Design Inspiration from

Craft Brewers

@beckerink

Why are you doing this?

• Designers of the digital world sometimes need to draw inspiration from other industries.

• Why not draw inspiration from an industry not too far outside our comfort zone?

• Mmm, beer!

A quick American history lesson

Late 19th / Early 20th Century Lots of good flavorful beer!

1919-1933 NO BEER… :*(

1933 until about the late 1980s Fizzy yellow beer

Late 1980s onward "Craft Beer Revolution”

https://img0.etsystatic.com/000/0/6135382/il_570xN.301981798.jpg

http://turnstiletours.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/SmashingBeerProhibitionPhoto1923-mag.jpg http://file.vintageadbrowser.com/l-3n60g5xjr0ce8d.jpg

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Why craft beer?

“Consumers should not settle for products generated strictly to appeal to the lowest common denominator mindset – plain, cheaply manufactured, characterless and otherwise inferior goods produced to maximize profit at the expense of providing quality to the end user.”

- Greg Koch (CEO Stone Brewing Co.) http://www.thedailymeal.com/stone-brewing-co-addresses-craft-beer-controversy

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What is craft beer?

“It’s up to the drinker to decide what is craft beer – beauty is in the eye of the beer holder.”

- Paul Gatza (Brewers Association Director) http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/craft-beer-corn-gets-a-new-look-from-brewers-and-not-as-a-mere-

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A love letter to San Diego

• We are blessed with arguably some of the best designers in the world!

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http://cdn2.bigcommerce.com/n-d57o0b/xn7qer2/product_images/uploaded_images/1st-billboard.jpg?t=1406598149

Meet the brewers

• Liz Chism • Owner / brewer at Council Brewing Co.

(Kearney Mesa)

• 4 years homebrewing before going professional

• Opened brewery with her husband in May 2014

• Previously she was a sign language interpreter

• All about community and craftsmanship

Meet the brewers

• George Thornton • Owner of Home Brewing Co. and The

Homebrewer (North Park)

• Started brewing in 2002 at 19 years old

• Sister bought him a homebrewing kit because she was tired of buying him beer.

• Majored in history

• Home Brewing Co. set to open fall 2014

Meet the brewers

• Cosimo Sorrentino • Head Brewer at Monkey Paw Brewery (East

Village)

• 4 years of homebrewing before going pro in 2013

• North/South Park Native

• SDSU graduate

• Great American Beer Festival Gold Medal winner for the San Diego Pale Ale Bonobos

Meet the brewers

• Mike Hess • Founder of Mike Hess Brewing Co.

• Started homebrewing since 1995 in Philadelphia

• Opened Hess Brewing to test out the nano brewery proof of concept

• University of Colorado, Boulder graduate

• Former US Navy Officer

Inspiration

“Ultimately what it comes down to is that my attention gets focused on creating (or recreating) certain flavors in our beers. How we get there is partly due to inspiration and how well I use my imagination.”

- Tomme Arthur (Director of Brewery Operations, Lost Abbey & Port Brewing)

http://drinks.seriouseats.com/2010/07/a-pint-with-tomme-arthur-port-brewing-lost-abbey-beers-interviews.html

• Where does your inspiration come from?

Design Approach

“Our tasting room will allow me and my team to expand on the educational approach that they hope to foster in the San Diego community.”

- George Thornton (Founder Home Brewing Co.)

• User-centered design vs. genius design?

• How much does the end user matter when designing craft beer?

Collaboration

“Even the traditionalists from Europe are becoming more interested in collaboration brewing with American brewers.”

- Claudia Faulk (CFO Aztec Brewing Co.)

http://www.ces.sdsu.edu/blog/2013/12/faulk/

• Lessons learned from collaboration?

Competition

“We’re heading into an incredibly competitive era of craft brewing… There’s a bloodbath coming.” - Sam Calagione (Dogfish Head Brewing Co.)

http://americancraftbeer.com/item/is-a-craft-beer-bubble-brewing.html

• 3,040 breweries are operating in the U.S. • 99% small and independent craft

breweries • 1,929 breweries in planning.

As of June 30, 2014

• Where is the line drawn between collaboration and competition?

Gee, what a terrific audience

• Questions?

Cheers!