Beer, wine and whiskey explained with stylish and locally produced 'How It's Made' posters
If the surge of local breweries, cocktail bars and drink festivals this season has left you thirsty for some knowledge on how your favorite libations are made, class is in session with a pair of beverage educators and their cool new "How It's Made" posters.
Richard Converse and Brad Cammon, whose company 78 Degrees hosts educational spirit-tasting events around Sacramento and the Bay Area, have conceived a series of posters illustrating the main steps of crafting whiskey, wine and beer in an eye-catching and easy-to-understand way. Starting Monday, Sept. 29, the duo is turning to the crowdfunding platform Kickstarter to raise $1,750 to pay for the design, printing and distribution of the posters.
Converse, who works out of midtown Sacramento's Thinkhouse Collective, says he and Cammon were inspired to start the "How It's Made" project in response to the spike in demand for their tasting events.
“People are now getting that whiskey is not stuff you take shots of, it’s something you appreciate. Our first event had only 17 people and now we reach well over 100,” Converse says. “We wanted to [meet demand] while reaching more people outside of the local area we were in. A buddy of mine really into printing reminded me that having something tangible really means something to people. If they could have and hold our message, that can last with them for a long time.”
The production of the series will stay in Sacramento, where 78 Degrees has collaborated with local designer Kristin deNeeve.
Backers on Kickstarter will receive a variety of rewards for their support, from one 12" x 16" print for $17 to three 18" x 24" prints for $65. (Both reward tiers include shipping.) Depending on the success of the Kickstarter campaign, Converse says he and Cammon hope to expand the "How It's Made" series to other graphic treatments of spirits and beverages, like flow charts featuring tutorials on making the perfect martinis and other cocktails.
“Our next step, if successful, is to become the place that you go to get education on all things alcohol,” says Converse, who envisions 78 Degrees’ work adorning walls everywhere from home bars to grocery stores. “We currently have a list of over 48 different posters that we want to design, and what we want is the public’s feedback saying, ‘Yes, this is something we would like too.’ ”
The "How It's Made" poster series launches Sept. 29 on Kickstarter.com. Click here to visit the campaign's page.
