Category Archives: Labels

Artificial Intelligence, Labels, Neolocalism

Protecting the Human Touch: AI, Art, and the Craft Beer Community

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Most of us have at least some familiarity with Artificial Intelligence -more commonly known as AI. As a university professor, I encounter it frequently as I try to determine whether, and in what ways, my students are using AI to complete their course assignments. When I set out to find a good definition of AI for this blog, I decided to turn to AI itself. According to Copilot (an AI‑powered assistant designed to enhance productivity and streamline workflow) AI is “a field of computer science focused on creating machines and software capable of performing tasks that typically require human intelligence. These tasks include things like learning from data, recognizing patterns, understanding language, solving problems, and making decisions.”

One of the major concerns surrounding AI is its potential impact on jobs currently performed by humans. Will people become expendable as AI systems advance? Which job roles or tasks within this industry are most vulnerable to AI? Are certain demographics (age, education level) more at risk of job loss? Are certain regions of the country more vulnerable to job disruption due to concentration of AI-impacted industries and job tasks? A quick search online reveals countless academic studies and media articles wrestling with these and other questions. When I typed “impact of artificial intelligence on jobs” into Google Scholar, it returned more than 2.4 million results.

However, this blog entry is not focused on AI’s broader implications for employment. Instead, it explores a more specific question: how might AI affect some of the creative professionals working within the brewing industry?

My interest in this question was sparked by an article I read on the BBC website last week (the BBC has recently introduced a paywall, but you can still access the article here). The piece described how Simon Hubbard, who runs the Mean Eyed Cat in Newcastle, England, has become increasingly aware of the growing use of AI in designing items such as bottle labels and pump clips (the small signs attached to beer hand‑pulls that let customers know what’s being served). Partnering with another bar, the Free Trade Inn in nearby Ouseburn, Hubbard has launched a campaign refusing to carry any items or products whose design elements have utilized AI

Hubbard kicked off the campaign on the bar’s Instagram account with an unapologetically blunt message, proclaiming that “AI art looks SH*T.” He criticizes it as “overly polished” and “overly perfect.” His frustration is aimed squarely at breweries turning to AI for their design work. Interestingly, it seems to be the older, more established breweries that have begun relying on AI to assist with their creative processes. Hubbard urges brewers to create their own artwork rather than relying on automated tools, delivering his message in in his typically direct, no‑nonsense style. – “Do it yourself, you lazy piece of shit!” implores Hubbard on his brewery’s Instagram post.

Simon Hubbard did not hold back in his attack on AI generated art in these Instagram posts

A key concern for Hubbard and others is that AI could displace work traditionally done by local creatives. Not everyone shares this worry, however. In Durham, England, artist Ashley Willerton believes there will always be a core group of pubs and breweries committed to supporting local designers. A lingering question, however, is whether that core will be large enough to sustain meaningful opportunities for creatives such as him. While acknowledging that AI might produce designs that are technically more refined, Willerton argues that such work lacks the human touch—and the deeper meaning—that comes from art created by people rather than algorithms.

Reece Hugill, owner of Donzoko Brewery in Newcastle, England, highlights another important dimension of working with local artists: for him, it’s about being part of the local community and ensuring that money remains within it, rather than being siphoned off into the coffers of some distant company.

Hugill’s observation is particularly compelling because it aligns with the broader neolocalism movement, a trend in which craft breweries play a prominent role. Geographer James Shortridge defined neolocalism in 1996 as the “deliberate seeking out of regional lore and local attachment by residents (new and old) as a delayed reaction to the destruction of modern America of traditional bonds to community and family.” Put simply, many Americans are actively looking for products that express a tangible connection to the communities in which they live. The popularity of farmers markets, independent bookstores and coffee shops are a testimony to people’s desire to support local producers.

Independently owned craft breweries – often operated by people who live just a few miles away—also meet this desire by offering a product whose identity is deeply rooted in place. While ingredients such as yeast, hops, or malted grains may come from outside the region, the water and, more importantly, the brewer’s creativity remain distinctly local.

One of my favorite breweries here in Toledo is Quenched & Tempered Brewing Co. (Q&T). The brewery is owned by Ali Drozdowicz, while her husband, Alex, serves as the Master Brewer. Along with enjoying their excellent beer, I especially appreciate the distinctive labels on their cans – each one designed by hand, in‑house, by Ali herself. On the brewery’s website, Ali highlights Q&T’s dedication to supporting local creatives, noting that “we support other small businesses and creatives because a strong community benefits everyone.” Another Toledo brewery, Earnest Brew Works, partners with Jason Sanderson, a local artist who designs and creates the chalkboard-style beer menus displayed behind the bars in its taprooms.

Some of the beautiful artwork by Ali Drozdowicz of Quenched & Tempered Brewing Co.
The chalkboard-style menus at Earnest Brew Works, designed by Jason Sanderson

In response to the growing influence of AI, there are increasing calls for a universally recognized label that identifies products and services as “human-made.” Terms such as “Human-made” and “AI-free” are already appearing in connection with films, books, and websites. In many ways, these emerging labels mirror the Independent Craft Brewer seal created and promoted by the Brewers Association.

The independent craft beer seal used by craft breweries to identify themselves as authentic craft producers

Dr. Amna Khan, a consumer behavior and retailing expert at Manchester Metropolitan University, argues that “a universal definition is essential to build trust, clarification, and confidence.” Yet while many consumers would welcome such a label, developing one is far from straightforward. Key challenges include establishing a shared definition of what “AI-free” actually means. Some view it as a continuum rather than a binary concept.

The UK government is currently considering legislation that would require clear labeling of AI‑generated content. The discussion is complex, with Technology Minister Liz Kendall emphasizing the need to balance protections for creative industries with the importance of allowing the AI sector to continue innovating.

As debates about artificial intelligence continue to unfold across different economic sectors – from higher education to manufacturing to the creative industries – the brewing world provides a compelling microcosm of the larger tensions at play. What’s happening in Newcastle, Durham, and here in Toledo is not simply a dispute about aesthetics or technological convenience; it reflects deeper questions about community, identity, and the value we place on human creativity. While AI can generate polished images in seconds, it cannot replicate the lived experiences, local knowledge, and personal relationships that shape the work of designers, illustrators, and brewers who root their craft in place. Whether AI ultimately becomes a tool that supports creatives or a force that undermines them will depend on choices made by breweries, consumers, and communities alike. For now, the pushback from people like Simon Hubbard—and the commitments of artists and brewers who champion local collaboration—offer an important reminder that supporting human creativity is also an investment in the cultural and economic vitality of the place we call home.

Further Reading:

Shortridge, James. 1996. Keeping tabs on Kansas: reflections on regionally based field study. Journal of Cultural Geography, Volume 16, number 1, pages 5-16.

Note: The image on the header of this blog entry is AI-generated. I thought it would be interesting to ask AI to produce an image protesting itself.

Beer Styles, Choice, Labels, Names

Craft Breweries Don’t Need Your Wacky Advice Mr Robichaux

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Last month, the New York Times published two pieces focused on the craft brewing industry. The first by Julie Creswell was titled “Craft Breweries Struggle as Sales and Appetites Wane“, while the second by Mark Robichaux was titled “Wacky Labels and Silly Names Are Killing Craft Beer“. Both addressed the current challenges facing the industry. But that’s where the similarities ended. The piece by Ms. Creswell was carefully researched and littered with facts, while that by Mr. Robichaux was, to use his own words, just plain wacky.

In her article, Cresswell presents some of the hard facts regarding the challenges facing America’s craft brewing industry – declining sales, more brewery closings than openings, higher prices for key raw materials such as aluminum and hops, heightened competition, and shifting consumer tastes. The article had interviews with brewery owners, including Nico Freccia of 21st Amendment Brewery in San Francisco, CA and Kim Kavulak of Nebraska Brewing Company in La Vista, NE. In other words, it was a well-sourced piece of journalism.

The piece by Mark Robichaux is a different story. In Mr. Robichaux’s defense, however, it was presented as an “opinion piece”. The writer is clearly a beer drinker having “chased beer across continents and dive bars”. Although an opinion piece, Robichaux’s does identify some of the legitimate challenges facing the industry – declining sales, the impact of remote work, and changing consumer tastes.

But Mr. Robichaux is an optimist – a glass half full guy as he admits – and believes that it is the brewers themselves who hold the key to a bright and vibrant future. As he states, “there are a few simple steps the craft beer industry can take to immediately address its downturn”.

First, it must” abandon” its “obsession” with IPAs and “bring back the pilsner, the amber, the pale ale, or reinvent the lager”. While bemoaning the dominance of IPAs, Mr. Robichaux also takes a swipe at high ABV (Alcohol by Volume) beers. IPAs are very popular among craft beer drinkers, accounting for 49.4% of off-premise craft beer sales in 2024. Yes, that’s a lot of IPA and it does suggest that there is still plenty of consumer demand for this hop forward style. If, on the other hand, you don’t like IPAs, or want a break from them, there are plenty of other styles to choose from. Walk into most craft breweries and there is plenty of choice – Brown Ales, Lagers, Saisons, etc. I have never went to a craft brewery and felt that there were never enough non-IPAs from which to choose. So I’m not quite sure what Mr. Robichaux‘s beef is with IPAs.

Second, Mr. Robichaux lodges a complaint about the high alcohol by volume beers that some craft breweries produce. Well, if you don’t like them don’t drink them – it’s as simple as that as far as I am concerned. And, as with beer styles, there are plenty of lower ABV beers to choose from when you visit a craft brewery.

Goldwater Brewing in Scottsdale, AZ offer a variety of beer styles at different strengths

Third, Mr. Robichaux suggests that some craft brewers have gone too far with beer names and labels. The industry, he claims, “need smarter labels”. Beer names such as “Sour Me Unicorn Farts” and “Hopportunity Knocks” are a step too far for Mr. Robichaux. Beer labels should “tell drinkers what’s inside”, what the beer tastes likes, and whether the prospective buyer will like the beer or not. Yes, some of the beer labels can be a little over the top, especially those that veer towards the psychedelic. But I’ve never had any problem finding the information I need – brewery name, beer style, the ABV, and IBUs. As for what the beer tastes like. Well, that’s part of the fun of drinking craft beer – trying a beer you have never had before. and then forming your own opinion of it. We all have different palates after all, and a beer that Mr. Robichaux enjoys may be an anathema to me.

Most craft beers such as this Copper Ale from Quenched and Tempered Brewing Company in Toledo, OH provide information on ABV and IBUs.

Finally, Mr. Robichaux makes a plea for craft brewers to “ditch the tallboys and four-packs” and reinstate six-packs as the standard to-go offering in craft breweries. For those of you unfamiliar with tallboys, they are 16-ounce cans that are typically sold as four-packs. He claims, without any evidence I may add, that tallboy four packs represent a sleight of hand on the part of craft breweries as the contain less beer than six-packs (64 ounces vs 72 ounces) and therefore offer an “illusion of value”. On top of that Mr. Robichaux notes that by the time he is halfway through a tallboy it is warm and flat. I can’t say that this is a problem I, nor any of my tallboy drinking friends, have experienced. If you are concerned about it becoming too warm, stick the partially empty can into the refrigerator and grab it when your glass needs refilled. I hope Mr. Robichaux is decanting his tallboys into a glass and not drinking them straight from the can.

In closing, I’d suggest that Mr. Robichaux fails to give sufficient credit to craft brewers when it comes to business acumen. One of the hallmarks of the craft brewing industry is the ability of the brewers to respond to both existing and changing consumer preferences. I was reminded of that in a recent visit to Seek Beer Co. in San Diego, CA. When I was there Seek had about a dozen different beers on offer, including a Vienna Lager, a Coffee Stout, a Fruited Sour, a West Coast IPA, and a Hazy IPA. Yes, they brewed IPAs, but they brewed plenty of other good stuff as well. Second, all but one of the beers available (an Imperial CoffeeStout) had ABVs of under 7%. I asked owner Dave Ohmer about this, and he said that this simply reflected market demand. Higher ABV beers had not been selling fast enough. This preference for lower ABV beers (although many would consider 6.9% to be quite high; its relative guess) is consistent with a broad market shift towards lower alcohol beers that has been observed. My point here is that craft brewers don’t need Mr. Robichaux to tell them what beer to brew, what containers to put it in, or what labels they should put on their cans. They are quite capable of meeting the market where it’s at and brewing accordingly.

Dave Ohmer of Seek Beer Co. in San Diego, CA is cognizant of the types of beer that his customers want him to brew

History, Holidays, Labels, Rituals

Christmas Ales

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The Book of Ecclesiastes wisely states that “there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens”. Adapted to the world of craft beer the appropriate sentiment might read that “there is a time for everything, and a season for every beer under the heavens”. While the seemingly ubiquitous IPAs are enjoyed year round there are several styles of beer that are associated with particular periods on the calendar. While I am not a fan off pumpkin beers I know plenty of people who look forward to their appearance each fall. Oktoberfest Marzens, in contrast, is a style whose arrival I eagerly await. And as I write this we are a few weeks away from Christmas, and Christmas Ales are in abundance. I do enjoy Christmas Ales and currently have a six-pack of one from Bell’s Brewery of Comstock, MI sitting in my basement refrigerator.

Christmas Ale from a Bell’s Brewery in Comstock, MI

Earlier this week, I gave a talk on a Christmas Ales to alumni of the University of Toledo. With the Covid-19 pandemic in full swing it was a virtual talk. When I agreed to give the talk I knew a little bit about Christmas Ales, but learned more about them as I did some research. Christmas Ales have their origins in pre-Christian pagan rituals. Take Norway as an example. Long before Christianity, Norwegians celebrated the winter solstice by brewing and drinking beer to honor Odin, Frey, and other Norse gods. The period was known as Jul, and stretched from mid-November to mid-January. Indeed the brewing of Ale was one of the most important tasks of the early winter season, with the first brew often laid out or poured on a stone for the local gnomes and spirits. Peasants would travel to the local pagan temple, bringing along food and ale for a feast Everyone was expected to take part in the drinking of Ale The first toast was to be made to Odin, then the other gods. Additional toasts were then drunk to the memory of the departed. No Norwegian farm was complete without a brewhouse — the bryggehus – this was the case up until about 200 years ago.

King Hakon the Good, who ruled Norway from 934 to 961 made it illegal to celebrate Christmas without Ale. Those who didn’t have Ale at their Christmas feast were issued a fine. In the 13th century the Gulating, an annual parliamentary assembly that met in Gulen on Norway’s west coast, passed a law similar to the decree issued by Haakon the Good. According to the Gulating:

“Yet another beer brew we are required to make, man and wife from equal amounts of malts, and to bless it Christmas night in thanks to Christ and St. Mary, for a good year and peace.

If this is not done, three marks must be paid to the bishop. But if someone sits three winters without doing so, or cannot pay the fees that we have added for our religion, and this can be proven, then he has forfeited every penny of his worth. The king shall have half, and the bishop the other half. But he may confess his sins and make church penance and stay in Norway. If he will not he shall leave the realm of our king.”

Fines and possible banishment from the kingdom indicate how seriously Christmas Ale was taken in 13th century Norway.

King Hakan the Good issued a decree making it illegal to celebrate Christmas without Ale

12 Dogs of Christmas Ale contains honey, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg

After talking about Christmas Ales in Medieval Norway, I turned my attention to Christmas Ales in modern-day America. Interestingly enough, Christmas Ale is not a recognized beer style – at least not by the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) or the Brewers Association. The BJCP does include a Winter Seasonal Beer among its list of over 150 recognized styles. So what is a Winter Seasonal Beer and what are its defining characteristics? According to the BJCP Winter Seasonal Beers “suggest cold weather and the Christmas holiday season, and may include holiday spices, specialty sugars, and other products that are reminiscent of mulling spices or Christmas holiday desserts”, while “a wide range of aromatics is possible” including those “reminiscent of Christmas cookies, gingerbread, English-type Christmas pudding, evergreen trees, or mulling spices.” For example, 12 Dogs of Christmas Ale, brewed by Thirsty Dog Brewing Co. of Akron, OH includes honey, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. The flavor of a Christmas Ale will reflect the spices used in the brewing process. In terms of appearance, Christmas Ales tend to be generally medium amber to very dark brown, with darker versions being are more common.

While they have existed in Europe for over a thousand years, Christmas Ales first made their appearance in the United States in the early 1900s. Prohibition arrived in 1920 and lasted until 1933, making American Christmas Ale fairly short lived. They did not reappear in the aftermath Prohibition. Indeed, it was not until 1978 that Christmas Ales reappeared on the American brewing landscape. And we have Fritz Maytag and Anchor Brewing in San Francisco to thank for that. Founded in 1896, the brewery was on the verge of going out of business when Maytag purchased a 51% share in 1965. Maytag rejuvenated the brewery’s fortunes, partly by expanding its portfolio of beers to include IPAs, Barleywine, and Porters. In 1975 Maytag introduced the first Christmas Ale to be brewed in the United States since the end of Prohibition – Anchor’s Christmas Ale.

Anchor Brewing in San Francisco
Anchor Brewing was struggling until Fritz Maytag purchased a 51% share of the brewery in 1965

Each year Anchor’s Christmas Ale is brewed using a different recipe and over the years it has evolved from a Pale Ale to spiced Brown Ale. Not only does the recipe change from year to year, but so does the beer’s distinctive label. The label always features a tree, but a different tree each year. Between 1975 and 2019 (with the exception of 1976), the labels were all designed by the same artist – 93 year-old Jim Stitt. His decision to retire, however, meant that the 2019 label was the last one designed by Stitt. The 2020 label was designed by Nathan Yoder. Given the unique challenges that 2020 has presented Yoder opted for a label that featured The Three Graces, a trio of sequoia trees, which represent radiance, joy, and hope. After the year that we have all just experienced I think that it’s safe to say that we would welcome all three of these in abundance.

Each year Anchor’s Christmas Ale is adorned with a different label featuring a different tree. Labels from 1975-1982 are shown here
93 year old Jim Stitt, now retired, designed all the labels for Anchor Christmas Ale between 1975 and 2019. The only year Stitt did not design the label was 1976 (Photo credit: SFGate.com)

The three sequoia trees on the label of Anchor’s 2020 Christmas Ale represent radiance, joy, and hope