When the Spirits Move You

 

Every designer hits the wall. You're working feverishly on a project and reach a dead end. Ideas stop flowing... you look with increasing disdain at the work you've done... you need fresh ideas, new inspiration. Soon you find yourself staring at a bottle of booze.

But instead of looking for the liquid to inspire fresh ideas, perhaps the bottle itself could. That's certainly the case with packaging from Stranger & Stranger. The bi-continental firm specializes in souping up the sauce. Their designs for beer, wine, and spirits are intricate, nuanced, and—like a smooth pour—timeless.

Duckpin Pale Ale

Just in time for the fall bowling season, Union Craft Brewing has rolled out Duckpin Pale Ale. And what fine city would produce such a beer? Why, Baltimore of course. Now you can celebrate Charm City's two favorite pastimes at once: duckpin bowling and getting drunk. Bottoms up!

h/t to Chris for the find

Beers and Cheers

What better way to celebrate life, liberty, and the pursuit of mullets than a can of Dale's Pale Ale? Happy Independence Day, everyone. Crack open a Dale's and enjoy a celebration of the intersection of design and beer:

Design O'Blog brings you the 20 best examples of beer packaging, including six packs, four packs, and yes, the one pack. Ever wonder what it takes to design that kick-ass beer packaging? This case study is broken down and generously illustrated. Perhaps you're wondering where you can sample some superlative suds? Take a gander at an atlas of award-winning beers, a tasty little infographic. And finally, do you like the scripty typeface in the art above? It's a font influenced by beer labeling, rightly named "Draft Beer Classic" and available for the price of a case of Natty Boh.

Happy birthday, America!


Bonus: from fringe of beer-related design...
Beer pong tables... and lots of 'em. Listen to the can as you run to the can. What to do with your empties.