One label, chosen by hand

Label of the week

We read every beer label filed in this country and describe the artwork on all of them. We only argue about one a week. This is that argument, and the archive of every one before it.

Trade Paperback Vol. 1 label art — HOP BUTCHER FOR THE WORLD
Label of the week · Week of August 31, 2026

Trade Paperback Vol. 1

HOP BUTCHER FOR THE WORLD

Simple, classic styling that pops in a crowded shelf. Hop Butcher labels are hard to beat.

Our score · 9/10

What's on it

A cartoon detective figure in a brown overcoat and fedora hat dominates the right side of the label, holding a magnifying glass and displaying a comical expression with a green hop-cone head. The character is rendered in pen-and-ink with crosshatching and loose linework against a solid orange field. A stylized hop illustration with tasting-note callouts appears on the lower left in simpler line work. The beer name "Trade Paperback Vol. 1" is hand-lettered in a casual brush script in the upper right, with regulatory text and brewery information completing the lower sections.

Previously

Tangled Mirage label art — FIRST STATE BREWING COMPANY
Label of the week · Week of August 10, 2026

Tangled Mirage — FIRST STATE BREWING COMPANY

A beautiful, unique airbrush technique from First State Brewing. One of my favorite new entries.