Chosen from more than 120 entries, the top 10 designs for the 2024 GABS Can Design Awards have been announced, with the winners to be revealed on Friday, 13 September.
The finalists have been chosen by beer enthusiasts through a public vote on the GABS website, and will now be assessed by a team of expert judges.
The Top 10 designs are:
- 2 Halfs Brewing Distilling Akira, designed by Darcy Godwin
- Aether Brewing Barrel Aged Breakfast Stout, designed by Emma D’Anna in collaboration with Dan Brook
- Beerfarm Fruitasaurus Rex, designed by Steffi Schmidt
- Blackflag Brewing Wall of Death, designed by Ross Holloway
- Bonehead Brewing God Mode, designed by Matt Brick
- Dangerous Ales Nelson Ha-ha, designed by Emily Reid
- Frenchies Brewery Black Coconut Milkshake IPA, designed by Jaz Lynch
- Helios Brewing Company Dionysus Oat Cream Double IPA, designed by Rob Munster
- Seeker Brewing Red Wizard, designed by Daniel Anderson
- Seven Mile Brewing Snozzberry Mixed Berry Sour, designed by Greg Hodgson
Behind the designs
When creating the label for Beerfarm’s Fruitasaurus Rex, designer Steffi Schmidt said that the design needed to reflect the beer’s style.
“Based on the name and the style of the beer, the design needed to be as bright, vibrant and colourful as possible, so selecting the right colour and gradient palette to evoke playfulness while keeping the illustration clearly focused and structured was important,” she said.
Charlotte Freeston, Innovation and New Product Development Manager, Beerfarm, said that the can design is enhanced by foiling and references to the Beerfarm venue.
“The design is unique for its use of abstract and geometric illustrations combined with gradients throughout. The use of silver foil highlights in the print process enhanced specific design elements and added extra dimension to the design.
“The pinball machine is also a subtle link back to our venue, where our pinball machines have become a bit of an institution and provided a fun activity for locals and visitors alike,” Freeston said.
Designer Matt Brick also drew inspiration from retro gaming for the label of Bonehead Brewing God Mode.
“The inspiration for the label was pretty straight forward. Most of the guys at the brewery, and also myself, are of an age that we had our teenage years in the 90s and playing after-school video games on somebody’s old 486 PC were pretty common. And no video captured the attention of a teenage boy in the mid-90s more than Doom.
“The label was really about wanting to put people that enjoy a good beer, and that have a reverence for Doom, back into that player point-of-view but with a twist. Instead of violence, we’re sharing a beer with those demons because sharing a good beer is what the craft beer industry is all about,” he said.
Seeker Brewing also has a fantasy character on its Red Wizard can, said owner and Head Brewer Jeffrey Argent.
“The inspiration behind the can design was to depict a wizard straight out of a fantasy epic. With the beer being a Red IPA, we thought it would be fun to feature a bold and visually striking red wizard that would appeal to classic beer enthusiasts,” he said.
As for Frenchies Brewery Black Coconut Milkshake IPA, Co-founder and Brewery Director Vincent De Soyres said that the design was influenced by the beer’s key ingredients, and also features an element of 90s nostalgia.
“Our team’s creativity in terms of the brewing techniques they employed with this beer, its key characteristics, and unique combination of ingredients, namely Madagascar vanilla, Tonka beans, juicy coconut cream and Sabro hops, inspired this can design, and we also wanted to infuse it with a little bit of nostalgia.
“Our team’s creativity in terms of the brewing techniques they employed with this beer, its key characteristics, and unique combination of ingredients, namely Madagascar vanilla, Tonka beans, juicy coconut cream and Sabro hops, inspired this can design, and we also wanted to infuse it with a little bit of nostalgia.
“Standing out on the shelves is key, too, so we knew eye-catching creative was a must. Jaz Lynch, the designer behind the can, is an absolute gun and brought the Milkshake IPA’s fluffy, pillowy and velvety characteristics to life perfectly with the bespoke drip effect. Given coconut flavours are very evident in this beer, we wanted to incorporate bold chunks of coconut, meanwhile the red straw transports us back to the 90s and those younger days of ours that we spent sipping on milkshakes. We also love how Jaz removed the traditional logo prominence from this design, as it helps to catch the eye, and creates interest and intrigue,” he said.
The 10 finalist designs will now be evaluated across six categories, with the judging panel assessing visual and aesthetic appeal, creativity and originality, impact, brand identity, usability and messaging, and design brief. The judging panel comprises a broad range of people with diverse connections to the brewing industry, including artists, designers, marketing directors, and packaging professionals.
The 2024 GABS Can Design Awards winner will receive the Orora Golden Can trophy, a set of printing plates, and will share in a $5000 prize pool provided by Opal Specialty Packaging. The prize pool will be spread among the top 10 shortlisted designs. The designer behind the winning can will also receive a $1000 prize.