Hoptimus Prime vs Field Mouse's Farewell

March 28, 2014 12:37 PM

Beer labels can be an art, which is why the New York Times asked design god Milton Glaser to critique some. If you want much more, Oh Beautiful Beer offers a wonderful rundown of great graphic design in the world of beer, and Paste produced its own list of favorites, as has the community on Gizmodo. If this is all too crafty, there is a list of the best designs of bottom shelf beer as well. And that isn't even touching the best beer names (pun warning).
posted by blahblahblah (20 comments total)

My favorite from my local area is Aviator's Saison de Aviator. Roar! Great beer too.

For simplicity of theme I also love another local one, the tasty Duck Rabbit.

We live in some great times for beers. Even my little southern state has more craft breweries than I can shake a drunken finger at.
posted by freecellwizard at 12:48 PM on March 28, 2014 [1 favorite]

Damn, Oh Beautiful Beer really makes me want to find a bunch of those, just to see if they look as good in person as they do online. I'm not sure I want to drink them, because I don't know if the appearance can match the taste. Case in point: Dogfish Head 90 Minute Imperial IPA: delicious, despite the "lumpy" label appearance.
posted by filthy light thief at 12:53 PM on March 28, 2014

Lookin' good, Natty Boh. Extra points for no one ever asking where your mascot's second eye went.

He's winking, haven't they ever seen the animated neon sign?
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 1:05 PM on March 28, 2014

Little known fact: Milton produced most of the design language for Brooklyn Brewery. The man knowns his way around a bottle, so to speak.

Personally, I love the work on 21st Amendment's cans. It's loud, full of style, has corny in-jokes and keeps me entertained reading the fine print and spinning the can around whilst drinking away a summer afternoon.
posted by 1f2frfbf at 1:18 PM on March 28, 2014

I really love Pretty Things labels.
posted by eyeballkid at 1:25 PM on March 28, 2014

Sierra's Ruthless Rye is pretty great.
posted by Big_B at 1:27 PM on March 28, 2014

43. Mama’s Little Yella Pils (Oskar Blues): A great session beer…and a solid reference to the “candy” your Mom used to take after you threw a tantrum when she turned off Thundercats.

Wha? Candy? I thought it was because it's yellow. Like a pilsner should be.
posted by Big_B at 1:33 PM on March 28, 2014

Pils = pills. AKA: Mother's little helpers.
posted by 1f2frfbf at 2:06 PM on March 28, 2014 [1 favorite]

I think Sixpoint has some nice box/can designs.
posted by box at 2:08 PM on March 28, 2014

Burnt Rock has great curling inspired label. Haven't tried it yet though. The solid design is consistent with most of Beau's Brewery's beer labels.

In contrast Flying Monkeys Hoptical Illusion is a great beer, but the ugly label almost prevents me from buying it.
posted by Kabanos at 2:15 PM on March 28, 2014

Some more Beau's designs.
posted by Kabanos at 2:18 PM on March 28, 2014

Vintage Canadian beer labels from Ontario, Quebec and Northern Ontario, Saskatchewan, and other places. (courtesy of U of Toronto's Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library)
posted by Kabanos at 2:22 PM on March 28, 2014

All the No-Li labels just knock me out. They're just so happy and clean (and I like the beer as well). Link found via Beautiful Beer.
posted by skyscraper at 4:06 PM on March 28, 2014

For the labels, my local favorite has to be Odell's. I love the art style, and it doesn't hurt that the beer is delicious.
posted by JiBB at 4:07 PM on March 28, 2014

I do not anywhere see what had to be the first funny beer name/label: Olde Frothingslosh. Starting out as a fake commercial on Rege Cordic's radio show in Pittsburgh, a local brewery offered to make it a reality (as a 'holiday seasonal' specialty), and the rest is history hysterical. My father, working in the Cleveland office of an insurance company, was gifted a six-pack of the legen-(wait for it)-dary brew and kept one empty bottle with the label as shown at the link, which he gave to me when I reached legal beer-drinking age.

OLDE FROTHINGSLOSH
Pale Stale Ale
"It's a whale of an ale for a pale stale male"
The foam is on the bottom.

Sadly, I have not been able to find that beloved bottle for years (I blame my ex-wife), but I am delighted that this whole "cute beer label" trend has resulted in its apparently triumphant return to non-discriminating Pittsburgh liquor stores.
posted by oneswellfoop at 4:29 PM on March 28, 2014 [1 favorite]

If anyone would like to try their hand at this sort of thing I am still kinda idly soliciting for label artists.
posted by shakespeherian at 10:14 PM on March 28, 2014

the first funny beer name/label: Olde Frothingslosh.

oneswellfoop, I have a hazy memory of unearthing my dad's well-preserved Miss Olde Frothingslosh cans, which were stashed in a dark corner of the basement. Will be forwarding your link to him!
posted by MonkeyToes at 6:44 AM on March 29, 2014

Pfffft. Just give us an inkjet printer and we're good.

Sincerely,
Bell's Two Hearted
posted by ssmug at 7:22 AM on March 29, 2014 [1 favorite]

Alec Doherty's work for Partizan Brewery is fantastic
posted by doiheartwentyone at 9:04 AM on March 30, 2014

AB has ruined the beer, but Rolling Rock still has a beautiful bottle.
posted by Chrysostom at 7:39 PM on March 31, 2014