Craft beer: Why labels could be just as important as the beer itself

An amazing label not only helps craft beers stand out from the crowd, it can tell a story about what’s inside, as these award winners discovered.

They say you should never judge a book by its cover, but can you judge a beer by its can?

The answer is yes, according to Jason Burton from Cavalier Brewing, who has just taken out a prestigious prize for can design.

The Melbourne brewery was last week awarded the prestigious Orora Golden Can Trophy in the GABS Can Design Awards for its Bloody Maria Imperial Gose Michelada, ahead of Queensland’s Black Hops’ British India Pale Ale and NSW’s Buckettys Brewing Co’s Tawny Grogmouth.

The striking, brightly-coloured can – based around a Mexican Day of the Dead style illustration by Seattle artist Alix Branwyn – is a perfect representation of the contents, according to Burton.

“We found Alix’s image online and it said everything about what we were trying to do,” says Burton. “It’s a celebration of life and death with bright, vibrant colours – the reds, the golds, the greens – all those wonderful flavours we were trying to bring out in the beer we felt would evoke as much emotion on the can itself.”

GABS Can Design winners. 1st place: Victoria’s Cavalier Brewing’s “Bloody Maria Imperial Gose Michelada” designed by Jason Burton 2nd place: Queensland’s Black Hops’ British India Pale Ale (Jamie Browne) 3rd place: NSW's Buckettys Brewing Co’s Tawny Grogmouth (Brent Turner).

The beer itself is a collision of cultures and was dreamt up by Cavalier and Tomba Tequlia co-founder James Sherry. Burton had seen attempts to add Bloody Mary ingredients such as tomato, salt and basil into the German sour gose style before, but thought no one had really nailed it. Adding tequila, and some Mexican bite, proved to be the secret weapon.

“We started toying with the idea and came up with a classic Mexican cocktail infused style beer to take to the next level with the Imperial Michelada,” Burton says. “It’s a Mexican cocktail style with beer in it – with a tomato base and lots of Mexican spices, salt, pepper, chilli. So we took the Bloody Mary style and infused it with tequila to make it a little bit more Mexican.”

Aesthetics aside, there’s also a practical advantage to eye-catching can design, according to Burton, who has no formal training as a designer but has dabbled for years in everything from nightclub posters to beer cans.

Bloody Maria Imperial Gose Michelada Cavalier Brewing (VIC) Imperial Gose Michelada

Increasingly, craft beer enthusiasts are paralysed by choice when the wander into their local bottle shops – with weird and wonderful styles and new releases every week vying for attention and their hard-earned dollar.

“Half the battle is trying to get someone to pick your can up in the first place,” he says.
“So you need an image that is completely evocative, especially in the craft beer world. We have 750 odd craft breweries in Australia now and a new one is opening every other week. There is so much vibrancy and detail in the designs that go on to these cans that your can has to stand out amongst all the rest.”

STYLE AND SUBSTANCE

Smart Craft Beer Club’s Michael Taberner – part of the GABS Can Design Awards judging panel – picks a selection of this year’s entries that look as good as they taste.

Blackflag Brewing – Astro Punk XPA 5.1%

Little bit of punk rock, little bit of rock and roll – there is a party in every can of this delicious futuristic XPA. A punk ethos with futuristic elements in both design and taste, this is a fruit forward punch bursting with mandarin, zesty citrus and fresh pine.

Blackflag Brewing Astro Punk XPA.

Cavalier Brewing’s Bloody Maria Imperial Gose Michelada

Cavalier Brewing Bloody Maria Imperial Gose Michelada 7%

What do you get when two cocktails and a beer meet into a bar? This is a masterful combination of layers, a sour base blending with the bold Bloody Maria flavours – spice citrus and peppery bite topped with a tequila kick! It sounds like it shouldn’t work, but it does. Serve ice cold, pour into a big glass, and get your Sunday off to the start it deserves!

Common Ground Brewing

Sneaky Gingy Alcoholic Ginger Beer 4.2%

Alcoholic Ginger Beer has been around since the 1700s and is still a favourite on the other side of the world in Australia today. A little bite, not too sharp or overly sweet, Common Ground have struck the perfect balance when what you want is a refreshing and punchy change up from beer.

Common Ground Brewing Sneaky Gingy

Visit smartcraftbeer.com.au to join the SMART Craft Beer Club and access the following offers.

● Offer 1: GABS Can Design Awards Pack for $39.95 (RRP $52)

● Offer 2: Best Bargain Beer Box Offer – 2x Cases of Wilde Brewing Dingo Ginger Beer (GF) for $65

● Offer 3: 10 of the best-curated craft beers delivered fresh every month for $59

Originally published as Craft beer: Why labels could be just as important as the beer itself