WILD MIND ALES
LABEL DESIGN • PHOTOGRAPHY • website • PRINT & DIGITAL DESIGN • MERCH
Wild Mind Ales was a Minneapolis-based brewery known for expressive, boundary-pushing beers. Over multiple years, I partnered with the team to support the brand across beer labels, photography, web, merch, and promotional materials, helping maintain consistency while allowing each release to stand on its own.
THE PROBLEM:
Wild Mind Ales was a fast-moving, creative brewery with a presence that extends well beyond beer labels. Between new releases, collaborations, events, photography needs, merch, and web updates, the brand had to stay recognizable and professional across dozens of touchpoints without becoming rigid or repetitive. The challenge was building continuity over time while leaving room for experimentation.
THE ROLE:
I worked as an ongoing creative partner, supporting Wild Mind Ales across label design, photography, web, merch, and promotional needs as the brand continued to grow. My role balanced hands-on execution with brand stewardship that helped apply the existing identity consistently while adapting it to new releases, events, and platforms over time.
PROJECT SCOPE:
Beer label design and packaging across ongoing releases
Product, lifestyle, and event photography
Merch design and promotional materials
Taproom and event signage
Website updates and content support
Ongoing brand application and visual consistency
BEER LABEL SYSTEM
Wild Mind Ales already had an established brand identity when we began working together. The focus of this work was developing and maintaining a beer label system that could support frequent releases while keeping the brand recognizable and cohesive over time.
Rather than relying on a single visual style, the system is held together through consistent information hierarchy, strong typographic anchoring, and a familiar layout rhythm. This allows each beer to feel expressive and distinct, while still reading clearly and unmistakably as part of the Wild Mind lineup.
BUILT FOR REAL USE
The beer label system was designed to hold up beyond flat layouts. Each release had to work in real-world conditions including on cans, in coolers, behind the bar, on merch, and across digital platforms, all while staying legible, recognizable, and on-brand.
Beyond packaging, the work extended into photography, signage, and promotional materials that supported releases and events. Every touchpoint was designed to feel connected, functional, and consistent with the Wild Mind Ales experience in person.
SELECTED BEER RELEASES
Below are selected beer releases that show how labels, photography, merch, and promotional materials work together as a system.
BALANCE OF TIME
A Kölsch-style Ale released roughly every three months, with each release launched through a recurring Kölsch Night at the brewery.
BICYCLE DAY
A Grapefruit Radler released annually in celebration of Bicycle Day, nodding to Albert Hofmann and the spirit of the day.
CONFESSIONAL
A one-off Belgian Single released as a quiet, focused offering that leaned into restraint and simplicity.
CONSPIRATOR
An annual spring Helles Bock released alongside a Bock Fest celebration featuring live music, beer poking, bonfires, and a food truck.
FESTBIER
An annual Oktoberfest-style Weisn Lager released alongside a full Oktoberfest celebration featuring live music, games, and a food truck.
IDEAL
A classic, “ideal” Pils released semi-regularly as a dependable, clean expression of the style.
KEEPER OF THE FLAME
A collaborative release between Wild Mind Ales and Pizzeria Lola, brewed with a portion of the malt smoked in Lola’s copper pizza oven and available at both locations.
LITTLE TREASURES
A hazy pale ale released a few times, built around Cascade and an experimental hop to explore subtle shifts in aroma and flavor.
OLDE WINDOM
A premium Malt Liquor named after the Windom neighborhood, brewed as a tongue-in-cheek take on a classic style and served exclusively in cans.
RéVEILLON
A cider-hybrid farmhouse ale released to celebrate the New Year.
SPIRIT KEEPER
A Düsseldorf-style Altbier, often called the dark cousin of Kölsch, released a few times during the colder months.
SUN ROOM
Wild Mind Ales’ take on a classic Hefeweizen released during the summer months.
TERROR BIRD
A one-off American-style Barleywine released as a bold, high-impact offering.
Merchandise was designed as a natural extension of the taproom. The line-up includes simple, durable pieces that reflected the Wild Mind Ales brand without being tied to specific beer releases. The focus was on wearability and longevity, creating items that felt just as at home in the taproom as they did outside of it.
MERCH DESIGN
EVENT POSTER DESIGN
Event posters supported releases, celebrations, and taproom programming. They were designed to be clear, approachable, and consistent with the Wild Mind brand. The focus was on communication first, using strong hierarchy and restraint so each poster felt timely without straying from the overall visual language.
TAPROOM BEER PHOTOGRAPHY
Taproom photography focused on capturing the beer as people actually experienced it, poured fresh from the taps and served in branded glassware. The imagery highlights texture, color, and atmosphere, helping connect the look of each beer to the environment it was brewed and served in.
I supported Wild Mind Ales through ongoing social media content, helping translate beer releases, events, and taproom moments into consistent, on-brand visuals. The goal was to keep the brand active and recognizable online while reflecting the energy and personality of the brewery in real life.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Over multiple years of collaboration, Wild Mind Ales maintained a cohesive and recognizable presence across beer releases, events, and the taproom. The work supported dozens of touchpoints while allowing the brand to remain expressive and flexible. It helped Wild Mind Ales show up consistently wherever people encountered the brewery.
THE RESULT
GOOD WORK DESERVES BRANDING THAT HOLDS UP.
If you want creative support that evolves with your brand without losing consistency, let’s talk.