13 Instagrammable Can and Bottle Art Designs on the Lake County Libation Trail 2023
By: Jonathan Jones 01/18/2023
"Great wine requires a mad man 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 13 Instagrammable can and bottle art designs as we celebrate the Lake County Libation Month/Check-in Challenge (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.*
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% alcohol by volume (A.B.V) 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."
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.
Zinfandel Dante Dusi
The 2017 Dusi Vineyard Zinfandel is an absolute classic Zin. The color of this 100% Zin is beautiful, dark garnet red. Aromatically, the vino attains a mint, cherry and eucalyptus scent, while the palate has tons of dark cherry and raspberry with hints of cedar and cinnamon. This zin sings. It is bursting with juicy fruit flavors and is delightfully balanced with acidity. The Grayslake/Paso Robles winery's drink is 15.5% ABV. The bottle art displays a pretty sweet tree seen on their Paso Robles grounds, seemingly growing from the Glunz logo (seed).
Tart's Desire
"It was a crazy game of poker. I lost it all," sung band O.A.R. Over the summer, the Lake Zurich brew house, dealt out a one-eyed queen of hearts sour to the masses. The 6% libation comes in four packs when available, but the mirror of the can art is top-notch.
Spirit Board Autumn Ale
Is it always somebody else pushing the ouija board planchette, or was it you? The autumn brown ale is perfect for creaky attics and ghost stories around an open fire. The 6.2% ABV beer making suds aficionados and paranormals swooning comes in a 16-ounce tall boy, 64-ounce growlers and 32-ounce crowlers. While the beverage was released in the fall, the Grayslake Lake County Libation Trail partner still has some left. So, get it while it's spooky!
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.”
The Off Season
"Beer's intellectual. What a shame so many idiots drink it," said former Waukeganite and Pulitizer Prize Award-winning author Ray Bradbury. The beverage inspired by the aforementioned writer's novel "Something Wicked This Way Comes" released its Dunkelweizen beer in November called The Off Season, illustrated by Amy Regutti. The 4.9% malty wheat brew has notes of caramel. The drink also dons eerie sea creature eating a hot dog to spark up peculiar banter at the City of Progress brewpub.
Long Grove Lager
Take a trip to Vienna as the Long Grove brewery celebrates the season with its Alpine Biergarten. The German-inspired Long Grove Lager has a malt-forward lager balanced with noble hops to create a crisp, clean taste with a slight malt sweetness. The artwork commemorates the storied Long Grove Covered Bridge also known as the Rober Parker Coffin Bridge. Unfortunately, the structure has been struck by trucks several times in the last couple of years. However, this National Register of Historic Places fixture has been a staple in the community since 1906. The lager is 5% ABV and obtains 27 IBUs.
Digital Painting
Your beer cans could always use some pizzazz and color pop. Phase Three Brewing Co. in Lake Zurich always provides innovative beers and ingenious designs to match. The 10% triple IPA has a touch of bitterness complemented by the honey's sweetness. An individual from the Phase Three trio ownership and graphic designer Brittany Berns. The ale is no longer available, but who knows, maybe they'll bring it back like they did this past September.
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, whic 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.
Stay Puft
Autumn is the perfect opportunity for a campfire. The fall season is when we indulge our sweet tooth. Donning a marshmallow man logo similar to a villain fought by some busters that ain’t afraid of no ghosts, the Barrington brewhouse’s Stay Puft is a brown ale. Stay Puft is 5.5% ABV with 15 IBUs.
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.
"Cross. Cross. Step back. Auntie does a heat check at the buzzer....splash!" The Buffalo Grove brew house always provides innovative suds complemented by unique can art. Auntie Team is a double dry-hopped IPA with citra hops. This "lady in the middle" stands at one pint and 7.1% ABV. If all the hoops references didn't ring a bell about what we were talking about, we'll dive deeper for context. Liquid Love Brewing Co. reimagines NBA Hall of Famer Jerry West logo from pro basketball as a posh woman, and instead of a basketball, it's a handbag of sorts. Underneath the cascade of logos, you can see the Lake County Libation Trail partner pop in hardwood floors to add to the effect.
To learn more about the upcoming Lake County Libation Trail/Check-in Challenge and other Instagrammable can and bottle art designs, continue here.
Enjoy photos from our social media friends on the Lake County Libation Trail.
Be sure to continue sharing with us socially!
