Witches Brew

Package Design + Branding

Witches Brew is a fictional craft beer brand I created based around the concept of the modern witch. From broomsticks above the door, to pointed brewer's hats, to owning cats in order to protect their grain from rodents, many of the symbols we associate with witches are derived from the last women brewers of the middle ages, most of whom were driven out of the industry they created.

Originally, brewing beer was a women's job – part of the daily housework that was seen as a women's responsibility. Once beer spiked in popularity, brewing began to transition into something no longer done in the home, but a commercial venture. As a result, women were no longer able to take part in the industry they shaped, as they were not permitted to own their own businesses. On top of that, in the same time period, witch trials began to spring up all over Europe, and many of the tell-tale signs of 'witches' looked suspiciously like the practices of the remaining female brewers.

In our modern age, the beer industry largely targets its marketing at men, and the percentage of woman-owned beer brands is remarkably small. I wanted to create an edgy, feminist craft beer brand to fill that hole in the market, and pay homage to the women who were the reason beer became popular in the first place.