Craft brewers use creative beer labels to tell their brand story and stand out from larger breweries. Labels are not limited by imagination and take various artistic forms such as collaborations with local artists, minimalist designs, playful stackable cans, typography-focused designs, cartoonish illustrations, and styles that convey a DIY aesthetic. These unique labels foster creativity, bring meaning to the brand, and help support local artists while entertaining and delighting customers.

1. THE ART OF CRAFT
BEER LABELS

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But, for small brewers, it’s not just about catching your
eye but about telling a brand story, sharing some of
their interests, and showing off their personality.
A splashy label is a
clear way for smaller
breweries to stand
out next big beer.

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Often using professional designers, design firms, or working
with artists, craft brewers are not afraid to try new things or
take their label to the max for the sake of effect.
Craft brewers have created a label-explosion limited
only by imagination.

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Let’s look at six fun and clever ways
craft brewers are standing out...

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By collaborating with artists, craft brewers can create
custom beer labels that bring meaning and depth to
their brand and also help support the arts.
1. ART COLLABORATION

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Visualizing the literal interpretation of their brand name,
Moonchild Brewing Co created a whimsical and beautiful
label in collaboration with a local artist.

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Collective Arts Brewing fuses
art and music to create a
brand that fosters creativity.
Their bottles are adorned
with limited-edition labels
that feature work by artists
and musicians and change
every few months.

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2. GEOMETRIC & MINIMALIST
A simple, yet striking design is achieved with the
use of color blocking and negative space for a
unique label that speaks to the design-minded.

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These cans were made to
mimic the London art gallery, Tate
Modern. English art director and
graphic designer Peter Saville
was commissioned to create the
minimalist can design for Fourpure
Brewing’s Switch House beer.

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This minimal design was created by lg2 design
boutique for Farnham Ale & Lager’s Ska beer, a citrus
malt beverage. The not-so-subtle lemon gets across
the strong citrus flavor in the most basic form.

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Mix and match to your heart’s content!
These cans beg to be played with.
3. PLAYFUL & STACKABLE CANS

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Noble Rey Brewing Co.’s fun and playful beer cans
take it to the next level. You can already imagine the
drinking games in the works.

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While not yet ready for market,
Springetts Brand Design
Consultants entered their
impish rough sketch stackable
faces in the A’ Design Award &
Competition
A play on name and the
design? Kudos, competitors!
– and won!

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There’s something old school and nostalgic
about flat graphics. One thing is for sure,
they are definitely eye-catching.
4. FLAT GRAPHICS

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Austin Beerworks hired Helms Workshop
to fancify their seasonal ales.
2D letters.
Wrap-around pattern.
Reminds us of vintage
wallpaper and comic books.

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11 Below Brewing’s fun and surprising cans designed
by Caliber Creative feature white-outlined characters,
like the eye-patch wearing unicorn above.
How do they
think of this stuff?
Lighter background
creates depth.
Simple, graphics
and colors pop

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With fonts as pretty as these, there seems no
need for imagery. Let the type take it away!
5. TYPOGRAPHY FIRST

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DIY style hints
back to their roots
London Beer Lab got their start doing beer-making
workshops. When creating their new look, Elmwood agency
featured London Beer Lab’s rich history of personal beer
making to create a label that plays off DIY.
Handcrafted look.

19. Newburyport Brewing Co. knows how to mix it up
–typography that is.
It seems easy, but like most
things that look easy,
it requires a great deal of skill.
That’s probably why they hired
Magnifico to do it for them!
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Labels like these remind you not to take
yourself – or your beer – too seriously.
6. CARTOONISH & SILLY

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Birra Bizarra’s cartoon circus performers take
on the mighty act of making ‘grabbing a cold
one’ a whole lot more lighthearted.

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Electric Bear Brewing Company’s bold illustrations
tell a dramatic story on each bottle.
This one has Thomas
Edison holding a
light bulb and a
phonograph on a
barrel – with sheep
falling out of it!

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TO WRAP IT UP...
When it comes to creative craft beer labels, anything goes.
Unencumbered by corporate design declarations, the label is
another part of the beer world that independents are messing
with – to their benefit and our entertainment and delight.

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And to that we say,
“BOTTOMS UP!”

25. Interested in more clever craft beer labels?
Check out our Pinterest board.

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