Anne Fitch is the watercolorist behind the labels of New Belgium Brewery beers. New Belgium Brewing Company is a regional Brewery located in Fort Collins, Colorado. In 2006, New Belgium Breweries, the United States's third largest craft brewer, changed its logo. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the A microbrewery, or craft brewery, is a modern Brewery which produces a limited amount of beer usually with an orientation toward distinctive and flavorful products They did so because the company realized that beer drinkers could identify the Fat Tire label, but "didn't recognize the brewery label, or make the connection that New Belgium brewed Fat Tire and other best-selling brands, such as Sunshine Wheat. "[1] The company's a new logo "pays homage to the well-known Fat Tire brand bicycle" drawn by Anne Fitch. [1]
The company's flagship label, "Fat Tire is one of the hottest beer brands in the country," said Paul Gatza, director of the Brewers Association, "and has assumed cult status in some places. "[2] The beer is "semi-famous for its label with a watercolor depiction of a 1950s cruiser. "[3] Kim Jordan, the President of New Belgium Brewery, credits the success of New Belgium Brewery in part on Anne's artwork, "Our beers were good, our labels were interesting to people, and we pretty quickly had a fairly robust following. "[4] In 2006, her artwork appeared on each of the over 125 million bottles sold by New Belgium;[5] the company's new brewery will allow the company to double production. [2]
Anne was the neighbor of the founder of New Belgium, Jeff Lebesch, in Fort Collins, Colorado, when Jeff decided to turn his home brewing hobby into a business in 1991. The City of Fort Collins, a Home Rule Municipality situated on the Cache la Poudre River along the Colorado Front Range, is the County seat [6] Anne initially provided labels for Lebesch's home brew beer "Fat Tire" as a birthday present. When Lebesch decided to sell his beer, he asked Fitch if he could use her label on his beer. She agreed, and has been the exclusive artist for New Belgian beer labels ever since.
Anne was also one of two artists to paint the altar at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Latin Mass Community Church in Littleton, Colorado. An altar is any structure upon which Sacrifices or other offerings are made for religious purposes or some other sacred place where ceremonies take place The Archdiocese of Denver is the Roman Catholic Archdiocese for Denver Colorado and the Colorado counties of Adams Arapahoe Boulder Broomfield Denver The City of Littleton is a suburb of the Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Statistical Area and a Home Rule Municipality in Arapahoe County, Jefferson
While awards are not presented for beer labels, many laud the artwork on New Belgium beers. Hoosierbeergeek. com "I'd also like to say that if I was picking beer on label alone, New Belgium would be tops. Their artwork is beautiful. "[7] Macraubrau Brew Journal, "I really love the presentation with the intricate label artwork and custom embossed bottles. Clearly, the New Belgium Brewing Co. is trying to sell more than beer, but a lifestyle. "[8]
Notes
- ^ a b New Belgium Brewing rolls out icon tied to Fat Tire beer Denver Business Journal. Amy Bryer. July 7, 2006. Accessed Mar 21, 2008
- ^ a b New Belgium Brewing's new plant adds capacity Denverpost. com Tom McGhee. 06/19/2007. Accessed March 21, 2008
- ^ Realbeer.com "Tour De Fat" Accessed March 21, 2008
- ^ Interview with Kim Jordan Beerscribe. com Accessed 3/21/08
- ^ Living on Earth: Green Brewery Accessed March 21, 2008
- ^ New Belgium Brewing - The Ride Accessed 21 March 2008.
- ^ Hoosierbeergeek.com's review of New Belgium Beers. Accessed March 21, 2008.
- ^ "Beating the heat with New Belgium brews" October 8, 2007 Accessed March 21, 2008