As the phrase goes, “eat, drink and be merry.” And there is no better time to recite those five words than during the holiday season.

Focusing on the season of giving, beverage companies like Deschutes Brewery, Inc., Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc. and Anheuser-Busch help consumers ring in the holidays with a personal touch.  

Deschutes Brewery (Bend, Org., USA) relies on tradition when it comes to its packaging for Jubelale (pronounced Jubel ale), one of the brewery’s most anticipated releases, according to the brewery, that is available Oct. 1 through December. Since 1995, 15 different local artists have been commissioned to design the holiday ale’s label.

This year’s artist, Pam Jersey Bird, from Sisters, Ore., in describing her painting says: “I decided to focus on the river that is the namesake of the brewery… Emphasizing the curve of the bank, I added snowflakes and ice crystals, which surround the blue moving waters of the Deschutes River.”

Artists’ original artwork hangs in the brewery’s Jubelale Hall of Fame, which is the last stop on the brewery tour that hosts 12,000 visitors a year, says Jason Randles, marketing manager for Deschutes.

“Not only are people anticipating the beer every year, but they are anticipating what the artwork will look like. It’s brand recognition.” And it gets people talking.

Randles says, “I heard once from someone that the amount of snow on the Jebelale package was used to predict how much snow was going to fall on Mount Bachelor that year. There’s lot of snow on this year’s packaging.”

Beam Global’s Knob Creek is offering its consumers a personal touch with customized holiday labels. The holiday themed labels, which were first offered last year, are now being offered as a collector’s label that notes the year.

“We want to offer our consumers a little something extra during the holiday season for being our loyal fans,” says Erika Warren, assistant brand manager, small batch bourbons & scotches, via e-mail. “We hope that shoppers see the customized labels as a great addition to gift-giving, holiday parties, or to add to their personal collection.”

The labels will be available online at knobcreek.com at the end of October through December and in retail stores nationwide. The labels are being offered free of charge.

Bringing a little bit of history to present day, Anheuser-Busch is releasing limited edition vintage crates for the holidays. For more than 130 years, Budweiser has utilized wooden crates for special occasions. This year, however, marks the first time in 70-plus years that Budweiser has been packaged in wooden crates for the public. The suggested retail price is US$34-US$39.

“This is really a one-time deal,” says Chad Nicholson, Budweiser product manager.

The crates, available beginning Oct. 27, have the same design, look and feel of those that were originally used to deliver beer on the back of a Clydesdale hitch. An added point of difference is the crates are filled with four six-packs of Budweiser’s new 12-ounce signature bottles. The bottles, which are only available in Boston; Providence, Rhode Island; Washington, Oregon and Alaska, will be available nationwide only through this holiday promotion.

“It reinforces our quality of the brand, our history of the brand and tradition of the brand,” says Nicholson. “I think if you are a beer drinker and you’ve followed the Budweiser brand and its history, this would certainly be something that you would not only want to have, but keep and use all year round.”  And let’s not forget—give.

From Beverage World October 15, 2008