In December, we revisited one of our favorite missions: to find the beers with the best design and determine whether or not their quality holds up to the label. We gathered some friends, ranging from beer noobs to home brew experts, to each pick a beer that they thought had interesting overall design. Then, we put all eight (!!) wild cards to the test, rating them on how they looked and then, blindly, how they tasted. Surprising discoveries this time? The most expensive beer (Spontanwatermelon) was undrinkable. It was really so bad. Emily knows what she likes: her favorite designed beer also tasted the best to her. Our French friend, Marylou, thought it was hilarious that half these beers were actually ciders . . . but we Americans thought they were just beers. Enjoy!
The stripes make it look like candy! - Marylou
It's so sunny! I love the diagonal stripe and shiny can. - Sam
Light, sweet refreshing - Dani
I love this photo. I think that it is so quirky and unusual. The drama is so mysterious. The dog's name is Olive! Just like me! Olive was my nickname when I was in middle school. I don’t like the typography though. - Olivia
Smells like corn, kind of boring but beery. - Sam
I like: everything. I like that the name is confusing and you can’t tell where it starts. I like the pale yellow and the gold and the exclamation and question marks and the cutouts. I don’t like: nothing! This might be the perfect looking beer. - Emily
Very slight carbonation. Feels like wort in the mouth, too bitter at the end. - Eric
This animal makes me want to avoid this beer. - Sam
This beer reminds me of MAD MAX and how much I hated that movie and so that puts me in a bad mood. Will I go crazy if I drink it? Maybe! - Emily
Tastes like coffee. If I want coffee, I’ll drink that instead. - Dani
So hipster without trying too hard. Basic, not in the trendy way. - Olivia
While I love an Ikea joke as much as the next guy, this bottle shape makes me uncomfortable. - Sam
Putrid smelling but sweet tasting. It smells like road kill or corpse flower. It’s a little good tasting but flat. - Emily
Honey-like, I like it. -Dani
Love how the person is sheltering herself from the watermelon seeds. I love that her eye is white — it really pops. The illustration style is wonderful, per usual. - Olivia
Tastes like apple cider vinegar. Did it turn? Can it go bad? Ahhh I just can’t even… SO BAD!! -Olivia
Cider with butter (old!) -Marylou
Smells of rotten fruit. Tart, kind of funky. But in the BO way, not the good wet barn way. This is actually the only beer I don’t like, smells infected in a bad way. I like funky beers. - Sam
Very sour! Kind of like someone peed in a glass of apple cider - Eric
I love the tree. I know the beer tastes like that tree smells. - Sam
I bet this is the watermelon beer. I kind of like it even though it does sort of remind me of War Heads. Or like if you drank too much of it, your whole body would start smelling different. - Emily
Makes my nose wrinkle. - Dani