbs Mew. It was noted as a retirement ale issued in a 1/2-pint bottle.

  • Mat B

    … and checking the ABBC listings it also appears there, so perhaps this has been known for a while!

  • Peter D

    Yes. I also have checked the ABBC bottlers lists and there it is. Part of the problem is that there are two groups of people in this world. There are those who are keen to know the answers but are not sure where to look and these are those who do know the answers but don’t know there was a question. Our job is to try to move a few people from the second group into the first. Welcome Mat

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