Though brewing beer is an art in itself, label design is another artistic process involved in beer creation. Tomorrow’s World Today spoke with David Lohman, Elysian Brewing’s Creative Director, to learn about Elysian’s artistic approach to designing its beer labels.

Elysian Brewing Space Dust Series beer labels; Photo: Elysian Brewing
Elysian Brewing Space Dust Series beer labels; Photo: Elysian Brewing

Tomorrow’s World Today (TWT): Walk us through the process of designing a beer label. Where do you get the initial inspiration for the artwork? How does the beer flavor inspire the design of the label?

David Lohman (DL): The ideal process begins when we taste the beer. Our in-house design team works closely with the brewers to understand the beer’s unique characteristics, the balance of hops and malts, which helps us create tasting notes and a preliminary description for the packaging.

The next challenge is naming the beer. With over 9,000 breweries in the U.S., it’s common that our preferred names are already taken. Finding the perfect name is crucial because it sparks creative ideas for the graphics that will represent the beer on the can.

Following this, we create a mood board to inspire the design. We combine various images to explore unique visual connections. The contrasts between these images often reveal a distinctive narrative that guides our development of the final design. Our team is committed to pushing boundaries with our labels — we embrace a hands-on approach with artwork, often using a mix of digital design, painting, mixed media, and even employing unconventional materials like colorful shampoo. Our primary objective is to produce a memorable and striking piece of Elysian art.

TWT: How do you use the label design/artwork to communicate information to customers effectively?

DL: Craft beer has evolved into an art form — the brewing process and packaging both play a crucial role. Walking down a beer aisle today is akin to strolling through an art gallery. With so many breweries producing excellent beers adorned with vibrant artwork, it’s essential to make your packaging stand out. Beer branding is an ongoing conversation with consumers, starting the moment they see your beer. You need to capture their attention on the store shelf to entice them to buy and take it home. Once they do, the experience should continue, with the beer providing enjoyment and the bottle or can’s design and copy engaging them further.

We often add a touch of playful mischief to our labels, incorporating hidden “easter eggs” for fans to discover. These little surprises are meant to bring joy and wonder. Our labels frequently feature engaging characters that connect directly with consumers. For instance, in our upcoming Space Dust Series Variety Pack, we utilize ‘Dusty,’ the bright green hop cone character that has captured fans’ imaginations since 2012. Dusty’s approachable demeanor and whimsical, starry trail on the label make him memorable and relatable. The contrast between Dusty’s bubbly personality and his robust 8.2% ABV adds a mischievous twist. Some even jest that Dusty resembles an artichoke — a playful dig that Dusty himself would find amusing, as the brand embraces a light-hearted spirit.

Elysian Brewing Dragonstooth Stout Label; Photo: Craft Beer Kings
Elysian Brewing Dragonstooth Stout Label; Photo: Craft Beer Kings

TWT: Elysian Brewing’s design for Dragontooth Stout placed among the finalists of the fifth annual Colored by INX Can Design Contest. Walk us through the design process of creating this imaginative label.

It was a great honor to be selected as a finalist for the INX Can Design Contest. Each year, INX International recognizes outstanding beverage can designs that were created using their Metal Color Catalog. This contest celebrates creativity and color perfection in can design, highlighting the graphic design and color management that make a can truly stand out.

The Dragonstooth label, originally illustrated by local tattoo artist Joe Who from Pierced Hearts Tattoo Parlor in Seattle, presented a unique challenge. We needed to adapt the original 12oz bottle label, which featured unlimited colors, into a much more limited 6-color process for cans.

The typical design process for cans varies depending on the can type. Beer cans typically come in three forms: stickered, shrink-sleeved, or directly printed. The Dragonstooth 19.2 can incorporated a direct print process onto aluminum can substrate, which is typically the most complex and time-consuming method. This entire process can take up to six months. To draw an analogy, beer can production is similar to music production: a stickered or sleeved can is like streaming a compressed song online, while a printed can is like pressing a song onto 180-gram colored vinyl. Although it’s more expensive and time-consuming, a printed can is like a piece of art that enhances the overall beer experience and looks more impressive on your shelf.

Working with Joe Who on the Dragonstooth project was a fantastic experience. At Elysian, partnering with local artists is a major passion. We have a rich history of collaborating with artists from across the Pacific Northwest. Notable collaborations include working with Seattle comic artist Peter Bagge on a custom comic for Elysian’s Prometheus IPA, creating the 12 Beers of the Apocalypse series with Charles Burns from Fantagraphics, and a forthcoming summer seasonal in 2025 with local Seattle illustrator Becca Fuhrman.

A great label should be so stunning that you’d want to blow it up and frame it for your wall. If the artwork on a beer can leaves you genuinely wowed, don’t feel pressured to open it! Instead, I urge you to proudly display it on your bookshelf as a prized tchotchke for years to come. Make it a family heirloom, sitting there for the next 50 years until your kids are left to wager who will be brave enough to crack it open and enjoy it. Cheers!

For more information about Elysian Brewing Company, follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

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