Good People Brewing Co., the oldest brewery in Alabama, has now canned Bearded Lady, one of their most popular taproom brews that was for years available as a summer seasonal only. Bearded Lady is Good People’s take on the traditional wheat beer. As a light-bodied beer, and their smoothest to date, it appeals to craft beer connoisseurs and newcomers alike. The design, by Lewis Communications in Birmingham, is at once delicate and bold with a sense of humor that’s more smile-in-the-mind than knee-slapping.

With so many ales out on the market, Good People Brewing definitely needed to package their product in something striking, something that would make a consumer do a double-take. By incorporating humor into their brand identity, the beverage becomes memorable and the can a possible collectible item.

“Good People Brewing Company‘s Bearded Lady had been available on tap for nearly a year before we were approached to design the can. They had been promoting it with an Alphonse Mucha-inspired painting. We soon discovered that trying to preserve the intricacies of that approach came at the expense of shelf-presence. We then explored more obvious directions that borrowed from sideshow handbills and circus typography. But since we all loved the idea of making our lady as attractive as possible — despite/because of her defining characteristic — the ‘freak’ angle felt mean (i.e. not in the nature of the good people at Good People). Further, again, these directions did not feel on-brand. We arrived at the final design by aiming for a tone of reverence — an elegance achieved through simplicity and a sense of playfulness.”