A friend of mine sent me a link to a very nicely designed bottle of beer called UNITY BEER. Upon a closer look I noticed a small Puma logo on the label. Josh Spear’s blog says “Puma created a special beer as part of their “Unity” campaign”  brewed by South African brewers, Collective Sao Gabriel. Collective Sao Gabriel has an extremely intelligent approach to their brewing… they visited some of the oldest family-run breweries in Europe to learn about how to make artisan-produced beer. Another aspect of this beer peaked my interest, Puma’s UNITY Campaign. This is an extremely noble cause that tries to unite all African nations to preserve the bio-diversity of Africa. If you are in South Africa for the World Cup this year, support Puma’s UNITY Campaign by drinking UNITY BEER and buying the uniforms for the Cameroon National team!

The Brew Crew is a Central Florida group of beer-loving humans that work for Schenck Co., one of Central Florida’s largest beer distributors. As the wisest chimp in my habitat, I’ve learned to keep my eyes and ears open for the latest technological breakthroughs in anything beer related. This group has not only become savvy with social media  (having updates on events they have around town on their twitter, blog, and a facebook page) but they have come up with an online map that can help you track you where your favorite, hard to find, beer. They cleverly call it the beertracker (Oh, those clever humans… what will they come up next? Come up with a banana extractor, then I’ll be impressed.) All kidding aside, this is an awesome tool that tells you where a beer that they distribute can be found… either at a bar, liquor store, convenience store, or grocery store.

Hit them up on facebook for updates on the Central Florida Highland Games where spectators and Scott athletes alike drank about 109 kegs of Dunedin Brewery’s beer. That should be an event at next years games, if you ask me. I’d call it the Scottish Drink-Off!

Awesome infographic by the folks at The Oatmeal. Apparently if you brewed a bad batch of beer in ancient babylon, your punishment was to be drowned in it. Who knew?!? (Those Babylonians definitely deserved it!)

I’ve been so busy with my work that I have completely been ignoring “la revolución”. I am a terrible leader, but I will be making up for it. Tonight I’ll be going out to happy hour for the first time in a while, and I’m super excited! People have to remember two things about a good happy hour: Good food at a good price and quality beer at cheap prices! Deals! It’s all about finding good deals. Now some people will go to 4-4-1’s but you will most likely get Bud Light (i.e. Grade-A Swill) and eat nasty wings that cost 10¢. I for one have matured past that stage and am now a sophisticated silverback that enjoys quality. That is why tonight I will be going to Bar Louie! This place has it all: half off appetizers, a good vibe, outside seating area, and best of all, $3 Rogue Dead Guy Ale on tap. Now they have other beers, but the best value is the Dead Guy, hands down! It’s hard to find that beer for that price in most places here in the great state of Florida… so tonight… I will be drowning in it!

¡VIVA HAPPY HOUR!

I had the opportunity to make a quick trip to a city/state that loves American Craft Beer almost as much as I do. Minneapolis, Minnesota! I knew that Minnesotans loved their beer, with about 13 breweries in the state… but I didn’t know how much brew history there was. The state of Minnesota is home to the second oldest family run brewery in the United States, August Schell Brewing Co. It survived the Sioux Uprising and prohibition remaining family owned thorough out that time! I found out about Schell’s history after trying some of their beer… which makes it even more interesting. During my first full day in Minneapolis I stopped at a bunch of different drinking establishments… an impromptu bar hop/crawl/swing starting at 3:00pm. The first stop was Old Chicago Restaurant and Tavern, a national chain that boasts over 101 beers. I enjoyed both samplers I tried. One was the American Craft Beer sampler and the other was a Staff’s Choice sampler. The staffs choice was great since it had some local beer like Surly Furious. It had a nice hoppy taste with a smooth finish. From there I stopped for a couple of games and some beers  at Bryant-Lake Bowl. This tiny bowling alley with only 8 lanes was extremely well maintained and was chocked full of character… it begged us to come in! After two very fun games And some Summit Extra Pale Ale we decided to make our way to the next stop… The Herkimer Pub and Brewery. This place had about five beers they brew at the premises. We tried the Sky Pilot Kellerbier and the Alt Bier during their happy hour (2 for 1!!!) At this point I was a bit too tipsy to remember what the beer was tasting like… I just know it was tasty. Next up was The C.C. Club a small bar with a pool table on our way back to the hotel. I had an old favorite… Fat Tire from a slightly surly (not related to the beer) bartender. It was smooth and chewy with some nice sweet bitterness… just like I remember it. After a quick game of pool and dirty looks to the bartender I decided to call it a night at 9:30pm. My first night in Minneapolis was full of fun times, cool places, nice people and great beers. Cant wait to come back!

I believe that design is an important part of selling anything. Unless you are a connoisseur the only thing that is influencing you when you are staring at hundreds of bottles of beer is the packaging. It has to stand out enough to make you pick it up and say “Maybe I’ll try this one”. After that it’s up to the actual beer to speak for itself once you taste it. There are surprisingly few breweries that understand this… I congratulate the ones that have put considerable effort in trying to stand out. Here are the Top 10:

Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock

#10- Samuel Adams, Chocolate Bock

I love the way that they used the raised type and metal finish to create a feeling of exclusivity and fanciness. I wish they would have done something nicer with the shape of the actual sticker, but overall this Limited Edition brew feels like a special bottle of beer and that’s one way to get the consumer to pick up your product. Haven’t tried this bottle yet, but it looks like I might, if I find it.

Hair of the Dog, Ruth

#9- Hair of the Dog, Ruth All American Ale

I really like the way the type is set, the illustration of the dog, and the color scheme on this label. The bold type and color choices make this bottle stand out in a shelf full of beers, that’s a good thing. All of their labels have similar designs except for different color combinations, so it also gives them a strong brand connection as well. It might not seem like anything special, but it’s simple, readable, and well-crafted label caught my eye. I pretend to be as bad-ass as that dog too… but I look silly in the hat.

COHOHO

#8- Midnight Sun Brewing Company, Cohoho! Imperial IPA

Festive and colorful, this bottle truly does stand out from the crowd like a ape in a tracksuit (trust me… even tracksuits cant help this ape blend in to the New jersey douchebag bars). A lot of labels have clashing type and illustration styles, so the hand-illustrated type is nice because it goes perfectly with the style of the illustration and the theme of X-mas. Kudos to Midnight Sun Brewing Company for bringing out colorful and crazy labels from such a cold place (Alaska people… Alaska is bringing the heat!).

Titan IPA

#7- Great Divide Brewing Company, Titan IPA

This is the first of these beers that I have tried (tasty), so I can tell you from experience that the design influenced me to pick up this six-pack. The Great Divide Brewing Company is located in Denver and their branding revolves around outdoor activities found in the area (from rock climbing to mountain biking). All their labels have similar type treatments and style so that their brand is coherent and speaks to the consumer that might not only share similar interest, but also to those who are just looking for a quality beer. Also the distressed type perfectly compliment the theme of getting outside and maybe a little dirty.

Dogfish Head, Midas Touch

#6- Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Midas Touch Handcrafted Ancient Ale

I have also tried this truly interesting beer from Dogfish Head. It’s one of their only beers that deviates from their shark logo labels (which I’m not a fan of), I believe that was done to differentiate it as a more premium selection from them, since the price is a bit higher than most of their other beers. The type is elegant with a ancient Greek feel without hitting you over the head wit it. The color scheme also works really well using complimentary colors (purple and a gold yellow). The thumb print adds some extra texture to it to bring some interest to a very simple label. I also really like how the thumb print is repeated and reversed (color-wise) on the bottle neck. Too bad more of Dogfish Head’s packaging doesn’t have the similar “golden touch” I see in this design.

Ara Bier

#5- De Dolle Brouwers, De Dolle Ara Bier

This is one of the tastiest beers I have ever had and the main reason why I tried it is because my friend (now girlfriend and huge fan of my blog ) really liked the label when she saw it in the beer selection book at Redlight Redlight. Its playful and simple illustration style is extremely inviting and… what the hell… the label is just damn cute! The type works perfectly with the illustration and adds to it’s whimsical character. If you haven’t tried this beer, it’s not only fun to look at, it’s fun to drink. Enjoy!

Hitachino Nest Beer

#4- Kiuchi Brewery, Hitachino Nest Beer

Hitachino Nest Beers big bottle’s design don’t change from style to style except for the bottom sticker that reflects what style it is. I’m showing their Red Rice Ale, which I haven’t tried. The bright colors and the iconic looking owl logo really stand out from the brown bottle. This beer is made in Japan and the style of the owl and the type reflect that aesthetic. The first time I tried a Nest Beer I had gotten take-out sushi and was looking for a Japanese beer to go with it that wasn’t a typical Sapporo or Kirin. This beer instantly told me “I’m from Japan… and I’m interesting”.

Rogue XS

#3- Rogue Brewery, XS

Rogue Ales is one of America’s best known craft beers for a reason, great tasting beers and smart marketing. All their bottle designs are great, but I really like their XS bottles. The opaque black bottle and simple vertical type really stand out. It’s simple, elegant, and almost dangerous with it’s color scheme of black, red, and gray. The rubber stopper is an extra element that adds to the specialness of the bottle. This beer makes me want to start a beer revolution (oh wait… I’m already trying that).

Flying Dog

#2- Flying Dog Brewery, Flying Dog (Doggie Style) Classic Pale Ale

Flying Dog Classic Pale Ale was one of the first craft beers to come out with a provocative design and put the beer world on notice that there was a change in the wind. This funky and slightly deranged label was designed and illustrated by Ralph Steadman, The famous illustrator that collaborated with Hunter S. Thomson on Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. His style gives the beer a sense of edginess by the way he attacks the paper with his ink splattering ink all over. He flings ink like I fling poop… angry but beautiful.

Rogue Morimoto Series

#1- Rogue Ales, Morimoto Imperial Pilsner

And at the top of the list is another beautifully designed bottle by Rogue Ales. For this beer they partnered with Iron Chef Morimoto and produced the Morimoto Signature series that includes the Soba Ale and Black Obi Soba Ale. This bottle stands out because of the white finish that makes the strong and colorful calligraphy really “POP” (I hate using the word “pop” but it seemed actually appropriate, for once). The colors are beautiful, the calligraphy is incredible, and the bottle as a whole is completely unique. It is one of those few bottles that doubles as a work of art that you might keep after drinking… and that makes it the beer bottle that stands out the most out of all the bottles that I’ve seen in my humble ape-inion.

*I’d like to thank BeelLabels.com for providing me with a resource in order to research beer bottle and label designs. Please check out their site if you are interested in finding out what other beers might have interesting labels, or just curious about finding out more about breweries and beer from around the world.

Beer Wars the Movie

Check for screening locations for this very interesting looking film about how craft beer is taking on the giant breweries of America in a no-holds-barred battle for beer drinkers’ souls. Beer Wars explains why WE, as consumers, shouldn’t let “THE MAN” tell us what to like. Try some of these small micro and craft brews available in millions of bars, liquor stores, and even super markets and make up your own mind. Check for screening locations throughout the country to get your tickets. POWER TO THE BEER DRINKERS!

Hitachino Nest Beer

Today, this humble ape has decided to spotlight Kiuchi Brewery’s Hitachino Nest Beer line. I am a huge fan ever since I tried their amazing White Ale more than a year ago. I had ordered some sushi from a restaurant near by and felt like drinking a nice Japanese beer to go with it… little did I know I would end up with this very European (Belgian) style White Ale. The only one of their line that i have heard is o.k. is the Red Rice Ale… but until I try it, I’ll reserve my judgment.

So far, all the beers I’ve tried from them have made me feel like a silverback… pounding my chest in victory!

Weyerbacher Blanche

I’ve gotten tired of saving empty beer bottles (yes, I wash them out!), so I can remember what beers I like and why. So I decided to photograph all the empty beer bottles I have saved so far and put them online for all to see. Now on to the first beer!

It’s getting pretty hot here in sunny Orlando, FL so I’ve been drinking a lot of Heffenweizens, Wit Beers, and Pale Ales recently. Weyerbacher Blanche is a really nice and refreshing Wit Beer from Belgium… the land of giants and rubber stoppers, or so i’ve heard.

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