Iced Hop Gin Packaging

Craft beer has a long tradition in the fruit-farming region. The same hops used for brewing beer are also used to infuse the gin, and they are grown in a nearby town.During the design process, I drew inspiration from the aesthetics of the old breweries in Franconian Switzerland. Initially, I began designing a hop-based beer label—but for gin. As the process continued and we tasted the final product, it became clear that this gin had a distinctive flavour, setting it apart from other gins.Inspired by traditional beer labels, the gin—with its strong and unique character—also needed a symbolic figure as an eye-catcher. This is how the owl emblem emerged during the design project. Additionally, the zigzag shape from the regional coat of arms, known as the “Franconian Rake,” was used at the bottom line of the packaging as well as on the label. Overall, the design was inspired by the region’s traditions but combines an unconventional approach, exploring new ways of handcrafting gin and thus shaping the product’s unique look and feel.

My approach is to ensure that every design detail emphasizes the character of the product and strengthens the overall appearance of the packaging. We could have used a warm, traditional label surface like those found on classic beer bottles, but since this is a gin and not a beer, we needed something different. During the process, we explored various paper options and ultimately chose a cool, clear metallic finish to highlight the distinctive freshness of the peppermint flavour, which defines this gin’s unique taste. With the smooth bottle combined with the embosed label, the way the light refracts creates an even more attractive appearance. Finding such visual metaphors truly pays off, as they allow the customer to see and feel the special character of the product in both its appearance and its essence.

Inspired by hops, one of the main ingredients that also gives Iced Hop Gin its name, I began with a layout like a craft beer label and experimented with how traditional beer bottles could be used as packaging for the final product. However, a beer bottle with a crown cap cannot be properly opened and closed multiple times, which made it impractical.While defining the right bottle shape, the key visual of a frozen hop cone combined with an owl symbol reflecting the craft beer idea gradually evolved. During the process, we realized that the character of the gin was less about beer and more about being a distinctive spirit in its own right. Therefore, we decided to move away from the beer-inspired appearance toward a more gin-like packaging.In my opinion, the result is not overly sophisticated but rather clear and confident. This clarity in the design gives the packaging a bold expression and underlines the product’s strong and direct taste. The minimalistic design is further enriched by refined details such as the owl emblem. Altogether, every design decision made during the process represents a transformation, breaking new ground and evolving from tradition into a unique and fresh expression of contemporary packaging design.