In the ever-expanding universe of craft beer, where brewers are constantly pushing the boundaries of flavour, innovation, and experimentation, the role of design has become more crucial than ever. Each label serves as a gateway into the brewery's imagination, and a testament to the artistry involved in the liquid itself. From intricate illustrations that pay homage to tradition to bold, modern designs that break all the rules, craft beer labels reflect the diverse personalities and philosophies of their creators.
Wild Card Brewery beer labels represent the inspiration, creativity, and craftsmanship behind the visual identities that define our brews. We champion our artists wherever we can - they are as important to the Wild Card mission as the brews.
- Wild Card’s ‘Main Hustle’. Illustration by Anna Borup.
This label first appeared as part of a series commissioned for International Women’s Day. We’ve worked with Anna lots of times; but we were particularly inspired this time round by her drawings of dancers, and how physicality is expressed through single lines. It lent itself perfectly to a series celebrating brewers. Anna says, ‘As brewing is often considered a male-dominated industry, I loved being asked to celebrate the female brewers challenging this stereotype. I chose a colour palette that allowed the illustrations to stand out whilst working harmoniously together.’
Some of Anna's earlier work for Wild Card:
2. Wild Card’s Thirst Trap and FOMO. Illustrations by Valero Doval.
Collage artist and surrealist Valero Doval has been part of the very fabric of Wild Card branding since the beginning; he has made many pieces of excellent work for us across our special 440ml labels, and our first core series. For FOMO and Thirst Trap, we were inspired by an early label he’d created for us called the Cherry Gose. The project was bold, eye-catching and fun; the absurdist combination of the ancient Greek philosopher image with anachronistic sunglasses created humour. Thales of Miletus became Thirst Trap, and we used another collage to create FOMO. This project is ongoing; the two will be re-released in a month with a third beer and a third face - DISCO.
Thales of Miletus, first seen on our Cherry Gose.
3. Wild Card’s Passionfruit Gose. Illustrations by Valero Doval.
Another work by Valero; drawn and created for our Passionfruit Gose, a tropical, sour, wheat beer. Towards the end of fermentation we've added copious amounts of Passionfruit, for a beer that's fresh, zesty and packed full of tropical flavour. This is one of Valero’s most dramatic works for us; the sunburnt yellow jumps off the shelf and creates an atmosphere of bright optimism and happiness. The layered collage - of the hibiscus flower, starfish and blue geometric shapes - illuminate the richness of the passion fruit within. It’s one of our most beautiful labels: expressive, warm and inviting.
