SOME OF THE FINEst CRAFT BREWERIES in the country I'VE BEEN FORTUNATE TO WORK WITH DIRECTLY OR IN COLLABORATION.
craft beer & brewing magazine READERS' POLL OF THEIR 'FAVORITE BREWERIES' FOR 2025—BREWERIES I'VE ILLUSTRATED & DESIGNED LABELS WITH ARE CIRCLED.
Before becoming a graphic designer, one of the industries I dreamt of breaking into was beer labels and packaging. There was a magnetic draw to the artistic freedom these products granted — even demanded — in order to help stand apart from all other packaging on the busy shelf. Fast forward, and I've been blessed with the opportunity to work with some of the best craft breweries in the country. Check out some of the results of our collaboration below. Cheers!
One of the preeminent craft breweries in the Pacific Northwest and voted in the top five Midsize Regional breweries in the country by Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine, Fort George Brewery is located in the beautiful coastal city of Astoria, Oregon.
Fort George Focus | Seasonal west coast IPa series
Image Creation | PACKAGING design
FOCUS was a fall seasonal West Coast IPA brewed by Fort George which appeared on the shelves at all major retailers in the region. Beginning as a Craft Brewers Conference one-off collaboration (blue / purple color-way) with Crosby Hops in 2022, the beer was so well received that it was brewed annually for three seasons!
The label art conveys a depth of field using many pairs of stylized hops which exist on different planes of vision. The lone exception to their traditional beer-title typography, FOCUS displays a blurred treatment of its title and Fort George company logo, complementing the graphic concept of the artwork.
Multiple label color-ways signify different batches with varying hop profiles during various years of production.
Creative Direction: brian bovenizer | marketing & Sales Director | Fort george brewery
Voted a top-ten favorite Small Regional brewery by Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine in 2025, Westbound & Down specializes in craft beer with deep Colorado roots that aims to infuse the spirit of the West into everything they create. I've developed a great working relationship with the brewery's creative director, Eric Schmidt, over the last few years, designing dozens of beer labels, along with all other forms of brand assets, from product sheets and signage to a keg collar and truck wrap.
WestERN SKIES | West Coast IPA
illustration | PACKAGING design
Westbound -x- cerebral | shapeshifter hazy IPA
illustration | PACKAGING design
Westbound Select | award-winning West Coast IPA
illustration | PACKAGING design
Four pack of select proudly displaying its GABF Gold.
PUBLICATION page of craft beer & brewing magazine highlighting westbound select.
Recipients of the Brewery of the Year award at the Great American Beer Festival in 2025, Westbound struck gold at this event in 2023 with their delicious Westbound Select, taking home first place for West Coast-Style IPA — their first gold in this coveted category.
After winning gold, Westbound decided it was time for Select to be canned and available in the grocer's fridge. It was a quick "yes" when they reached out to offer me the privilege of creating Westbound Select's first label, and I jumped at the opportunity.
Final Artwork
Initial concept sketches
The inspiration behind the label concept came from the hop selection process. Much like the meticulous nature of a jeweler examining a gem stone using a loupe, brewers study the characteristics of hops during the sensory process and hand-select those of the highest quality for their intended recipe.
westbound -x- north park | Spirit of the fu! new zealand IPa
illustration | PACKAGING design
How the West Was One | Single hop west coast IPa series
illustration | PACKAGING design
'how the west was one' color variants representing different single-hop profiles, Including Mosaic, which won gold for west coast-style ipa at the great American beer festival in 2025.
How the West Was One — a series of West Coast IPAs showcasing a single hop varietal — was my first collaboration with Westbound & Down.
Beginning with Strata CGX, which was a featured collaboration between the brewery and Crosby Hops for the Craft Brewers Conference in 2023, I continued to work with Westbound on three more color variations of label artwork which feature Strata, Citra, and Mosaic hops, respectively. This series of beers has become a staple for the brewery and their customers.
Creative Direction: Eric Schmidt | creative Director | westbound & Down Brewing company
