Beer labels: do they affect what you buy?

Every now and again we'll go and get a bunch of "that looks cool" beers, based almost entirely on how cool/intriguing/humorous/clever they look. One of my favorite maibocks of all time was discovered that way.

 

Anyone with an account on this site has no excuse for behaving like that.

 

You'll find many thoughts about beer labels and marketing here:

http://beeradvocate.com/community/t...ut-a-label-is-what-sells-the-product-”.29801/

 

Better question is what is the coolest beer graphics you have seen? Definitely sexual chocolate

 

so you are saying that even though a beer like parabola which could be packaged in a plain black label and still be delicious , you dont get sucked in by the great upscale packaging ? you must be a better man than me . unless you already do your research or just trust the brewery a lot you shop with your eyes first especially people who dont know a ton about the industry. but anyone can be a BA member that doesnt mean they are not worthy.

 

I didn't try anything from Summit for a long time because their packaging is just so so bad.

 

I refuse to buy anything from Lost Coast based on their artwork. It's probably some of, if not the worst, labels I've ever seen.

 

Grand Lake?

 

If all craft offerings came in vortex bottles (or bow tie cans), I'd be screwed.

 

Not trying to trick you at all.

I don't know this Field and Stream illlustrations you speak of, so I have no reference there, but I just think the bottle art for Grand Lake's beers are awful. The 2 beers of theirs I have tried, however, have both been enjoyable though.

It should also be noted, that the quality of the print is as much an issue as the art work.

 

Except for the top breweries, or ones you are already familiar with, there is no way you will know at a glance whether a given brew is from a well regarded brewery. You can whip out your phone to check BA, but let's face it - you aren't going to do that for every one of a few hundred beers (at a good/large bottle shop). So, just like every other product, it helps to have a good label to draw the eye enough so that you bother to read more on the bottle/box and (for a few beer geeks) ping BA to see what the rating is. Brewers would do well to find a good graphic artist and provide him/her plenty o' beverage in return for doing the packaging design.

 

All riveting.

 

I LOVELOVELOVED the can that Four In Hand IPA comes in, but, wouldn't bite because of the reviews.

 

Yes it does and from what Ive seen, any brewery that takes times to put some cool grapics together also puts a good beer in said can or bottle.

 

I like that they've used Cubism in their artwork. I think of Picasso every time I drink Tangerine Wheat. But I can see why you don't like them for they appear a bit juvenile.