#NCBeer Label Insanity Competition


 
Download your bracket and vote daily on Instagram & Facebook!

North Carolina breweries have some of the most innovative label art in the world. To showcase this creativity, the Guild is hosting the first annual "Label Insanity" Art Competition! Presented by Wright Creative Branding & Labels,  SeaThirst Creative, and Hop Culture, this two-part competition began with a panel of 12 judges narrowing down the field of 346 entries submitted from 64 NC Breweries. Now, it's your turn! The 1st place winner from each of the 16 categories entered the People's Choice Label Insanity Bracket Tournament. Cast your vote in head-to-head, single-elimination bracket rounds on @ncbrewersguild social media.














Winners will be decided by popular vote - the label receiving the most votes via the poll function will be deemed the winner of that round. The winner of each round’s match-up will progress to the next round. The winner of the final round match-up will become the tournament champion! How can YOU win? Just by voting in our daily bracket rounds on Instagram Stories and Facebook Polls, you'll be entered to win some pretty cool #NCBeer prizes. 
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR SWEET SIXTEEN 1st PLACE FINALISTS!
See full-sized versions of the Sweet Sixteen artwork →  
 
Road Hazard
Crank Arm Brewing
New England & Hazy IPAs 
 


one-y
Oskar Blues Brewery
Session IPAs
 

Strenna
Fullsteam Brewery
Stouts 
 

Original
Ginger's Revenge
Spiced Beers 
 


GØLDNDÆ 
Traust Brewing
Sour, Brett, Mixed, & Wild Ales
 

Churro Churro
Fullsteam Brewery
Strong Ales & Imperial IPAs
 

Luchador
The Mason Jar Lager Co
Malty/Amber/Dark Lagers
 

Tropical Shirts
Wise Man Brewing 
Wheat Beers
 


La Surfeza
Salty Turtle Beer Co
Light Lagers & Blonde Ales
 

#4TheGraham
Gizmo Brew Works
Porters & Brown Ales
 

The Explorer
Archetype Brewing
Specialty IPAs
 

Delicata
Fullsteam Brewery
Belgian & French Ales
 


Cue the Sun
Archetype Brewing
IPAs

Sunshine Felt Like Rain
Divine Barrel Brewing
Pale Ales

Appalachian Walker
Olde Hickory Brewery
Barrel-Aged Beer

Outraged Daughters
Wise Man Brewing
Amber & Red Ales

WINNER, WINNER!
Each 1st, 2nd, & 3rd place entry category winner in the Early Judging portion of the competition (see full listing below), will receive a certificate of recognition & be featured in a state-wide press release! Check out the honorable mentions →

The Sweet Sixteen beer category winners will be featured in a special Hop Culture Digital Publication story about the Label Insanity Competition. Each of the Final Four breweries will receive 2,500 complimentary labels, provided by Wright Creative Branding & Labels and 10 custom-designed & produced tap handles, provided by SeaThirst Creative and Hoptown Handles. The Tournament Champion will receive The 2021 Label Insanity Championship Award, 25 custom-designed and produced tap handles provided by SeaThirst Creative and Hoptown Handles, their winning label design featured on the Guild’s #DrinkNCBeer summer t-shirt, and, of course, massive bragging rights!


THANK YOU TO OUR ALL-STAR JUDGES! 

The week of March 15, our twelve celebrity judges made their decisions on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place labels graphics within each of the 16 beer style categories! Working in teams of 3, the judges evaluated all entries based on 4 criteria:
 - visual interest (does the design effectively capture interest and engage)
 - creativity (does the design show innovation & originality)
 - craftsmanship (is the design technically well-executed)
 - overall impression (is the design composition clear/appealing.)







Thank you to our all-star panel of judges: 
  • Co-Founder of NC Beer Guys, Dave Tollefsen 
  • Founder of Beer Chick LLC, Eugenia Brown
  • Founder of Hop Culture, Kenny Gould
  • Writer at Teakettle Junction Productions, Jason Frye
  • Founder of Not Your Hobby Marketing, Julie Rhodes
  • Designer at Wright Creative Branding & Labels, Ruairi Dolan
  • Co-Founder of Work for Your Beer, Mel Fox
  • Founder of Hoptown Handles, Ben Weston
  • Designer at SeaThirst Creative, Taylor Seidler
  • Community Brewing Ventures, Aaron Gore
  • 919 Beer Podcast host & Co-Founder of the Beericana Festival, Wayne Holt
  • 919 Beer Podcast & Capital Broadcasting Host, Joe Ovies
ENTRY CATEGORY WINNERS 
The below entries were selected in the early judging portion of the competition, by the above panel of esteemed judges.