Labels that make you pass up a beer

[FreakinA]

Racer 5's terrible label almost cost me not trying it. Luckily I took all of your advice and bought it and loved it and bought it and loved it and bought it and loved it and then bought it and one bottle was not good, but then i bought it and loved it and bought it and loved it and now its today!

 

[DavidSteel]

This is an alpha design for a logo I'm doing. I plan on having all the art work being of forests and scenery. This shouldn't be annoying

 

[motobrewer]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f46/

?

 

[greencoat]

I absolutely hate it when breweries use the same template for their entire line of beers. Sam Adams, Hoppin' Frog, DFH - I'm looking at you! I understand the whole concept of logo recognition, but a little imagination goes a long way to me.

 

[StunnedMonkey]

I once bought some of this:

It goes without saying that I now studiously avoid any beers sporting labels depicting horses, or even just the word Kentucky.

 

[ohrinet]

Another one that irritates me is those Rogue labels, they always just have somebody on there with a beer in one hand and their other hand making a first in the air. They literally could not be less creative. A chili beer so they put a dude in a sombrero, Shakespeare stout so they have a fella who looks like Shakespeare...really? That's it? It doesn't help that they are printed on so they aren't easy to reuse and the beer is mediocre at best. No Rogue for me thank you.

All the pertinent information...

They are not all the same. The fist pump is an integral part of their company creed/mission, therefore it is on most of their bottles. Continuity is something that sells product...it's good marketing. Their design is top notch, and they clearly take time and are creative, and I'd think painted/screened labels should reflect that.

Check out the Morimoto "labels" and tell me that's not good design.
http://www.rogue.com/beers/morimoto-soba-ale.php

And I'm no crazy Rogue lover, but based on the ridiculous number of awards, I'd say the beer is a little better than "mediocre at best."

 

[FreakinA]

I love when a company has a great template at just tweaks a few things! It adds uniformity to the line. Labels I like, Rogue, Sierra Nevada, Anchor, New Belgium, Sam Adams.

 

[DRoyLenz]

Without talking about how great the beer typically is inside a Flying Dog bottle, I also love the Ralph Steadman art on the outside.

Other than to identify what is in the bottle, I pay very, very little attention to the labels on the outside. Typically, the only ones I do may much attention to are the ones I like. I don't know if I label could turn me off a beer any more than one could turn me onto one.


TL

I absolutely hate it when breweries use the same template for their entire line of beers. Sam Adams, Hoppin' Frog, DFH - I'm looking at you! I understand the whole concept of logo recognition, but a little imagination goes a long way to me.

I'm going to have to disagree with both of you here.

To TexLaw and his comments about Flying Dog labels. I'm VERY turned off by the labels. His art was GREAT for Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, it really matched the theme and feeling of the book and movie. I don't want my beer to give me a feeling of drug-addled misadventures and gross stories of opiate induced debacles. I've never picked up a six pack of their beer at the store.

And I disagree with Greencoat and the consistent template. I love it when you can immediately recognize a brewery based on the design of their label. I think the designers CAN be creative with the template, while still being consistent.

Some of my favorite Homebrew labels I've seen here belong to Davebier, who uses a pretty consistent template. https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f46/davebier-tap-handles-122751/

 

[Homercidal]

Founders' labels have also make me not reach for them. Maybe I should give them a chance, tho. (I think it's founders...)

I don't have that aversion, and yes, you should try some Founders. They make some of the best beer I have ever had.

I have a hard time buying Mount Pleasant Brewing Company beer because of their label. Now there is nothing particularly "wrong" with their label, I just think it looks cheap. It's basically got a picture of a train on the front and the name of the beer. Nothing so bad, but the only difference between their different styles of beer is the color of the label. Just seems like they could make a more professional-looking label IMO. And their beer is not bad, but I consider it average for craft beer.

 

[Windigstadt]

I try to avoid any beers with labels that include the phrase "American wheat."

Seriously, though, I can't say that a label design has ever really impacted my purchasing decision. One of my all-time favorite labels is for a beer I virtually never buy (that would be Budweiser... such a classic design) and meanwhile one of the most sought-after beers in the world doesn't have any label at all (and that would be Westvleteren 12, of course).

Actually, I take one thing back. I have purchased one beer solely because of the label, and that would be Lobster Lover's Beer, but there's an inside joke associated with that.

 

[waldoar15]

I prefer the ones with the least amount of glue.

 

[passedpawn]

Wow I would totally buy a beer with unicorns and rainbows on the label, just becaue that's so hilarious.

http://www.rainbowsandunicorns.com/

 

[ReverseApacheMaster]

Anything that says Coors or Miller on the label. I really appreciate them letting me know upfront it's crap inside.

 

[FireNightFly]

I prefer looking beyond the label ..... for instance ....

Flying Dog Brewery: Founded by a friend of Gonzo (Hunter Thompson), the artwork is by Ralph Steadman & the brewery helped change law to take sensorship off bottles.

"Good beer, no ****."

Aparently the FEDs says its ok to say **** .... but not the HBT site, lol

 

[Tonedef131]

They are not all the same. The fist pump is an integral part of their company creed/mission, therefore it is on most of their bottles. Continuity is something that sells product...it's good marketing. Their design is top notch, and they clearly take time and are creative, and I'd think painted/screened labels should reflect that.

Check out the Morimoto "labels" and tell me that's not good design.
http://www.rogue.com/beers/morimoto-soba-ale.php

And I'm no crazy Rogue lover, but based on the ridiculous number of awards, I'd say the beer is a little better than "mediocre at best."

Well clearly it is good marketing because they appear to be selling beer in every state in the nation. But to me I hate their design, I don't care if a fist pump is integral to your company mission I am sick of looking at it. I do dig the Morimoto labels, but those are the exception. I still don't buy those either because I think their beer sucks out loud.

Also thirding the complete lack of interest in the Flying Dog labels, they are chaotic and distracting. I basically agree with everything DRoyLenz posted about them

As for Founders, they are for the most part pretty uninteresting but the Breakfast Stout label is kinda awesome, I just like looking at it.

 

[Sinalikesbeer]

Another one that irritates me is those Rogue labels, they always just have somebody on there with a beer in one hand and their other hand making a first in the air. They literally could not be less creative. A chili beer so they put a dude in a sombrero, Shakespeare stout so they have a fella who looks like Shakespeare...really? That's it? It doesn't help that they are printed on so they aren't easy to reuse and the beer is mediocre at best. No Rogue for me thank you.

I agree with the labels kinda being lame, but I do enjoy a good bit of there beers. We are a nation of consumers, and it is only natural to relate an image with our mood or taste.

I am as indecisive as they come. I will literally sit and look into the cooler and shelves at the Beer/liquor store for over 30 min not knowing what I want to drink. Chocolate stout? Pumpkin ale? IPA? And I am always looking to try something new. So as I am debating on what to get, I will tend to go for the label that stands out and is appealing to me.

But of course never judge a book by its cover.

 

[Scimmia]

It goes without saying that I now studiously avoid any beers sporting labels depicting horses, or even just the word Kentucky.

That's too bad, as Kentucky Breakfast Stout from Founders is one not to be missed.

Generally the artwork doesn't matter to me, the only thing I find annoying is when a label doesn't even say what style of beer it is. Not worth messing with them at that point.

 

[tcklord]

I like goofy labels like http://tommyknocker.com/ourBeer.html
There aren't too many labels that I really dislike. Usually simple is better though like New Glarus' simple easy to remove labels http://www.newglarusbrewing.com/Beers.cfm?BeerCategoryID=1

 

[JKoravos]

If I saw a beer with a label like Tonedef's avatar, I definitely would steer clear of it. Yikes.

Magic Hat labels have always annoyed me, and generally kept me from buying their beer. The majority of the time there isn't even an indication of what style the beer is. Just some lame whimsical description that tells you nothing about the beer. I want information on my label, dammit!

As for labels i like, Haverhill Brewery springs to mind.

 

[Tonedef131]

If I saw a beer with a label like Tonedef's avatar, I definitely would steer clear of it. Yikes.

Haha and you should my friend...and you should. It cracks me up when people don't get my avatar and probably just assume I'm some weird horse enthusiast or some ****.

 

[the_bird]

Meh. I'm more than a little surprised to see people being so heavily influenced by beer labels. I don't particularly care for the fish on Bell's Two Hearted Ale, but I had heard enough outstanding things about it that the label wasn't going to deter me from trying it. It's not like I look at that and think "I don't like fishy beers."

I agree that I want the label to give me some kind of indication as to the beet style, but when I'm standing in front of the cooler, if I'm deciding between "Beer A" and "Beer B" it's usually based on things like:

Have I tried anything of theirs before?
Is this a beer that I've heard people raving about?

Things like that. I like the Flying Dog labels, but I buy the beer because it's usually very good.

If anything, I might say that the Magic Hat labels give the impression of a firm that's more interesting in marketing than in making good beer, but the only way that I know that is because I've had (and been disappointed by) enough of their beers.

Hell, some of the best beer I've had is from McNeill's, who until recently was applying labels by hand - often, they were literally sheets of colored paper that were printed (probably on a laser printer) and glued on. Don't get any more rudimentary than that! Far less "professional" that I've seen people here do for their homebrew, but that gives you not one iota of a clue about the quality of the beer inside.

 

[Tonedef131]

I might say that the Magic Hat labels give the impression of a firm that's more interesting in marketing than in making good beer

That's funny, thier beer gives me the same impression.

 

[motobrewer]

Magic Hat labels have always annoyed me, and generally kept me from buying their beer. The majority of the time there isn't even an indication of what style the beer is.

for sure, magic hat labels are hard to read. i bought a mix-pack of them, it included a "odd notion" series or something, no description at all. wasn't very good.

 

[methane]

Bottles? Pass me a can of Oskar Blues any day. And personally, I love the messages that the canners write on the bottoms of them.

 

[the_bird]

That's funny, thier beer gives me the same impression.

It's not just the labels, though, it's having the labels and experience with the beers. If some other company had MH-esque labels, I can't say that it would attract me to them or push me away. Labels are just... 99.8% irrelevant.

 

[Tonedef131]

Bottles? Pass me a can of Oskar Blues any day. And personally, I love the messages that the canners write on the bottoms of them.

Yeah I am not ashamed to admit I am totally biased towards cans. On things like Fat Tire where it is availible in bottles or cans...you would have to be nuts to choose the bottles.

 

[DRoyLenz]

Meh. I'm more than a little surprised to see people being so heavily influenced by beer labels. I don't particularly care for the fish on Bell's Two Hearted Ale, but I had heard enough outstanding things about it that the label wasn't going to deter me from trying it. It's not like I look at that and think "I don't like fishy beers."

That really is the effective statement here. You were informed about the beer itself, which, when you get down to it, really is what you want. I don't like the Fish either, and I was deterred away from it. When I finally did get it for the first time a few months ago, WOW, it was amazing. Having heard good reviews on it, however, overcame your initial deterrence from the beer.

I agree that I want the label to give me some kind of indication as to the beet style, but when I'm standing in front of the cooler, if I'm deciding between "Beer A" and "Beer B" it's usually based on things like:

Have I tried anything of theirs before?
Is this a beer that I've heard people raving about?

There are definitely factors that help people make these decisions that are larger than the labels. But I think you underestimate the power of marketing. Not to say that the label has everything to do with it, but I think, all things the same, you are more likely to pick up the bottle of beer that has the more 'attractive' label than the other. Billions of dollars go in to market research for a reason, because people are swayed, heavily, by their first-impression of a product. Some people are swayed more than others, but everyone is swayed to a certain degree.

Yeah I am not ashamed to admit I am totally biased towards cans. On things like Fat Tire where it is availible in bottles or cans...you would have to be nuts to choose the bottles.

That's strange, because, for me, I'm very much swayed AWAY from cans. I don't really know why, but I would MUCH rather drink from a bottle than a can. Strange...

Sorry if that was a bit off topic.

 

[the_bird]

Well, who the hell DRINKS from the bottle? That's why Jesus came down from the mountain and gave us the pint glass.

I wish I could get good beer in cans, but we don't seem to have any of the good canned micros around here.

I understand the whole marketing aspect, but I guess I know enough about the beers available where I have *something* to go by other than the label. It's pretty rare that I see a beer from a company I've got no knowledge of.

 

[Tonedef131]

That's strange, because, for me, I'm very much swayed AWAY from cans. I don't really know why, but I would MUCH rather drink from a bottle than a can. Strange...

well as the bird said I am not drinking it out of the bottle or the can, and in every other aspect the can is far superior to the bottle.

 

[JKoravos]

If anything, I might say that the Magic Hat labels give the impression of a firm that's more interesting in marketing than in making good beer, but the only way that I know that is because I've had (and been disappointed by) enough of their beers.

Hell, some of the best beer I've had is from McNeill's, who until recently was applying labels by hand - often, they were literally sheets of colored paper that were printed (probably on a laser printer) and glued on. Don't get any more rudimentary than that! Far less "professional" that I've seen people here do for their homebrew, but that gives you not one iota of a clue about the quality of the beer inside.

I agree on Magic Hat. I'd bet my life savings that it was started by a non-brewer, possibly not even a beer aficionado. Every beer I've had from them is somewhere between mediocre and undrinkable. It's been a long time since I;ve bought a beer from them, and that has nothing to do with the labels.

I do have to admit, the ghetto-ness of McNeill's labels has probably steered me away from their beer. I can't say I've never had it, but it's certainly been a while. I'll have to pick some up now that you raved about them.