Brookston Beer Bulletin

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The Artist Behind 21st Amendment’s New Cans

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UK-based illustrator Joe Wilson, whose clients include such high-powered companies as Adidas, British Airways, De Beers, GQ, Random House and Wired, designed the new artwork adorning the new 21st Amendment Brewery beer cans. So given his work for Wired, I suppose it’s no surprise that they featured his art on their Underwire Blog in a post entitled Chimp Astronaut Spaces Out in 21st Amendment Brewery’s ‘American Icon’ Artwork.

In an e-mail interview for the post, Wilson talked about the project. Regarding Bitter American. “That was a nice idea to center it around Ham the Astrochimp, who was undoubtedly a bitter American.”

The brewery’s marketing firm, TBD Agency, hired Smith on the strength of a Statue of Liberty illustration he did for Public Finance magazine. “They asked me to create a series of images based around the loose theme ‘American icons,'” Wilson said. “They already had the names of the beers, so this was a case of coming up with American subject matter and giving it a twist.”

21st Amendment wanted to establish a cheeky alternative to its mainstream competitors and that’s precisely what Wilson delivered with his drawings of the space chimp and other American icons. For the history-on-a-can theme, Wilson drew Paul Revere (for a black IPA called Back in Black), Abe Lincoln and his Mount Rushmore companions (Brew Free or Die IPA), the Statue of Liberty (Hell or High Watermelon wheat beer) and Franklin D. Roosevelt (Fireside Chat winter spiced ale).

Below are Wilson’s original sketches followed by the finished can label for each beer.

Brew Free or Die IPA

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HoHW_Revise_022211

Hell or High Watermelon

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HoHW_Revise_022211

Bitter American

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21a-bitter-american-sk1

HoHW_Revise_022211

Back in Black

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21a-back-in-black

Fireside Chat

21a-fireside-chat-sk

HoHW_Revise_022211

It’s cool to see the changes — look carefully — from rough sketch to finished artwork. You can see more of Joe Wilson’s artwork at his website and at debut art.

Beer In Ads #497: Know The Real Joy Of Good Living …

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Tuesday’s holiday ad is for Schlitz, from 1959. The ad shows a couple, with the man holding a beer and the woman a small, wrapped Christmas gift. But what’s not clear is whether they’re outside or if that snowy tree-lined scene behind them is looking through a large window. Because they don’t look like they’re dressed warmly enough to be outside, but I see no signs of a window, either. But I love the slogan. “Know the real joy of good living ….”

Schlitz-1959-xmasgift

Beer In Art #152: Diego Rivera Self-Portrait

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This week’s work of art is by the renowned Mexican artist Diego Rivera. He was known for his political murals and being married to artist Frida Kahlo, but early in his career, when he was about 21, he painted a self-portrait of himself wearing a big black hat. In the painting he’s sitting a table at what perhaps is an outdoor cafe. He’s also drinking a bottle of beer out of a glass, both of which are also on the table. It’s actually believed to be only the fourth painting Rivera completed. Today it hangs in Mexico City’s Museo Dolores Olmedo Patino.

Rivera_Self-Portrait_1907

I can’t tell what the beer from 1907 might be. It’s a green bottle and looks like the cork was covered in silver foil before it was opened.

You can read Rivera’s biography at Wikipedia, the Artchive or at Diego-Rivera.com. Plus,
<em>Diego Rivera, Art and life is available online. You can also see more of Rivera’s works at Olga’s Gallery, Diego-Rivera.com and the Nader Library.

Guinness Ad #97: Overprotective Rhino

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Our 97th Guinness ad shows an original sketch for ad that may or may not have ever been used. It shows a rhinoceros in the zoo, with the zookeeper peering around the corner as the rhino holds on to his bottle of Guinness for dear life. I think it’s safe to assume he’s not getting that beer back. The slogan for the ad is “My Goodness, My Guinness.”

Guinness-rhino-sketch

Beer In Ads #495: Seasons Greetings From Miss Rheingold

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Friday’s holiday ad is for Rheingold, featuring Miss Rheingold for 1953, Mary Austin. With the house and her outfit, it’s a white Christmas contrasted nicely by the green wreath. Simple, with no overtly beery or selling elements whatsoever. It’s actually tasteful. Seasons Greetings indeed.

Rheingold-1953-xmas

Beer In Ads #494: This Year Buy Him A Beer

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Thursday’s ad is holiday ad for Michelob, from 1963. Their suggestion, “This year buy him a beer” seems like a good one, though in truth Michelob probably wouldn’t be the one I”d want, but maybe that’s just me. I love how they spin it in the ad copy. They refer to giving Michelob as an “unhackneyed” gift, “whether beer lover or bottle fancier.”

michelob-xmas-12-06-1963