Currently in the United States there are over 4,000 operational breweries. Many of those breweries bottle and can their beers, selling them in-house and in stores throughout their city, state, or even the country. While the breweries focus on making great tasting beer, they also have to focus on their packaging designs, which is essential to grab consumers’ attention on crowded beer shelves.
When creating a beer, not only do you want the best tasting beer possible, but you also want a name that beer drinkers will remember. From there, you can create an ingenious label that creates a harmonious package.
Everyone’s eye is going to be caught by different designs. You can play it simple, but sophisticated like Flat12 is doing with their recently redesigned beer labels, or you can take the creativity to a whole new level like Burn’ Em does. The biggest theme you will consistently see is that each brewery has its own style that is unique, and it not only shows in their beers but also with their labels.
Earlier this week, fellow Indiana on Tap writer Cory Huffman wrote about his favorite beer names and I noticed some of the labels just didn’t match the creativity of the beer name. So I decided to create my own list, with additions from editor Adam Schick, but this one is all about the labels.
That lovely music and singing voice is entrancing, but don’t worry because this Siren is leading you to beer, not death. Having the Greek mythological Siren as the mascot for Coastbuster was perfect design choice. It’s clean, simple, yet very artistic and a definite eyecatcher.
Fountain Square Brewery - Stay Classy Scotch Ale
If you catch of whiff of “rich mahogany” while in the beer aisle, don’t worry, you’re not dying. Stay Classy’s simplistic design – a burgundy suit – catches your eye and automatically has you quoting Anchorman lines. Trust me, 60 percent of the time, it works every time.
Cutters Brewing – Half Court IPA
If you can’t tell, I’m a big fan of designs that you don’t have to research to understand. Cutters may no longer be in business, but their Half Court label is one of my all-time favorites. Growing up in Indiana, playing basketball is state law – ok, maybe not – and a barn isn’t a barn without a basketball hoop attached to it. This design matches the name perfectly and hoop heads will stop and take notice.
Indiana City Brewing - Death By Pumpkin Bourbon Barrel Pumpkin Ale
It’s not easy to make a label that can easily stand out from the crowd, especially when it sits amongst the vast sea of similar seasonal beers. Yet, artist Aaron Scamihorn was able to know this label out of the park, creating a label so divine that nobody would be able to walk passed it without stopping to admire its craftsmanship.
This label is a beaut. When I first heard of Moon Walk from a Gary, IN brewery, I assumed it was paying homage to the late Michael Jackson. But this label goes with the other type of moon walk, the one Neil Armstrong made famous in 1969. Either way, you’re stopping to find out more about this beer when you see it on the shelf.
3 Floyds - All of them
Have you ever seen a 3 Floyd’s beer label that you didn’t like? Doubtful. You may not like how all of their beer tastes, but you can’t deny their labels aren’t magnificent. A heavy metal vibe has been instilled into the brewery by owner Nick Floyd and it shows up in each label they create. These labels are one-of-a-kind, making it very easy to pick out a 3 Floyds bottle wherever you go.
Indiana City Brewing - Haymaker
When discussing art, it’s hard not to grab the opinion of Indiana on Tap’s graphic designer guru Nate Huff. He chose Indiana City’s Haymaker:
“I like how bold it is. The stance and the face of the dude, and the way the red wax seal matches the circle that he sits in. It pops, even in the fridge at Indiana City which is full of gorgeous labels. I like it so much that I managed to get ahold of one of the labels and put it on my favorite red water bottle.”
Adam’s choices:
Indiana City Brewing – Tribute
There’s nothing crazy or groundbreaking about this label, but it has a simple, timeless look to it that reminds me of a beer my grandad would drink. I love popping my fridge open and seeing that steel blue reflect in the light.
O’Connor Brewing - El Guapo
With a sister that lives near Virginia Beach, I fortunately have access to a lot of really awesome Virginia breweries, and O’Connor Brewing has become one of my favorites. Their El Guapo Agave IPA features a nice sunburst red label with a smiling handsome bandit and is as pleasing to look at as it is to drink.
Black Acre - Saucy Intruder
Another label that isn’t doing anything too crazy, but it has such a striking look to it that I love. The clean lines around the dog/fox/coyote on the back, the standout black and silver colors, this beautiful piece of art has it all.
Rhinegeist is making all the noise in the craft beer community now, and if it wasn’t for their exceptional beer (Pure Fury is a personal favorite), it’d be for the labels on their cans and bottles. So clean, so simple, yet so powerful. They really invoke the haunting feeling you get from the “ghost of the Rhine” translation.
3 Floyds – Amber Smashed Face
I’m a big metal head, so any beer 3 Floyds makes in collaboration with a metal band is right up my alley. Amber Smashed Face was made in collaboration with Cannibal Corpse, and the label on this amazing beer mimics the death metal band’s iconic album covers. Gore, mutilation, chaos: my favorite things in life.
Upland Brewing Co. – Barrel Chested Barleywine
It’s basically a picture of me, so you know it’s awesome.
Now we want to know what your favorite label is and why. Let us know in the comments below, on Twitter, or on our Facebook page.
