about.
Photo by The Markows Photography
Daniel F. Birch, has been an illustrator and award-winning designer in the NYC area for 18 years. He recently moved to New Jersey to the middle of the woods on top of a large hill. For the past several years, Dan has specialized in producing graphics mostly for the NYC craft beer scene. He has created unique and instantly recognizable labels for brands ranging from Barrier Brewing Company to the newer brand Alewife Brewing Company. He has also produced in-store graphics and collateral material for some of the best beer bars in NYC including Blind Tiger, 4th Ave Pub, The Jeffrey, and Hops Hill. Dan has also helped produce illustrations that were animated for The Six Most Metal Breweries, a beer & metal show.
Aside from local brewing and hospitality, Dan also has designed and illustrated labels, catalogs and other collateral materials for great local brands such as Marcelli Formaggi, Hell's Kitchen Hot Sauce to the newcomer Joust Juice. He is very much dedicated to helping small businesses and new products grow by providing them with unique and distinct artwork and logos that stand out from the crowd, aid name recognition as well as add value to each brand.
Dan's design and illustration style is diverse although both generally incorporate hand-drawn elements a la Saul Bass and his push-pin studio. Working without an agency, his business has grown strongly through word-of-mouth as well as recommendations and references from clients who have been very pleased with Dan’s work ethic, his diligence and his prodigious creative output that helps smaller brands become larger ones.
Below are different publications I appeared on. I talk about different influences as well as stories behind the making of some of my most well-regarded labels and work. Enjoy!
GEt your beer cans in more hands by following these tips by Kathleen wilcox 7.19.2021
I was contacted by Kathleen to talk about what sells the best when it comes to beer labels. It's a great article that talks about some major problems in the industry as well as give tips on how to do better as a brand in general. I talk about a couple of labels I was asked to do and another label I was asked to give feedback on and ultimately rebrand.
The Craft BREWER's Collective 8.4.2021
Check out a new podcast about the artists behind beer labels starring yours truly. This was a fun one, I was recommended by a friend I've never met on Facebook on a beer label forum and Jenna Steele contacted me and we talked about beer labels. It was a good time. Grab a beer (preferably with a beautiful label) and have a listen.
"30 best beer labels in america"
currated by ceros originals 5.11.2020
Well 2020 was the worst but luckily people are lovin' my beer labels (and the beer ain't that bad either.) Alewife's Lupulin Vibration series made the best beer labels for 2020 and I'm proud to be in the same company as some of my heroes and friends in the industry. Many more to come. Cheers!
CREATIVE QUARTERLY 58 Winning designs™ 12.14.2019
It is a true honor to have not one but two winning designs as well as two runner-ups out of the five I sent in this Spring's edition of Creative Quarterly. Here's the 2 links to my winning designs: https://www.cqjournal.com/gallery/58 and my runner-up designs: https://www.cqjournal.com/gallery/58/birch-daniel-0092
Beer Sessions Radio™ 08.06.2019
Returning to Beer Sessions again talking about beer labels, this time with AJ Keirans: host of 16oz Canvas, Joshua M. Bernstein: prolific beer writer and Earl Holloway: illustrator of KCBC. Cheers!
16oz Canvas™ APPEARANCE 02.23.2018
I called in with host AJ Keirans and we discussed Barrier Brewing Co. labels. Check out how I got my start doing labels as well as some of the stories behind them.
Beer Sessions Radio™ 03.21.2017
My first radio appearance on Beer Sessions Radio (for which I also created the logo for) talking with Ann Reilly (Social Media/Photographer), Libby Vader Ploeg (Greenpoint Cans/Illustrator), Bruno Daddi (Owner of Iconyc Brewery Co.), and Robert Sherrill-Moss (Beer Buyer at Covenhoven) and our host Jimmy Carbone about beer label artwork. All occupations were kept the same at the time of publication.
Flatiron Hot!™ Suite Beer Release & Art Show 08.04.2016
This video was done the night of my second beer label art show at Taproom 307. At about 6:30 is the part of my first video interview based around the Barrier Brewing Co. labels.
Next Stop™ Beer Label Breakdown 11.2015
A story from one of NYC's premier beer writers, Niko Krommydas which talks about a couple of the original beer labels I did for Barrier Brewing Company: Daddy Warbucks and Morticia.