40 Craft Beer Logos to Quench Your Thirst for Inspiration

Hipsters love their brews local, intricate and instagramable. And no one knows this better than breweries who keep coming up with some incredible logo designs.

Although I’m usually a plain ol’ lager kind of gal, I’ve still had some truly great beers, which I picked out just because their logo looked especially cool and quirky.

A keen sense of target audience makes for fantastic small business branding. Craft breweries continue to impress and attract their aesthetically picky audiences with some of the most creative designs on the market.

Let’s take a closer look at some wonderful brewery logosA keen sense of target audience makes for fantastic small business branding. Craft breweries continue to impress and attract their aesthetically picky audiences with some of the most creative designs on the market.

Let’s take a closer look at some wonderful brewery logos

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Retro brewery logos

It’s no secret that alternative beer drinkers are often partial to all things vintage. This is why old timey logos are definitely a favorite with many new breweries.

Take a look at these nostalgia-inducing examples if you’re considering taking a trip to the past with your brand identity.

1. Boiler Brewing Company

Craft beer is all about a custom brewing process and this logo represents it perfectly. The beautiful pencil illustration of the old boiler is truly unique.

2. Red Bear

This brewhouse logo has a rustic camping vibe. The round shape makes a great choice for different branding purposes: beer label design, coasters, t-shirts, caps, etc.

3. Zeppelin

If you’re looking for a nostalgic design that’s still fairly simple, look no further than Zeppelin’s excellent wordmark. It’s more retro, but still a little more contemporary than designs inspired from the turn of the century or the 1940s.

4. Lamplighter

Props to this taproom’s graphic designer for striking this perfect balance between the old and the new. Pairing the vintage lamplight illustration with the clear layout and elegant font makes for quite a striking brand image.

5. Coney Island

Another beautiful example of combining retro with a slightly simplified modern layout, this one makes a truly memorable craft brewery logo. Coney Island’s landmark amusement park is a great way of creating a sense of local identity.

6. Daredevil Brewing

The simple, 1950s-inspired logos aren’t going out of style anytime soon. This one looks great in 2D, but the brewery’s  tap handles that look like a little helmet and goggles are especially fun!

7. Backshore Brewing Co.

If you ask me, there’s nothing quite like 1960s nostalgia. Though it might not be the sunny California, this Maryland brewery really brought back Summer of Love vibes with their super funky logo.

8. Old Louisville Brewery

Old-timey? Yes! Old and dated? Definitely not! This microbrewery has one sharp looking logo that shows they take beer seriously. From IPAs, old English stouts, to crisp American lagers, these beer specialists have something for everyone’s taste.

Logos with clever typography

A wordmark or lettermark is a logo consisting solely of letters (usually the company’s name). And when you’re a beer company, there really are no strict rules as to what kind of fonts you should use.

When you think of brewery lettermark the first thing that pops into mind are probably those gothic scripts you’d find at Oktoberfest. If that’s your jam, go for it. But remember that are a whole bunch of alternatives to explore!

9. Wayward Brewing Co.

Custom font and a bright color are often the formula of a fantastic logo (think Coca Cola). And this taproom definitely has one such memorable logo. Since they also have an amazing and colorful design for their cans, the relative simplicity of their logo is a good way to create a coherent look.

10. Boomtown

Boomtown’s logo is such a clever example of creating a logo for different purposes. The full wordmark logo has a modern Wild West feel which makes a perfect bottle label for their old-timey bottle. On the other hand, the stylized B, M, T ,W symbol is a perfect solution for things like versatile stickers and tap handles.

11. Independence

This beer brewery is another one that went above and beyond when it comes to beer can design. So they rightly decided to go with a fairly simple logo. Depending on the complexity of other design elements they use the full name in this bold font or the simple Texan star.

12. Sunday Road

Who said beer labels have to be all bold fonts? This one uses a terrific cursive font and the short initial version (SR) resembles one of the old Celtic knots (and the connection between Ireland and ales is an obvious one).

13. Slice

The color combination of this craft beer logo is quite striking: cream and copper shades against a navy background make a really elegant combination. However, the quirky font gives this logo a more modern, playful twist.

IPAs - Interesting Playful Alternatives

Ready to stand side to side with the industry rebels? A quirky logo like one of the following examples can be a terrific choice for a microbrewery wanting to stand out from the crowd and embrace its unique offer.

14. Bottle Logic

This one isn’t exactly out there as it uses a pretty conventional symbol in its logo. However, Emrich Office, the design agency  behind the logo also came up with a hexagonal version of this brewery logo that can be used for different purposes like beer bottles, posters and social media posts. The warm color and chalk font is great for beers of darker shade including stouts and some IPAs.

15. Magic Hat

With a fairly simple design, this brewing company went against the current with a comic font. It pairs really well with their incredibly playful brand image (the beer bottles look like something you’d find in an adult version of Wonderland).

16. Bell’s Brewery

If you saw this symbol on a tap handle you might not think much of it. But again, the versatility of this cute design is a great inspirational resource. The logo and packaging were updated in 2016 and now their ale bottle labels have a wonderful eclectic new look.

17. Bright Ideas

How pretty is this colorful logo? It would look wonderful as a laptop sticker, or as a print on a t-shirt. These color-conscious brewers also include a color guide of each of the beers in their offer.

18. Acopon

And now…. Something completely different! This microbrewery that specializes in English ales and American craft beers has one of the coolest logos out there. You can recognize the hops plants, but other than that this masked figure is slightly dystopian and very mysterious!

19. Astrolab

This Maryland brewery has two international co-founders: a Kiwi and a Brit. Their logo is just as interesting as their origin story and comes in a sleek silver alternative. It seems to be a stylized version of an old astronomy tool called armillary sphere.

20. Cute Hoor

Their tagline is “Where Mischief Flows” and really this is one of the most mischievous logos I’ve seen. The brewery specializes in pale ales and their playful design and funny name are definitely aimed at fun-loving beer drinkers.

21. Mikkeler

It really doesn’t get any more playful than this illustration of two people, I guess, sniffing each other (one pale ale too much, perhaps?). Jokes aside, it’s a wonderful modern design that works equally well in an array of colors.

22. Old Street Brewery

What do you get when you cross a bear and a deer? Yup, you got it! This brewery’s simple logo works as both a conventional choice (forest animals are a big favorite) and a clever inside joke with loyal customers.

23. 2nd Bridge Brewing Co.

Want a lettermark that’s just a little more fun? Consider a logo design similar to that of this ale house. This cute scribble is actually a combination of two Bs as well as the number two. Props to the designer for this fun visual solution!

Loveable characters for all beer lovers

Characters are a great way to give your beer brand some personality and connect to a loyal customer base. Animals are definitely a favorite, but check out this section for some fun and quirky characters to represent your craft brewery.  

24. Wicklow Wolf

Wolf and bear, the “manliest” of forest creatures are definite favorites when it comes to craft brewery logos. This one stands out from the crowd because of the quirky font and slightly intimidating wolf illustration.

25. Scrappy Punk

When I think hipster superhero, I imagine something close to the cyberpunk character in this logo. This microbrewery embraces originality and focuses on pleasing a picky audience. Their core beer offer is just as interesting as their logo: mango champagne IPA and coconut blonde beer.

26. Forgotten Boardwalk

Three-eyed cat on the bottle label? Yup, pass the pale ale. This is definitely one of my favorite and most creative character logo. It’s also paired with a pretty typeface which creates a sleek brand identity.

27. Deep Brewing Co.

Is the taste of their best beers so intricate that you need to dive deep into the bottom of the glass to taste it? Perhaps! Either way, this incredibly fun illustration logo uses a very creative character and some nice warm colors.

28. Hair of the Dog

Although not the most modern design on this list, this craft brewery still earns a mention. Their logo has so far definitely stood the test of time with a playful character and an emblem-style which is quite fitting for beers (again, think Oktoberfest).

29. Little Beast Brewing

A more modern version of an emblem is definitely this playful lion (or unnamed beast). And I like that they haven’t used a bottle or traditional beer mug, but a shifter glass that’s more commonly used with craft brews like IPAs.

30. Mad Monk Microbrewery

Another logo that’s traditional, but still incredibly fun! This microbrewery certainly found a unique character as their brand ambassador. The more common dark blue and red color combo is lifted with this contemporary illustration.

31. Business Monkey

Want a minimal character? Then have a look at this brewery’s logo that most certainly delivers (it’s definitely a monkey and he certainly means business). As you might suspect, woodland creatures are definitely more popular when it comes to craft beer logos. So a tropical friend like this one can really give your brand a unique look!

Elegant brewery logos for the picky beer connoisseur

Beer kegs at parties are life’s simple pleasures, but brewing a complex craft beer can be a true work of art. If you take what you do seriously, a classy and modern brewery logo like one of these examples could be an awesome option for you.

32. Maine Beer Co.

My mom is one of those ladies who thinks beer to be essentially unladylike, but I think this brewery logo could just change her mind. The sleek typography and simple element make a wonderful brand image, but also a great one to use for stuff like hats, t-shirts and mugs which they sell.

33. Fox Beer

Another popular forest animal is definitely the fox, but this particular logo is next level! The graphic designer came up with a brilliant design that represents both the fox and the wheat plant.

34. De Garde Brewing

Another classy logo that even my mom would approve of. De Garde’s logo certainly has a French (or Belgian?) charm that makes it quite distinct.

35. Aeronaut

This brewpub’s logo is a masterclass in simplicity. Although this business maintains a strong connection with the local community in Somerville, Massachusetts, you can easily imagine their brand at any big beer festival.

36. Lynlake

If your taproom is about a little more than just beer (but also food, events etc.), Lynlake’s logo can be a cool source of design inspiration for you. The conventional wheat symbol is reimagined in a more modern way, so it can easily fit a number of different businesses (including, for example a restaurant).

37. East Channel

In black and white this logo is modern and elegant; see it in copper and you can already picture an old-timey pale ale tap handle. The simple design and interesting typography create a memorable look and a strong connection to this Michigan city with a beautiful lake coast.

38. Prairie Artisan Ales

Prairie Ales’ logo is a perfect combination of playful and elegant. The interesting font script fonts combination works well in a variety of colors and pairs wonderfully with their creative beer bottle labels.

39. Dainton Brewery and Taphouse

This family-owned business co-founded by the Dainton brothers boasts quite an impressive selection of beers. They are definitely on trend with some more colorful beer cans, with their distinctive lightning bolt D seamlessly incorporated into the design.

40. Roses' Taproom

When I said there are alternatives, I really meant it! This incredibly hip Californian brewery has one of the most beautiful and unique designs (their packaging are also mini artworks). It’s all about context. If you saw this pretty pink rose on a hand cream, you wouldn’t think much of it. But on a beer bottle? You know you’re in for something special.

Last call: can we help you with anything?

I hope this list has given you plenty of design inspo. Of course, with a quick Google search you can find tons of different examples. Or head over to the web page of Brewers Association and browse through their endless list of cool crafters.

However, if you do have an idea of what kind of design you’d like, our talented team of designers can help make it a reality!