Many people form opinions about a brewery based on its design. Actually, what they observe may be able to influence their judgment more than what they taste. The shape of a bottle to the type on a label all the design decisions give a story about the beer within. Beautiful design breaks through the clutter of the overcrowded shelves and demonstrates the ingenuity, attention to detail, and quality of a brewery. It is not only packaging, but it is the initial feeling of a brand, even before a drop is drunk. 

To a new person in the industry, design can provide the person with a competitive advantage. Online in a beer store or across a bar, there are more than 7k breweries, and since many of them are pumping out 5-25-100 beers a year, the market is not going to give them the victory. Besides the flavour profile per se, it can be their attractive packaging that will attract the consumer. When consumers are not aware of a brewery, they can not be aware of trusting them, but they trust them. Good design, and for those creatives interested in the way that companies communicate through design, you should view their work in the beer industry.

The Label and Packaging

Labels aren’t there to just look pretty. They can influence how we connect with a beer. Line art, black & white, or solid colours have minimalism at their root. They convey sophistication and contemporaneity, while more detailed work can exude a fun, authentic, or one-of-a-kind personality in a beer. The physical label materials should be designed to meet environmental conditions, audience habits, cultures, and trends, and align correctly with its products. The shape of a bottle and the material can make a brand feel premium, thus changing the perceived value for a consumer. All packaging must work together to create an identity in consumers’ minds.

Social media has helped push this change in perception of the importance of the label. A beautiful label is more likely to be shared on social platforms like Instagram than its ugly counterpart. In the online age, brands know that they must focus the attention of both their pawns where they live,  the shops, bars, and stores in their footprint, for sure, but also the virtual world. This has led to a swing of illustrators and designers translating the craft brewery’s character into a visual guide for followers and customers. Breweries far and wide are realising that their design needs to stand out both on a shelf and a tab.

In the Can: Actualising a Two-Sided Relationship

Design is not just limited to the labels, but also to the entire brewery itself. The taproom, the signage, the furniture, and how the brewery merchandises all reinforce what a brewery is all about. Places where you can physically experience the brand help form a deeper emotional bond. When the aesthetic and level of your product are on par with your beer, it’ll build brand ambassadorship, customer loyalty, and repeat business. Typography is another element that is not obvious. Using a nice serif font is what most breweries use, but it tells the consumer that you are a serious metal brewery that is dependable, solid, and stable. Hand-drawn, playful fonts signal a brewery’s adventurous spirit and willingness to experiment. These visual cues give consumers a sense of the brand’s personality and approach, shaping expectations long before the first pour.

Design as Identity and Memory

Craft beer packaging not only appears beautiful, but it also provides a brewing facility with a distinct brand image. A proper visual language assists a brewery tour in conveying its taste profile, its position in the world, and the degree of creativity to the consumer. Exceptional beer makes a long-lasting impression when the visual message is clear. Whenever a consumer opens a newly bought bottle, it will enhance the recollection of realizing that brand. Efficient design will make a regular purchase an unforgettable experience that will last long after the initial drink is taken.

Packaging and design provide the consumer with many symbols and messages with which they can play around in the big picture. New labels to even refillable jugs, all of the brewery’s design can do to inform the world of what a brewery is all about in a long-term manner to craft beer-minded consumers. Instead of just creating a product in a 16-oz can, great design turns a product into an experience that engages, entertains, and creates a lasting impression for every beer.