It's no secret that Austin, Texas, is known for its weird vibes, and while it might be weird now, it's said that in the past, things were even stranger. Zilker Brewing Company has leaned right into the weirdness and is embracing retro vibes with wide-open arms. The inspiration for the branding comes from the 70s and 80s typography paired with an intentionally vintage aesthetic. Designed by SAMPLE, these Icy Boys are sure to make things weird, the old-Austin way.
After a lot of exploration, we landed on these, which funny enough, was inspired from the can art from my first project with them. We modified the design, pushing it to feel more like a system, and leaned into some retro vibes.When I took over the Zilker brand, it already had an established identity. The logo was something we talked about and explored on this project.
Ultimately, we ended up with the existing identity. I was able to clean up the logotype, and add some custom endings to it- doing what I could to make it more ownable, while still retaining the brand equity it has built throughout the years. Additionally, Zilker had one foot in the door with a retro aesthetic. I designed these cans as an effort to make their new brand look intentional- leaning into that vintage look with thick swooping lines, gradients and 70/80s type.
ZBC is all about the craft of beer. Like many small breweries, it started as a passion project out of a garage and grew to the brewery we know and love on east 6th. Aptly named after Austin’s most beloved park, Zilker Brewing Co. is all about serving its city good, quality brews. They celebrate the glory days of Austin- when the city was less crowded, things were weirder and the only alcohol that came in a can was beer.
Project Credits
Designed By: SAMPLE | @sample_co