What’s old is new again

At the beginning of this year, New Belgium Brewing revealed a new look and feel with a portfolio-wide packaging refresh. The new design reimagines New Belgium’s watercolor imagery from the past 22 years through a modern lens. Originally hand-painted by Ann Fitch, Co-founder Kim Jordan’s neighbor, the new label design was created by Hatch Design of San Francisco and features an illustration by artist Leah Giberson, as Fitch recently announced her retirement from commercial production. “This colorful, handcrafted look has been with us since our inception, and the new design brings the portfolio together in a fresh and contemporary way,” the company said in a statement. “We know that while the watercolors will always be part of the New Belgium story, we think the new designs will delight our long-time fans while also inviting new folks into the fold.” Each image on the labels begins as a photo and then is repainted by hand, and many varietals, including Fat Tire and Ranger, are reimages of the original themes.

Sustainable changes

Snoqualmie Winery introduced new packaging for its entire portfolio. Featuring a contemporary new look, Snoqualmie’s redesigned packaging also embodies the winery’s commitment to fostering a sustainable environment, the company explains. This includes investments in sustainable packaging materials such as lightweight glass bottles, which weigh 397 grams. The bottles are made with 25 percent less glass than an average wine bottle and require less fuel to transport, resulting in a 13 percent reduction in carbon emissions, it adds. Additionally, labels and other printed materials are made from 100 percent post-consumer waste materials stock; the corks and labels are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council; and the corks are certified by the Rainforest Alliance. Snoqualmie’s new labels also feature a visual of the mountain pass that serves as the gateway to Washington wine country. As part of its new packaging, Snoqualmie also simplified its tiers of wines to make it easier for consumers to identify on-shelf. This includes renaming the Naked line to ECO and color-coding each tier to create clear differentiation.

Take your pick

So that consumers don’t have to worry about which beer to purchase, Stevens Point Brewery released a new Point variety 12-pack that contains its four new India Pale Ales (IPAs): Point Spruce Tip IPA, Point Peach Mango IPA, Point White IPA and Point One Shot IPA. These limited-edition brews feature different hop varieties and malts in each batch and are available only in the IPA variety packs, which contain three 12-ounce longneck bottles of each new IPA. The variety pack  is being introduced wherever Point’s handcrafted beers are sold, the company says. “The IPA variety pack is a perfect IPA sampling opportunity, a showcase for the wide range of possibilities the IPA style offers,” said Joe Martino, Stevens Point Brewery operating partner, in a statement.

Retro inspiration

Rittenhouse Bottled-In-Bond Straight Rye Whisky is getting a label redesign with graphic elements from its original post-Prohibition packaging. Designed to create a more premium look that reinforces the authenticity and historic significance of the brand, the new labels and capsule closure evoke the Art Deco style of the 1930s, the company says. The new labels maintain the burgundy and black color palette and the brand logotype but utilize them in a redesigned face label that is based on classic Art Deco Rittenhouse Rye labels of the 1930s, when the brand was known as Rittenhouse Square Rye, the company says. The main graphic motif that has been revived from the original packaging is the diamond geometric design around the logotype, which also contains the “100 proof” and the “Straight Rye Whisky” designations, which also were featured on the original post-Prohibition labels. The redesign also brings back the tax stamp, which was originally mandated as proof of the “bottled-in-bond” status, with a printed neck capsule that adds a classic and more upscale feel, it adds.

Debut performance

In May, Red Hare Brewing Co. introduced its Red Hare craft beer in Novelis’ evercan packaging in key markets throughout the southeastern United States. Evercan packaging is made of independently certified high-recycled-content aluminum sheeting. In particular, it is composed of at least 90 percent recycled content, it says. “Novelis’ evercan is a perfect fit for Red Hare,” said Roger Davis, founder and chief executive officer of Red Hare Brewing, in a statement. “The independent certification of the closed-loop recycling process behind evercan strengthens our commitment to employing the best in sustainable business practices, making evercan a natural extension of the Red Hare brand.”

Boxed water

 Icebox Water unveiled a new packaging design for its premium Canadian spring water. The 16.9-ounce pressed paper packaging is BPA-free, Forest Stewardship Council certified, and 100 percent recyclable. It also boasts a 76 percent smaller carbon footprint, the company says. “Icebox Water is enjoying a high consumer demand as a premium product created and committed to clean up our environment one box at a time,” said Robert Emmons, president of Icebox Water, in a statement. “By updating the brand visually, we plan to take Icebox Water to the next level — successfully providing Americans nationwide with a better choice for hydration and satisfaction that simultaneously allows them to contribute in making a difference in our environment and the world.”