With another banner year for craft beer in the rearview mirror, you will undoubtedly be inundated with dozens of “top beers of 2013” lists in the very near future if you haven’t been already. At PA Eats, we toyed with the idea of presenting you with another such list, but rather than add an umpteenth list of best beers to an already saturated topic of discussion, we decided to have a little fun with our “tops in 2013” craft brew catalog.
I decided I would explore the very thing that often prompts what marketing gurus like to call “the impulse buy.” After searching through hundreds of craft-brew labels that are usual suspects at your local bottle shops and craft-brew watering holes, I was able to narrow the list to just over 30 choices. I wondered what would garnish the most favor from voters. Would it be humor? Beauty? Simplicity? Eccentricity? Artistic quality? Visual Stimulation? After presenting this list to Town Dishers, locals who work in the beer business from wholesale to point of sale and craft beer enthusiasts through my Facebook blog, In My ExBEERience, I found that the top vote getters were a mixed bag of clever, beautiful, dark, humorous and even gross imagery. Without further ado, I bring you …
PA Eats’s Top Craft-Beer Labels of 2013
1. 21st Amendment Brew Free or Die IPA
The brewery is named for the repeal of Prohibition, the artwork is cool and Lincoln looks like he may hit you with a stiff left jab if you don’t take a sip. Need we say more?
2. Stillwater As Follows
The Baltimore, Maryland-based Stillwater Artisanal, known especially for its Belgian-style ales, makes consistent use of some fairly dark-yet-beautiful imagery in their labels. This Belgian Strong Ale is “built sturdy enough to withstand the Apocalypse” and tastes every bit as beautiful and fascinating as its label looks. Does anyone else find all of those blank faces creepy?
3. Flying Dog Gonzo Imperial Porter
Jean Broillet IV, owner and brewmaster at Tired Hands, told me that he prefers labels that “have consistency across the brand that makes them recognizable.” Flying Dog’s labels certainly fit that bill! Adorned with artwork by Ralph Steadman, these labels jump right out from shelves and tap lineups anywhere you go. Gonzo Imperial Porter pays homage to the late, great Hunter S. Thompson, who was known for his “Gonzo” journalism, and reminds me of one of his many memorable quotes: “It never got weird enough for me.”
4. Jolly Pumpkin Luciernaga
Most of the voters for this label liked the beauty of the label and the bow of the ship. Kate McQuade, a bartender at Station Taproom in Downingtown, “loves the bow of the ship and the illuminated hop flower…very elegant.” I couldn’t agree more. The use of the hop flower as a lantern reminds us that hops will light the way!
5. Troegs Nugget Nectar
This one was a no-brainer for those voters who were hop heads. A fist reminiscent of that of a comic book hero squeezing every last drop of juicy hop-goodness from the whole hop-flower begs one to sip this brew. And the word “Nectar” immediately invokes thoughts like “sweet nectar” and “nectar of the gods.” Those Trogner boys sure are clever! Oh, and they can brew too. They took home 2 medals in the 2013 Great American Beer Festival.
6. Founders Breakfast Stout
Founders went with a simple and very cool vintage look with this label. At first glance it is a simple label that makes one smile (aw, look at the cute baby!) and then salivate (double chocolate coffee oatmeal stout!? Yes, please!!). But look a little closer. Are those man-hands on that baby strange or what? I’ve searched the Founders website and those breakfast bowls like the label displays are not for sale, but this excellent stout is for sale when it is in season! Look for this baby (haha get it?) starting in October.
7. Left Hand Good Juju
If you come across a beer called Good Juju, it’s got to be an omen of a sort right? Wouldn’t it be bad juju not to try it? Colorado’s Left Hand Brewing Company was not trying to put some sort of hex on you, though. They merely wanted you to know that they feel this beer is magical in a good way. Bright colors, creative designs and the promise of Good Juju? This label is a winning combination and likely a tattoo somewhere as well.
8. Neshaminy Creek Punkel Dunkel
This is a bold and graphic label. But don’t let it make you queasy. The brewers at Neshaminy Creek just wanted you to know that they used the guts of real pumpkins in this one. Warm colors and humorous imagery are likely what pulled in the votes for this sick label.
9. Sierra Nevada Narwhal
No, this beer isn’t named for that Rock Lobster song by the B-52s (“and there goes a Narwhal!”). At least not as far as we know. But this label subtly and accurately portrays what is inside the bottle itself…a dark and lovely whale of a stout. Not with a horn, though.
10. Troegs Perpetual IPA
It seems everywhere Troegs winds up they win something. I’m sure the 2 GABF medals are a bit heavier than taking 2 spots in our top-labels list, but maybe they will post this article in their tasting room for a day or two. Is that an endless supply of hop vines churning through the gears, creating an endless flow of hop goodness? Is it a mechanical face with hoppy dreadlocks? Maybe it is both combining to bring us a perpetually flowing dank and hoppy excellence!
11. Iron Hill Afternoon Delight
Sky Rockets in Flight! Afternoon Delight! In case you weren’t aware, Iron Hill does bottle some of its beers. Ask your bartender to see the list of bottled reserves today. This Imperial Coffee Porter is not only tasty but brings out the nostalgia in all of us with its throwback label that is masterfully designed by local artist (and Dish writer!) Jeff Schaller.
12. Thirsty Dog Old Leghumper
Not to belittle the quality of the photography in this one, but I’m fairly sure that this label garnished votes through humor more than anything. Who wouldn’t want to arrive at a party and offer their friends a Leghumper? Enough said.
13. Perennial Fantastic Voyage
Most of the voters chiming in on this one cited the colors and graphics involved. Becky Ely, Restaurant Manager at Station Taproom in Downingtown, said this one “encourages the mind to take the fantastic voyage it is offering.” It makes me want to pour a pint and listen to Coolio’s Fantastic Voyage but then again, I’m not quite as cerebral as many of you.
14. Perennial Saison de Lis
Unlike the previous Perennial label which used color contrast and wild imagery and design, this one intrigued voters by being simple, soft and pretty. Erin Quirk, Marketing Director of the Little Egg Harbor Soap Company in Ardmore, feels that this label is “clean, light and airy. Plus, it reminds me of soap.” Now I may not know much about soap, but as a beer geek I took one look at this label and imagined a clean and light brew. I’d say Perennial knew what they were doing on this one!
15. The Lost Abbey Red Poppy Ale
Voters overwhelmingly agreed that this one was just beautiful. Luke Bowen, co-owner of Evil Genius Brewing Company based out of West Grove, PA, agreed and said that he “loved the simplicity” of this label. The label of this one is as beautiful as the taste. Maybe beauty is in the eye of the beer holder?
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