Redesigning Craft Beer Labels for Green Monster Brewery

Redesigning craft beer labels for Green Monster Brewery

CLIENT Green Monster Brewery

ROLE Illustration & design

accolade Shortlisted at World Illustration Awards 2023

Date 2022

A small, unknown brewery once crafted Green Monster IPA – a beer that unexpectedly gained popularity in bars across Vilnius and Kaunas. This led the owners to rename the brewery in honour of the beloved beer.

Jump straight to:

Task & Exploration
Process & Decisions
The Outcomes
More About Each Beer Concept

At first, the brewers approached me to design new labels for their existing four beer varieties and one newly created one.

Task & exploration

Clients emphasized their preference for a label dominated by a single colour with a central and prominently visible logo. The aim was to ensure the product would stand out in the sea of colours and styles that overwhelm us when approaching the craft beer shelves.

They presented a new brewery logo to me; however, they only had the logo. Hence, the task expanded to include elements for the brewery's visual identity, not just the label system.

Using one primary colour based on each beer's characteristics makes it easier to quickly identify the type and name.

Attention heat maps revealed that the logo receives the highest attention when viewing the can from the front, aligning with client preferences.

As I delved into the exploration stage, it became evident that the folks at Green Monster Brewery envisioned their brand as a modern-day hipster or, perhaps, even a punk – an exciting individual with a marvellous sense of humour.

And they visualized their ideal customer as someone earning above average. This person appreciates quality and stays current with trends without hinting at snobbishness.

Above all, they aimed for the brand to exude a vibe of fun and friendliness.

First 5 Illustrations & redesigns for Green Monster Brewery labels.

Creation process & decisions

To developed a cohesive label system I have crafted several visual styles based on defined requirements and design constraints.

After careful consideration, we settled on the one that balances minimalism with a friendly and witty appearance.

Here is the chosen visual style direction and the label design accomplished according to it. (Images in the mood board are taken just as a reference from the Internet)

In line with the chosen visual direction, I have used a primary colour scheme that reflects the unique characteristics of each beer. However, I introduced two additional colours - the most contrasting for the logo and the least contrasting for the humorous character, depicted using a single-weight line.

We came up with the idea that each new beer character should connect to the monster theme. This not only aligns with the brewery's name but also opens up endless creative possibilities.

Every new beer should tie into the monster theme and have a primary colour that reflects its distinctiveness.

This label design system is easily adaptable to various container sizes, which is great for small producers. They can buy packaging based on what's available and get the best prices.

We’ve chosen uncoated Raflatac Fleur de Coton paper with a subtle texture for the bottle labels to match the product's high-end price image

5 more illustrations for later developed beer sorts

During the creative process, I focus on the unique flavours of the particular Green Monster brew and try to capture the essence of this type of beer. I also consider the stories and characters associated with the beer's name and imagine the tales it might evoke.

Additionally, I take into account the inherent characteristics, hobbies, and behaviour of the ideal audience for this brew. Unexpected and intriguing combinations are created by trying to blend all these ideas.

I start drawing many small rough sketches to refine my ideas and composition. I then move on to more detailed sketches and explore colour variations.

Simultaneously I crafted the visual identity for the brewery and introduced a playful branded pattern, comical combining elements of a horror theme with delicately and ornately illustrated hop branches.

Green Monster brewery visual identity items

Breweries and bars frequently team up to produce limited-edition beers. Each collaboration has nuances, so I wanted to set as few strict guidelines as possible.

The collaboration label may include more than three colours, but they should be just different shades of the same three colours. So the background should maintain a consistent and cohesive appearance.

Logos can be placed in various corners of the label but should remain the main focus and be prominently displayed.

Additionally, the artwork can be more extensive, incorporating additional layers of story and action to enhance the overall design.

Collaboration label concepts have more details, more colours and stories behind them. (Images except for sketches and label illustrations are taken here just as a reference from various Internet sources)

The outcomes

1

The clients were delighted to receive offers from major supermarkets to feature their beers on the craft beer shelves, all thanks to the eye-catching new label design.

2

They also discovered, that convincing collaboration partners to use Green Monster Brewery's style on co-designed beer labels became easier. This way, they could boost the brewery's visibility.

Designs for collaboration brews with other breweries/bars

3

After spending the year creating monsters for new labels, I entered them into the World Illustration Awards contest and got shortlisted in the design, product & packaging category for new talent!

It is a significant accomplishment because they picked only 200 projects out of over 5,000 entries from 84 countries. You can check out my shortlisted entry here.

More about each beer and the story behind

Green Monster IPA (Indian Pale Ale)

Your Webpage Title

A true local legend cherished by beer enthusiasts in Lithuania, Green Monster IPA perfectly balances the expected bitterness and the smoothness of caramel malt and oats.

The delightful aroma lays the foundation for a moment of pure relaxation. Envision yourself sinking into a cozy armchair, perhaps stretching your legs onto a soft ... oops :)

Mango Milkshake (American Pale Ale)

Mango Milkshake is a delightfully aromatic ale that boasts a subtle mango aftertaste crafted to appeal to both women and men. The addition of lactose gives it a sweetness and that creamy texture, evoking memories of milkshake foam.

The white foam and distinctive fruity lightness served as the inspiration to draw a comical monster SPA scene. After enjoying it, your legs feel light and airy, almost too much airy :)

Deep Dive (Double Dry Hopped IPA)

Deep Dive beats the typical IPA with its double dry-hopping process, taking it to a stronger and more intense level. Interestingly, when clients were asked to describe Deep Dive with just one word, "strong" wasn't their choice. Surprisingly, they opted for "heterogeneous," explaining that it is a harmonious blend of masculine and feminine characteristics: bitterness, fullness, light sweetness, and fruitiness.

The challenge was to capture this taste duality and the dry-hopping process in the illustration, spicing it up with a pinch of humour :)

JetLag (International Amber Lager)

JetLag beer was created to respond to the challenge of making a non-boring, traditional brew. Now, the question turned to me: how to uniquely illustrate this ordinary beer?

The answer lay in its name. That sense, after swift time zone shifts, of being torn between a desire to sleep and a craving for food is universal, even for monsters :) And if they desire some extraordinary meal?

Kosmosas (Baltic Porter)

Meet Kosmosas, a Baltic porter beer embracing a name that stands out as the only Lithuanian among all the Green Monster's brews. As you might guess, it means "cosmos".

In Lithuanian, the cosmos doesn't just refer to outer space; it also embodies something incredibly strange or even magical. It's the kind of thing we can see with our eyes but still can't quite believe.

Morello (Tarte Ale)

Thanks to the craft beer movement, sour-style beer made a spectacular comeback, evolving from near extinction to a global phenomenon.

And just as all beer drinkers continue to develop a taste for sour beers, Green Monster introduces two tart ales - one with sour Morello cherries and another with the tropical fruit known by many names: Guanabana, Soursop, or Graviola.

Guanabana (Tarte Ale)

Thanks to the craft beer movement, sour-style beer made a spectacular comeback, evolving from near extinction to a global phenomenon.

Boogie (American Pale Ale)

Yes, they brewed a beer for skydivers (hopefully, they drink it after all the stunts :D). This is a classic West Coast-style American Pale Ale - pale, hoppy, and well-balanced.

While many associate the famous monster Boogie with a potato sack full of beetles and worms or the lively boogie-woogie dance, not everyone knows that skydiving festivals are also called Boogie.

Killa Vanilla (Imperial Oatmeal Stout)

A dark, almost black Imperial Oatmeal Stout with a chocolate head, vanilla, and pistachio aroma worth dying for!

But the Grim Reaper is also a human being. After all, she can indulge on those days when she doesn't feel like killing anyone :D

Bad Seeds (West Coast IPA)

A West Coast style IPA infused with hemp and grapefruit peel. "This beer is a bitter punch to the taste buds," say the brewers at Nurme (Latvia) and Green Monster.

I've crafted a visual punch challenging norms and provoking those who believe certain topics shouldn't be on a beer label. However, to me, it tells the story of how even saints can be tempted by the devil...

Golden Times (American Pale Ale)

Gastropub HOP-DOC and Green Monster brewed beer with a nostalgic message: "American pale ale will take you back to those golden days when the grass seemed greener, the Sun shone brighter, and life had less alarming news."

This message is intended for everyone seeking a moment of respite, especially for the distressing news of the ongoing war in Ukraine caused by the russians. This topic resonates deeply with Lithuanians, evoking personal connections and deep pain.

Third Wave (NEIPA)

This is a collaborative creation of Green Monster and Rockmill (Poland) breweries.
"When the storms of the virus rage, this NEIPA will let you forget difficulties and bring a huge wave of flavours and aromas!" the brewers promise, making the third wave of COVID-19 a focal point.

The lobster theme choice aligns with the fact that New England (NEIPA stands for New England IPA) is well-known for the lobster fishing industry. Some entities have been especially lucky that this pandemic firmly limited people's activities.

So, cheers for positive consequences!

Kalėdinis Kosmosas (Christmas Spiced Porter)

As the most magical time of the year approaches, Green Monster gifts its fans a limited edition festive version of Kosmosas - a chocolate Baltic porter.

Infused with subtle notes of orange peels, cinnamon sticks, and allspice, it transforms into a Christmas roast pig, or rather, a monster's main Christmas dish :)

Credits for some photos used: Gabrielė Grėbliūnė (www.orangestudio.lt), Osvaldo Escobar, Jaroslav Devia, kroshka__nastya and others. Thanks a lot! :)

‹ Previous

› Next