Nova Brewing Co.

Sake Packaging/Label

Project Overview

I created two sake labels for Nova Brewing Co. which went along to both win awards in the World Wine & Spirits Competition. Nova Brewing Co. was created just before the pandemic, and faced the ups and downs of the times just like any other small business. Today they have a pretty large following and was even featured by the Los Angeles Times, Eater, and Shoutout LA.

My Contributions

Project Roles: Designer
Skills: Adobe Illustrator, Art Direction, Creative Direction

The name Gravity derives from the way Nova Brewing Co. filters the sake. In order to filter Gravity, they use a highly laborious and low-yielding method called ‘shizuku’ method which translates to ‘drip.’ The moromi (mash) is then hung from mesh bags and the sake begins to drip out of the mash using gravity. This method is only used for the most premium lineups of sake in Japan and Nova Brewing Co. believes it allows for the best flavors of the sake to shine. Nova Brewing Co. and I used traditional Japanese marbling, also known as Suminagashi, to convey the slow drip process of creating both Gravity sake, and floating ink art.

Nova Brewing Co.

Designer

Gravity Sake Label: December 2020
Eclipse Sake Label: March 2021

As the name reveals, Eclipse was a special collaboration with Nova Brewing Co. to convey something new and bright born out of darkness. The black koji used for this sake tends to bring out higher acidity, lighter body, and slightly drier finish much like white wine.