Blenderbox started the 5:30 Brew project in Fall of 2011 in an effort to create some seasonal gifts for our clients, partners and friends. It’s worth mentioning that beer brewing has been a part of the Blenderbox culture for several years now but it wasn’t until 2011 that we got good enough to actually share the beer with anyone.

For the name of the beer, we chose 5:30 Brew, born out of the informal policy of not being allowed to drink until 5:30 on workdays. This was followed by a show of hands on what beers to brew. We decided on an IPA and Brown Ale to start with because of the mid-fall season when we began brewing.

This really started the look & feel for the project. We wanted to design a label that we’d be psyched to order at a bar or pick up at the bodega. Everything from the choice of 16oz pop-top bottles to the hay filled 2-pack box the beer is shipped in to the shipping labels, we wanted to create a fun, unique look with attention to detail.

Upfront, we wanted to share the beer making process because truth be told, it’s not that hard. Adding in features like Share your Experience (which we hope will be love letters from our clients) to Ask the Brewmaster (we hope to get some Dear Abby-type questions), we wanted to add light and refreshing ways for users to interact with us.

Cheers!