12 Instagrammable Can and Bottle Art Designs for Lake County Flavor Festival 2024
By: Jonathan Jones 01/23/2024
"Great wine requires a madman to grow the vine, a wise man to watch over it, a lucid poet to make it and a lover to drink it," said clock-melting impressionist and libation-drinking genius Salvador Dail.
From pop culture trends to classic designs to other random references, a connection is created with the libation drinker and the can and/or bottle through its art designs.
Can and bottle art designs play a significant role in consumers buying said drink. Many of these pieces are stunning and intricate. While the partners on the Lake County Libation Trail definitely don't skimp on the overall vibe of the adult beverage, they unquestionably have a keen eye on what designs are being slapped on their concoctions.
In this piece, we look at 12 Instagrammable can and bottle art designs as we celebrate the inaugural Lake County February Favor Festival (stay tuned for more details).
Make sure during February; you note your attendance at one of these maker’s facilities as sippers have a chance to win a free Libation Trail t-shirt. So let’s explore these land of lakes Instagrammable can and bottle art designs.
*Note: The libations listed may not be available due to small batch production. However, each Lake County Libation Trail partner has myriad adult beverages to enjoy.*
Warhol Red 2021
Female moguls influenced the creation of this vino and the artwork. Names like Grace Jones, Debbie, Edie Sedgwick, Bianca Jagger and more provide innovation of this Malbec-Syrah, while the design is Andy Warhol vibe. This ode to the women working at Lynfred Winery provides oediphiles with notes of roses, violets, blueberries and hints of mint created to invade your palate with all the feels. The 2021 offering was crafted to celebrate the Glen Ellyn, Illinois Cleve Carney Museum of Art's exhibit, "Andy Warhol Portfolios: A Life of Pop." During Flavor Festival, you can enjoy this with Spanakopita lasagna, spicy phorito, Mexican Ravioli and salty cheese like Grana Padano and Asiago. The 13.5% alcohol by volume (ABV) adult beverage is 60% Malbec and 40% Syrah.
Amore Mio
The Italian expression directly translates to "my love." Even though passion bleeds Roman, the sour brew is a German-tasting beer with the suds originating in the town of Goslar. The Gose Ale is infused with almond and orange blossom with creates a stellar amaretto palate. The bitterness is complemented by the floral and citrus pops as teh tanginess of passion fruit also bleeds through. It's a beer that kind of tastes like a cocktail. The art is magnifico, showcasing an authentic little town with the simliar vibes of a Germanic or Italian city hidden in the hills, but right on the sea. Board your gondola on this artwork of the 7% ABV voyage, but watch out for those dragons because you don't know if they are friend or foe.
Diversey Station
The imagery captures an exceptional sketching of an old-timey scene in the Logan Square neighborhood in the Second City. However, the real story speaks on the Highland Park second location, born out of the original Maplewood Train Station, which stands today as tribute. This cross between old and new is represented in their crushable, juicy session ale that combines the drinkability of traditional beers with the hop-forward flavors loved today. The Ravinia Brewing Co. session ale won a bronze medal at the Great American Beer Festival in 2022.
Sirène Absinth Verte
"Beautiful, both in the Art nouveau-inspired bottle as well as in the glass where it touches to opalescent yellow-green," written by "The Wine Enthusiast" magazine. This Green Oaks libation is created with anise seed, fennel and grand wormwood, providing a rich and nuanced flavor. The duet of distillery owners Sonja and Derek Kassebaum modeled this flavor after their collective favorite absinthes from past European trips. The bottle art is elegant but simplistic in a way. The North Shore Distillery's beverage is 120 proof and 60% ABV.
Promotion to Satellite
The Waukegan brewhouse recently introduced its newest offering featuring the shot story of Promotion to Satellite. The Greentown griot offering is an India pale ale loaded with Idaho7, Idaho Gem, XJA2 and Bru-1 hops. This 6.8% ABV ale is tapped and ready for consumption. Oh yeah, and the artwork is a mind trip as well.
Caduceus
Let's crack open a metaphorical can of Caduceus and pour some comedic froth onto this beer-wine hybrid! Imagine this: Your taste buds are tired of the same old IPA routine. They crave a tropical vacation, a fruity fling, a sip of something that whispers Sauvignon Blanc but roars with hoppy swagger. Enter Caduceus, the "White Wine IPA" that's basically a party in a pint glass. The 7.5% ABV hazy IPA beer has 18 IBUs on the scale. The brew is not only created with Nelson sauvin and Hallertau Blanc hops, its also fermented with 30% Sauvignon Blanc grape juice. Your friends at the convention and visitors bureau love the Greek mythology reference with this artwork.
Can I Kick it IPA
Malik the Five-Foot Freak and Kamaal the Abstract were in a tribe from the boulevard of Linden that quested through the 1990s, and they made their legendary breakout track “Can I Kick It.” Commemorating a song by Q'tip and Phyfe Dawg, otherwise known as A Tribe Called Quest, that still slaps to this day, the 7%, double dry-hopped IPA brewed in the hazy New England IPA style. Mosaic, Citra, El Dorado and Simcoe hops paint layers of citrus, tropical fruit and grapefruit pith. Oats and wheat give a smooth mouthfeel as the backdrop. “Can they kick it? Yes, they can.”
Irie IPA
"If I were king of the forest!" This Jamaican flag-colored India Pale Ale (IPA) displays a beautiful color spectrum. The Mufasa ale packs a malt backbone to support the generous amount of Chinook, Centennial and Columbus hop. The Mundelein brew is 7.8% ABV and rates 134 on the International Bitterness Unit Scale. The sud's yeast ferments this beer cleanly, allowing the dank hop qualities to shine through and have you singing, "I just can't wait to be king."
Half Nelson
The moniker of this double dry American wheat ale coins its name from the googobs of nelson sauvin hops. Meet the Long Grove Lucha Libre fighter: a noble suds award winner in many different categories, including a gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival in 2018. The unique and refreshing flavor not only make it a great summer brew (which is currently on tap), but it also may be a libation of choice for wine aficionados as it as a white wine-esk flavor.
Wild Onion Brewery
Hair of the Frog
Hair of the Frog was originally brewed for Brookfield Zoo in collaboration with them to support their conservation efforts. It's still available at the zoo in addition to Wild Onion locations. The blonde brew has a smooth, crisp and flavorful finish blending hops and malts perfectly. The 5% ABV beer also has hints of citrus and cinnamon. Also a frog with a mohawk also tickles are fancy.
Tuba Solo
Baaaaaaa dum. The ever-slow approach of the tuba intro of the movie “Jaws” makes way for the Lake Zurich brewery’s Tuba Solo! IPA is simply divine as it contains 7.2 percent ABV. The New England double dry-hopped IPA has tastes of candied citrus, passionfruit, honeydew and ripe berries on a rich, silky body.
28 Mile Vodka
Distilled from a blend of all malted midwest grains, 28 Mile Vodka is clear in color with almond and vanilla bean aroma. This unique vodka has a silky smooth mouthfeel and vanilla and cocoa nib notes that finish extremely clean on the palate with a lingering warming sensation. Drink this neat, on the rocks, or in your favorite cocktail. The Highwood drinkery has an unbelievable backstory of how these crafters came up with the name and logo of their distillery. The Debonair (the woman on their logo) was a real-life queen during the Prohibition Era. So grab a tumbler glass with the vodka and make your best Jay Gatsby impression, old sport.
Stay tuned for further information regarding the Lake County February Flavor Festival running February 1-29. To see all the participants in the Lake County Libation Trail, continue here.
