Founders gets all arty, taps cellar operator to create exquisite Pale Joe label

Brewers are artists. Just look at Founders’ brewmaster Jeremy Kosmicki in the video above — that hair, that goatee, that shirt unbuttoned to his navel — dude has artist written all over him. But he’s not the only artist stylishly creating the future of Founders Brewing Co. The Grand Rapids-based brewhouse recently tapped one of its lead cellar operators, Aaron Rossell, to illustrate and paint the label for Pale Joe — a coffee-focused pale ale. This is the fourth beer brewed to benefit ArtPrize (the international art competition decided by public vote and expert jury that takes place each fall in Grand Rapids).

Founders has produced a specialty beer for ArtPrize for the last four years, and previous releases include Inspired Artist Black IPA, Mosaic Promise and Spectra Trifecta. Rossell was chosen for his striking character illustrations, which you can enjoy in the video above. He developed the character of Pale Joe, “a leathery, dirty-overalled man, as a symbol of blue-collar, hardworking, coffee-sipping Midwestern farmers.” It’s definitely one helluva of an illustration, worthy of the whopping $200,000 prize for first place in the competition. It’s also a reminder that art is not what you see, but what you make others see, and Founders once again shows us the importance of creativity, philanthropy and empowering your employees.