Brasserie du Bon Temps
An illustrated journey of historical beers around the world
Overview
Having worked with the Bon Temps brewery before, in the early part of 2024 we took on our most ambitious storytelling series yet. Together, we produced an illustrated series telling the story of a coveted selection of beers. From concept, all the way to label, book, and the brewery mural
With the historical beer recipes ready for brewing, Lást was tasked with producing illustrations that told the story behind each beer, closely honouring the history, whilst creating dynamic and engaging graphics that would have patrons reaching for the cans.
The biggest challenge was just that: producing epic artworks that would take people on the journey both on label and in book, whilst attracting an audience to reach for the cans in the first place.
Project Scope
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12 Pack Beer Series
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Label Identity for all 12
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Book Illustrations
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Visual Identity
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Brewery Mural
Team
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Lást Maps
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Altro Labels (BC, Canada)
The mighty 1754 Historic IPA. The first in the series, it was crucial to set the tone for the rest of the series. Taking the dangerous journey from the London Docks all the way to India, we played with maritime legends of the time too with a 'hop kraken'. On the right is the finalised label identity, which was utilised through out the multi-pack, keeping information and technical components to a brave minimum on the perimeters - easy to read on one side of the can, and in no danger of fragmenting the artwork. The timeline immediately let's the patron know where they are on the historical journey.
The studio was at the helm of designing the concepts behind the series, working closely with the written history of each beer to produce graphics that told the story in engaging and fun formats. We chose to lean towards the arc of central movement across the label, whether a ship or other vehicles, to take patrons on the journey with the beer.
One of the earliest challenges identified was how to quickly communicate the key elements in the story, so it was easy for patrons to understand where in the world they were, and when. Naming each beer after the date solved this, an elegant and immediate stamp in the history, with maps often featuring as part of the artwork to dive deeper. As the beers were being enjoyed in a series, a timeline allowed us to let them know where they sat in the series, and gave us more scope to add more beer related goodness with the hop marker.
A look behind the scenes at the 'King Gambrinus' artwork render, from analogue sketch to finished artwork. Working closely with print format in mind, both book and label, meant we could build out the artworks with this finish line in mind, so all colours and textures were primed for the very best print finish.
Myth, legend and folklore is always a feature in the studio's work, and lent itself perfectly to the craft beer format. Some recipes lent themselves more to a moment in a time, a scene we created with it's own lore to tell the story of the beer's legend, or the person/people who developed it.
Once the story concepts were developed for the brewery, the artwork was generated, starting traditionally with pencil sketch ups and ink work. We digitised this format, and worked colour into each design digitally, allowing us the freedom and tools to build out the textures and layers required to build so much depth into each scene.
The finished results were 12 fully rendered artworks. However, these were built with the illustrated book in mind, and the next crossroads was all about designing the label identity itself. With such statement artworks, the studio decided to keep the artworks front sand centre, keeping information stacks minimal, but easy to access along either the left side of the labels, or along the bottom. We worked closely the label producers to format the series ready for a large print run, getting the very best out of the print.
Some of the many labels in the illustrated series. Each artwork is a specific moment in time, with it's own lore and it's own legend. This took us all the way from Georgian England to suburban Nova Scotia in 1950. Excitingly the series finishes with a look to the future. No map, but the entire world under the reach of craft beer. We tied the colours closely to the era, and kept the futuristic 2100 built from the same palette as the first in the series, 1754. Full circle, and keeping each and every label on brand for Bon Temps.
The series has been an enormous success for Brasserie du Bon Temps, producing the first beers of their kind, and telling this riveting and unexpected story to the world. This success was grounded in the intimate link to the story in the artwork, and consistent considerations through out on how to bring these artworks to label, and whilst delving into so many periods of history and types of beer, keeping them consistent for the brand.
With it's growing momentum in the industry, Bon Temps is opening a new brewery in Calgary, Canada - and in early 2026 our studio will be taking on a series of murals to bring the most popular label artworks to life on a big scale across brewery walls.
The inspiring collaborative relationship we've built with the team at Bon Temps has proved something we've held close to heart for a long time: that working with like inspiring people, and truly understanding the story they want to tell, can propel brands to new heights. We put out our best work when we're a part of the team, with you every step of the way to make magic.
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Les Ouvrieres was the most rewarding label in the series, intimately linked to the history of the women behind the beer, a bohemian cohort of grisettes that kept much of the coal mining of the time running with the beer they brewed. The horixtonal info stack was selected for this beer primarily because of the story it told, and the need for more copy on the label.