Who's behind the beer can designs released by Gainesville breweries?
When searching for the perfect can of beer, you'll probably look for your favorite style, but youre also likely to be swayed by the design of the packaging itself. From streamlined looks to colorful labels with bold design elements, a lot of thought goes into the process for graphic designers. Several Gainesville breweries employ both local talent and others from around the nation to create cans that excite beer drinkers. As a designer, I buy stuff all the time just based on how packaging looks, said Adam Chancey, the Gainesville-based full-time graphic artist for Swamp Head Brewery. Its one of the reasons why we think about them especially when theyre going out to store shelves.  So many brews to choose: Your guide to Greater Gainesville craft breweries  Alachua beer:San Felasco Tech Citys latest expansion to include brewery in Alachua  Drinking outdoors:Sidewalk cocktails get a green light from Gainesville commission  Chancey said he cant keep count of how many labels hes designed for the brewery. In 2020 alone, he said, he designed some 200. With us being shut down, we were trying to put out a lot of limited releases, he said. Customers picked up their cases to go from Swamp Head throughout the pandemic, but the tap room recently opened once again. Chancey said different flavors require different inspirations, but that many labels are designed with Florida in mind. One of his favorite designs from a few years ago was for Tropical Vibes, a mango guava wheat whose colorful label design was based on Hawaiian T-shirt patterns. Our love for Florida is a big thing and we hope that comes across in our designs, he said. Other favorites include a collection of Star Wars flavors that were released on May the Fourth and last years Oktoberfest design. Chancey, who went to school for design, said he liked being able to pay homage to German Bauhaus, a style that emphasizes bold patterns. Swamp Heads design included small pint glasses and pretzels in the pattern. Aphra Adkins is a Maryland-based artist working as graphic designer for Cypress & Grove Brewing Company. As sister-in-law to Sally Adkins, one of the brewing company's four founders, she said she was happy to help create beer can art and labels when the brewery reached out around October asking to collaborate. So far, Adkins said she has designed seven cans, though not all of her art is in production yet. She is also helping Cypress & Grove revamp its website, menus and overall visual identity. "Ive been having a lot of fun with it," the 31-year-old said. "Its always great to work with an excited client, but this has a whole other layer. It feels really good to participate and just be part of their life that way.  For Adkins and Cypress & Grove, she said, the design process is wholly based on communication. All five will get together and talk about what feelings and goals they want the new can art to display, and no design is finalized until everyone is satisfied, she said. It can take from two weeks to months for a piece to be completed with all the discussion and work. But the time and care is necessary to help Adkins understand many of the uniquely Gainesville elements in each brew. One piece Adkins said she is proud of is the can art for Prairie Ride, an American pale ale named after Alachua County's beloved Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park. Another is the soon-to-be-released Keep Shining, a blonde ale designed around being in the Florida sun and water. "I think design is important to everybody even if they don't realize it," she said. "Its really where form and function truly meet. A can is necessary. It serves a purpose; it has a function. If its necessary, why not have it be beautiful?" Adkins said while visiting family in Gainesville last month with her husband and two children, she was able not only see the prairie first-hand but also Cypress & Grove cans sporting her art for sale at Ward's Supermarket. One day, perhaps during her next visit, she hopes to collect and save one of each can with her art. Emily Mavrakis reports on business and Alachua County government. She can be reached by email at emavrakis@gvillesun.com and on Twitter @emmavrakis. Danielle Ivanov reports on higher education and general news. She can be reached by email at divanov@gannett.com and on Twitter @DanielleIvanov.