Featured image for Alchimiste Microbrewery - Hors Série

Alchimiste Microbrewery - Hors Série

by Jenifer Tracy on 06/18/2015 | 3 Minute Read

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Just a couple of months back we featured The Alchimiste Microbrewery on The Dieline. At that time, we were showing off the awesome rebranding work Saint-Jacques Vallée Y&R had developed for the Alchemist’s commercial beer line up. Today we’re showing off the next collaboration between these two companies, a bespoke design for The Alchemist's specialty line of microbrews, Hors Série. 

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The art direction for Hors Série takes a giant step away from what is usually seen within the commercial beer market. Saint-Jacques Vallée Y&R wanted to focus on a 100% hand crafted design that reflects what true microbrewery is about. Using an illustrative approach that was inspired by the beers name, they have created three distinct shapes for each brew's label art – a deer, a queen, and Bigfoot. Within those shapes each beer’s name and support copy has been married together in an expressive infographic style. The typography is playful, interesting and fun. Hand illustrated, it meanders and tells a story of it’s own with a variety of font styles and sizes all woven together. Each label has “hidden” beer bottles incorporated into the design – take a look at the queen's crown or those deer antlers. The design team included these Easter eggs in reference to the hidden beer bottle in the negative space of the brand logo they had previously designed for the rebranding work. 

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“Saint-Jacques Vallée Y&R also created a specific specialty brand stamp to make sure that there is a separation between the commercial line up logo and this sub-brand.”I am really digging everything about the Hors Série art direction. The color palette is made up of blue, orange and a green turquoise, three solid colors that I love seeing together and which contrast so nicely with the dark brown beer bottle. My eyes have so many places to look, they are entertained with all the details and the asymmetry of each individual label's artwork. I’m looking forward to seeing what the next Saint-Jacques Vallée Y&R and Alchimiste Microbrewery project will bring to our readers.

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President and CEO: Jacques Labelle 

Creative Director: Pierre Nolin 

Deputy Chief of creation: Patrick Michaud 

Art Direction & Graphic Design: Nicolas Baillargeon, Mathieu Lacombe 

Vice President consulting service: Marie- Andrée Bertrand 

Director of Consulting: Alexandre Lefebvre 

Production Manager: Bruno Lefbevre 

Infographic: Michel Francsali

Designed by Saint-Jacques Vallée Y&R

Client: Microbrewery Alchemist 

Country: Canada

City: Montreal