Great Divide brews big, strong beers, typically over 7% alcohol. So the huge typography and forcefully named beers are especially fitting. The amusing little silhouettes are a great touch, as is the quality matte paper they are printed on.

These labels, rolled out in 2008, were actually the third label change for the brewery in a four year span. (Click here for a look at the previous version.) The contents of these bottles have won a long list of awards, and the brewery has been ranked in the top ten in the world, so it’s nice to see the label design get caught up.

Be sure to check out the Great Divide flickr page for an excellent gallery of their bottles and labels.

“Holy crap, what is THIS?!” Was that your reaction when you first saw Flying Dog on the shelf? That was mine. I bought a six pack and walked out the door with my mouth still agape. The artwork is angry, obnoxious, unconventional — and I love it.

Ralph Steadman, the man responsible for the Flying Dog logo and labels, was introduced to brewery owner George Stranahan by mutual friend Hunter S. Thompson. While best-known for his work with Thompson, Steadman’s portfolio also includes illustrations for editions of Alice In Wonderland, Treasure Island, Animal Farm, Fahrenheit 451, a Frank Zappa compilation album and the Cardinal Zin wine label.

The first label Steadman created for Flying Dog was for their Road Dog Scottish Porter. In addition to his frenetic, in-your-face style art, he adorned the label with “Good Beer, No Shit.” The Colorado State Liquor Board insisted the phrase be banned, but after 5 years of court battles and assistance from the ACLU, it proudly graces the beer’s label once again.

King Bansah is an African king living in Germany. For his branding, the king turned to Julian Zimmerman. As you’d expect, this was composed of numerous items, including business cards, stationary, wax seal, website — and the label of his very own beer, Akosomba! This, I guess, makes sense. If I was a king, I’d certainly want my own beer. I’d also want Yeti fur rugs and a pool full of gummy bears, but that’s beside the point.

The overall branding for the African king is strong, regal and exotic. See all of it here. It’s a must visit just to see King Bansah’s signature. It’s AMAZING.

Brewwd is a website that combines minimal design with great beer. Jason VanLue recreates classic beer brands in an ultra-minimalist style with stunning results. The above example is one of many featured on the website. I’ve always loved the Blue Moon branding for the typography, but Jason is able to make it stand up with the type stripped away.

Check out the Brewwd website to see his other works, order prints or suggest beers for upcoming projects.

Kudos to Hunt Adkins for making gluten-free so damn exciting!

Bard’s is America’s first gluten-free beer, founded in 2005 by two home brewers with celiac disease. Given the unusual niche of their business, they knew it had to be marketed just right.

From Bard’s Beer CEO Brian Kovalchuk: “The challenge with Bard’s was: How do you brand a non-traditional beer so it speaks to both the necessity that comes from the gluten-free community and the tradition and adventure that the craft beer drinker desires? Hunt Adkins understood our two-birds-one-stone goal and really ran with it by developing strategy and creative that speaks to the beer drinker in all of us instead of the gluten-free beer drinker in some of us.”

Wheat or no wheat, that raised beer sure speaks to all of us. Cheers!

For more info, see the official press release (pdf)

Doesn’t this feel like it should be carved into a tree outside of the brewery?
The hand-drawn lettering is absolutely stunning and the overall mark is perfect match for a sustainable, hand-crafted brewery.

The well-decorated TBD Agency added a Graphis Gold Award to their collection for this logo.

For the fairy tale collaboration between Sierra Nevada and Dogfish Head, brewery founders Ken Grossman and Sam Calagione turned to the award-winning children’s book illustrator Jeremy Holmes. The result is a very unique and intricate label that further justifies the $10 per 24oz bottle price tag.

Built upon birch syrup from Alaska and maple syrup from the Calagione family farm in Massachusetts, this is a very complex and earthy beer. The same can be said for the beer’s label. You’ll notice the two tree trunks merging together, symbolizing the two breweries, the prominent syrup tap and plenty of small decorations in the tree and background.

More about those details from Aces & Ales:
“The two prominent birds are the California State bird, the Valley Quail and the Delaware state bird, the Blue Hen Chicken. The tree includes a bicycle sprocket for Ken’s love of riding, and a guitar as a reference to Sam’s on-again, off-again beer geek hip-hop group, The Pain Relievaz. In the mountains there is also a small climber for Ken’s mountainous past and a small Dogfish Head fish and the Sierra Nevada Banner.”

Get a close-up look at the official Life & Limb website.

Nothing’s worse than a great beer with terrible packaging. Previously, this was certainly the case with Left Hand Milk Stout. (See it here.) Thankfully Moxie Sozo was called upon to give this beer the wrapping it deserved. It’s so good, I’ll probably try to eat the box after finishing a six pack.

I’ll warn you now. I have a gaping soft spot for “old man beer.” But I don’t think my bias is affecting me here. Everything about this packaging – the design elements, color palette and “Good Beer” slogan – are simple and no-nonsense. Exactly what you’d expect from a 128 year old beer.

Vintage beer brands are certainly enjoying a spike in popularity, and this packaging positions Rheingold very well to be the one to reach for on the shelf.

Oh, and don’t go looking for the “Good Beer” type face. Neil reports it’s hand-drawn.