It’s been a long week, but you’re finally at the bottle shop getting some choice brews to enjoy once you get home. Or maybe you’re taking them to a friend’s house, and you want to grab something that will impress. What do you grab? What factors influence your choice?
An old adage will tell you not to judge a book by its cover. But what if the cover is so impressive that it automatically compels you to pick it up?
The same can apply to beer. In recent times, beer art (as I like to call it) has become huge. Labels are more artsy than ever before, and in some cases the containers themselves are becoming part of the art.
In a recent episode of the podcast, I mentioned there was a beer by Tallgrass Brewing Company called Zombie Monkey. What attracted me to the story is that its can has the world’s first “Tactical Grip” on the side of the can.
It can be debated as to what the purpose of that fully serves – is it a gimmick, part of the allure of the “post-apocalyptic porter,” or does it serve a practical purpose? According to Craft Cans, the feature “ensures that drinkers keep a steady grip on the beer as they flee from infected primates.”
On the other end of the spectrum is a Beer Busters’ favorite, Rogue. Beyond their definitively unique labels, they’ve put out several brews that have distinct bottles and cans.
Standing out from the crowd is the large pink bottle that houses their Voodoo Doughnut Bacon Maple Ale, and theirVoodoo Doughnut Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Ale. Rogue teamed up with Voodoo Doughnut to create these exclusive concoctions, with a bottle just as unique.
Still taking a look at Rogue, they also have a winter seasonal beer called Yellow Snow IPA, which is now available in a 5-liter can. This can features a signature “Pull and Turn” tapping system.
Also featured in their lineup is the New Crustacean Barleywineish Imperial IPA Sorta, that comes in a bright blue bottle.
As we can see, Rogue also likes to impress their fans with names that are equally unmatched.
At one point Full Sail Brewing Company teamed up with designer Jon Patterson to package their Session lager in a grenade bottle. Labeled as a “beer for snowboarders,” the design will catch you by surprise. The best feature it has to offer is a pull pin, much like a grenade would have. Instead of serving just an aesthetic purpose, the pin has some practicality – it’s a built-in bottle opener. Just pull and enjoy.
These bottles and cans are only a small sample of what the beer world has to offer. As the craft beer industry becomes more competitive, the future can only hold greatness for flavor and design. After all, a bottle’s design is its first impression, and you only get one shot to make it memorable..
