Stan Shaw: Sadness as beer dedicated to Sheffield legend is 'retired' over 'crazy' knife crime complaint
Drinkers have reacted with shock and disappointment after a beer honouring a Sheffield legend was withdrawn following a complaint it could encourage knife crime.
Little Mesters Brewing launched its ‘Stan IPA’ beer in memory of the late, great knife-maker Stan Shaw, one of the last of Sheffield’s ‘little mesters’ upholding the city’s proud tradition of cutlery craftsmanship.
Stan, who had a workshop at Kelham Island Museum, where visitors could watch him in action, sadly died aged 94 in 2021.
The 4.6% Stan IPA was created the following year by Meadowhead-based Little Mesters Brewing, with proceeds going to help create a heritage trail honouring him and other little mesters.
It has proved popular with drinkers but the brewery announced this week that ‘with a very heavy heart’ it was ‘retiring’ the beer.
It said this was down to a single complaint that the branding showing Stan holding one of his knives, and surrounded by other blades he had created, could promote knife crime.
‘We are just pleased Stan is not around to see this’
In a statement on social media, Little Mesters Brewing said: “We have been beyond proud to commemorate the life of the last Little Mester Stan Shaw and his superb craftsmanship of the finest knives made here in our fine city.
“Unfortunately due to one complaint (we believe from a disgruntled ex-employee…) the Portman Group have decided our branding with Stan peacefully holding one of his knives is likely to promote anti-social behaviour and support knife crime.
“Therefore we have decided to retire the brand as we believe the image without reference to his craftsmanship just wouldn’t do him justice.
“We are just pleased Stan is not around to see this. The world is a very different place these days unfortunately.
“We plan to keep the recipe and rename the beer so watch this space for more details.
“In the meantime we are allowed to sell off what stock we have left so grab some cans whilst you can of what will now be limited edition.”
‘Crazy world we live in’
The news was met with shock and dismay by followers of the brewery, with one person saying ‘I am actually lost for words’ and another commenting ‘crazy world we live in’.
A third person wrote: “Such a shame about this! Loved the whole idea and logo of ‘Stan’. Showing the history of the Sheffield cutlery works and not to promote knife crime.”
The Portman Group, the industry-funded brewers watchdog, said that a complaint against the branding on the tap handle and pump clip had been upheld by the alcohol industry’s Independent Complaints Panel (ICP).
The complainant 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 I feel using a knife handle as a tap handle is perhaps a step too far and could encourage alcohol related violence.”
‘Depiction of knives must be approached with great caution’
The Portman Group said the panel felt the imagery and the way the pump clip handle was designed to mimic a knife handle ‘could potentially glamourise the depiction of sharp knives which were often used as weapons in violent crime’.
It said the complaint was upheld for ‘creating an indirect association with violent behaviour’ and that Little Mesters Brewing had discontinued the product.
Rachel Childs, chair of the panel, said: “In this case the panel acknowledged that the producer had simply sought to celebrate an important local craftsman.
“However, rising rates of knife crime in the UK, and particularly Sheffield where the marketing appeared, generate a high level of public concern so it’s important to remember that any depiction of knives on alcoholic packaging has to be approached with great caution.”
A spokesperson from Little Mesters Brewing said: “We respect the decision made by the Portman Group, and the important role they play in our 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 anti-social behaviour nor promotes knife crime.”
Andy Kershaw, of the Stan Shaw Memorial Appeal, said: “Our view is that the beer doesn’t contribute to promoting knife crime and violence, and for the Portman Group to act on on the basis of one sole complaint is utterly ridiculous.
“The beer and the pump clip celebrate a craftsman who spent 80 years of his life makiful beautiful hand-crafted knives which helped to put Sheffield on the global map for producing high quality cutlery.
“We are disgusted with the Portman Group and I shall be writing to them to make my own complaint about such an arbitrary and unwarranted move.”