Appreciable Mental Strain
Product packaging and marketing
AMS is short for Appreciable Mental Strain. This Empyreal IPA was inspired by the chaos of the holiday season, beer industry burnout, and of course the head brewer's feelings. Creating this almost grim-crazed Dr. Suess-inspired world for our reimagined character to live in. This chaos child clocked in at 14% ABV and permits relaxation after one of those crazy holiday seasons. AMS was brewed by Badger Hill Brewing in Shakopee MN.
Notes from Badger Hill's Head brewer Chris Hamman: "I brew this under Appreciable Mental Strain... This massive American IPA delivers a potent punch of ripe melon, vibrant tangerine, juicy peach, and dank piney and herbal flavors. The body is sweet and full with a warming character on the finish. Clocking in at 14% ABV, this is a beer that pairs well with the Appreciable Mental Strain immense joy of the holiday season."
Researching this one was wonderful, digging out old books and getting into a crazy feeling. One thing that was really difficult was I wasn't allowed to make it too suggestive of Dr. Suess so the design has more of my drawing style to it. It also needed to feel like it was in motion but our character was stagnant with that reality. The character we reimagined with a less happy look on his face; is named Bob and is on a mural in the current Badger Hill Brewing establishment. Though he looks a bit crazed on this bottle label, he has a more welcoming look at the brewery.
This was marketed on Badger Hill social sites as well as in the taproom, through email campaigns, and by word of mouth.
AMS went a lot like my other works in that a creative brief was done, and initial sketches and research were done to get the brain flowing and in the best direction. Touch-point meetings were held so that I could work with Badger Hill as a team to create a design that they are fully happy with and that displays the message of the beer. Chose a design layout that fits the vision and is finalized with proofs in-between. I re-created and digitized Bob off the mural in the brewery and sent labels off to be proofed again and printed. We went through marketing small campaigns for the limited-release beer and planned a plan of attack, as well as scheduling and updating the tangible content on Badger Hills Platforms. Mockups are also part of the process for this and many projects.
