karl strauss barrel program
Role: Design Direction + Design
Photo by Andrew Wilde
Insight
Karl Strauss was launching its Barrel Program, an elevated, small-batch beer line that marked a bold departure from the brand’s legacy design language. The challenge was twofold: attract a more educated and occasion-driven audience while redefining how Karl Strauss showed up on the shelf. The brand needed to feel more refined, artful, and premium, without losing its authenticity.
Mood Board Process
Idea
I reimagined the entire visual identity of the Barrel Program, trading expected beer cues for elevated design and tactile storytelling. I proposed a bottle shape reminiscent of wine bottles to encourage sharing and signal quality. The labels embraced minimalism, rich texture, and thoughtful illustration, breaking from loud shelf competition in favor of quiet confidence.
Design Process
Execution
To bring deeper expertise to the work, I became a certified Cicerone (beer sommelier), allowing me to better reflect each beer’s story through design. I sold in premium print production techniques like off-white whiskey label paper and metallic inks to enhance the tactile, premium feel. For each bottle, I created illustrations that reflected its unique ingredients and flavor profile.
For the 29th Anniversary Saison, I illustrated the peppercorns used in the brew, incorporating the soft greens of the pepper tree to evoke the beer’s effervescent, fruity, and peppery qualities. I also developed a broader design system for future Barrel Program offerings, including:
Wild Ride Sour Red Ale
Queen of Tarts Dark Sour
Barrel-Aged Vanilla Bean Wreck Alley
“It’s been 29 years since Karl Strauss Brewing Company officially opened its doors in downtown San Diego on February 2nd, 1989 helping to kick off California’s craft beer industry. The company commemorated their 29th year in beer with a new barrel-aged release, and an official launch of the rebranded Barrel Program. This year’s edition of their esteemed anniversary series is a Belgian-style Saison aged in Pinot Noir barrels for 12 months with Brettanomyces. The brew features complex spice flavors and juicy fruit notes from added pink peppercorns, rounded out by a dry and lively finish.”
Next in line: I created a suite of four labels for future Barrel Program releases, including the prized Queen of Tarts.
Outcome
The Barrel Program debuted at Karl Strauss’ 29th Anniversary Barrel Event to overwhelmingly positive feedback, setting a bold new tone for the brand. The elevated design approach distinguished the line on shelves and in tasting rooms, positioning Karl Strauss as a contender in the premium, occasion-based craft beer space. It also became a launchpad for how the brand thinks about storytelling, materials, and design across future specialty offerings.