Beer and art – winning label combinations by Keith Shore for Mikkeller

Words: Bryony Quinn
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Date: 9 May 2012; Work
Illustration

It is safe to assume that the opening night of any exhibition is as much about the beer as the art. Harnessing this great truth, the very wonderful illustrator-recherché Keith Shore is exhibiting his regular commission of labels for Danish beer brand Mikkeller at their bar in Copenhagen. Opening tonight, this hop-fuelled vernissage features a wide range of original drawings used by the brewery – tiny narratives, bright colours, jazz characters, strange happenings – and no less than 20 beers on tap. Keith Shore + Beer = Best. Show. Ever.

An illustration of a person leaping against a peach background with blue rain-like dashes. They hold a white banner above their head that reads “KOPPI”. The bottom of the image features the words “Mikkeller” and “SPONTANKOPPI”. — Above
Keith Shore: Mikkeller Beer

A four-panel comic illustration of a knock-knock joke. An orange character wearing a black hat tells a joke to a person with yellow hair. The dialogue reads “Knock knock”, “Who’s there?”, “Orange!”, “Orange who?” and ends with “Orange Yuzu Glad I Said Porter Mikkeller!”. — Above
Keith Shore: Mikkeller Beer

An illustration for Mikkeller beer featuring a person in a red and orange checked shirt carrying a giant green hop cone. They hold an axe over their shoulder against a backdrop of a red sky and green field. The text “Mikkeller” appears at the top, with “WET HOP KELLERBIER” written along the bottom. — Above
Keith Shore: Mikkeller Beer

An illustration on a bright yellow background features two black silhouettes running. They wear patterned shirts and are flanked by a pink and green geometric shape and a blue map. Text at the top reads “Mikkeller MEXAS RANGER”, with a small gun icon between the words. Curved text follows the figures, reading “CROSSING THE BORDER” and “ALE BREWED WITH CHILIS AND MEXICAN SPICES”. — Above
Keith Shore: Mikkeller Beer

An illustration in pink and yellow shows a stylised figure reaching across the frame. They are surrounded by small clusters of berries. The text at the bottom reads “Blondeaux” and “Mikkeller”. A vertical line of text on the left describes the drink as a “Belgian blonde ale brewed with raspberries & aged in Sauterne barrels”. — Above
Keith Shore: Mikkeller Beer

An illustration of three figures in striped shirts and black hats carrying large framed portraits. The portraits feature profiles of people in a deep red hue, with text reading “Big Bad Worse WORST” and “BARREL AGED Barley Wine”. The word “Mikkeller” is written in large black type across the top. — Above
Keith Shore: Mikkeller Beer

An illustration for Mikkeller “Monks Brew” featuring a split face. One half is a detailed white skull, while the other is a simplified figure wearing a brown monk’s cowl. — Above
Keith Shore: Mikkeller Beer

An illustration of a person sitting on a stool, painting a reclining figure on a canvas. The word “Mikkeller” is written in large letters across the top. Behind the artist, several smaller sketches are pinned to the wall, including a person with a gun and a car. A cat sits on a separate stool nearby, looking at a glass of wine. — Above
Keith Shore: Mikkeller Beer

Two brown glass beer bottles stand side by side against a white background. The labels are bright green and feature illustrations of a tiger, with the text “Kikkelen Belgian Tripel” on the front. — Above
Keith Shore: Mikkeller Beer

An illustration of a green beer label for Mikkeller. Bold black typography reads “Mikkeller” above two large, oval eyes and the letters “PA”. Smaller text at the bottom reads “Imperial India Pale Ale”, “11.2 fl oz” and “14% alc/vol”. — Above
Keith Shore: Mikkeller Beer

Further Info

www.keithshore.com
www.mikkeller.dk/keith-shore

About the Author

Bryony Quinn

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Bryony was It’s Nice That’s first ever intern and worked her way up to assistant online editor before moving on to pursue other interests in the summer of 2012.

Beer and art – winning label combinations by Keith Shore for Mikkeller

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