Pack of the Month: How Helms Workshop Crafted a Redesign For Big Rock, the Pioneers of Alberta Beer

Published

March 3, 2026

Filed under

Beer & Malt Beverage Packaging, Interviews, Redesigns

Three hands holding cans of Big Rock Grasshopper Wheat Ale, featuring vibrant yellow labels with a grasshopper design.

Helms Workshop creates a woodcut-inspired redesign for Big Rock Brewery that’s as rugged as the wilds of Alberta.
Bold colors, beautiful illustration, and “Calgary swagger” led to a massive 47% jump in sales.

When it comes to beer branding, some commonplace design wisdom is that you should make the logo or wordmark resemble something akin to a bar sign, whatever lights well in neon and can serve as a billboard for the thirsty.

Nowhere does it say to use a woodcut aesthetic on those beer cans.

Bill McCool

Bill McCool is an editor and writer based out of Los Angeles. Though new to the world of design, he has always been a storyteller by trade and he seeks to inspire and cultivate a sense of awe with the work and artists he profiles. When he’s not winning over his daughters with the art of the Dad joke, he is usually working on a pilot, watching the Phillies, or cooking an elaborate meal for his wife.