You may have noticed a change in the look of our Down Easy Pale Ale design, which was released just before the holiday season in 2019.

Down Easy has been a major part of our lineup since the early days of Hoyne Brewing Company. We’re still super proud of the original design of the Down Easy label, which was done nearly ten years ago — but we wanted to freshen things up a bit to reflect some of the changes within the brewery, which includes the introduction of six-packs of bottles (and soon, cans).

Inspired by Sean and Chantal Hoyne’s love of the outdoors, the label was a reflection of something Sean wrote about their experience in the mountains:

“Our paddles cut the glacier water in a slow, unhurried stroke, without even a ripple. No words were needed, none would suffice, so we moved in silence. Surrounded by the majestic Rocky Mountains on Moraine Lake, we felt insignificant, humbled by timeless beauty.”

Creating a label that captured all that was no small feat – and to achieve it, we turned to Becoming Design Office, who we work closely with on a lot of our design and artwork. Rather than sinking into a digital process, Ross Chandler, founder of Becoming, worked with an up and coming artist, Joe Thoong, who hand painted a scene in the style of the Group of Seven.

The resulting painting is something that proudly sits in Sean Hoyne’s office now and would look equally at home on a gallery wall (which is where it may wind up one day). The beautiful brush work, colours, and composition perfectly capture the true spirit of the West Coast and, in our humble opinion, makes for one hell of a beer label.

With a spirit of collaboration, artistry, and natural beauty of our region, we are proud to be offering our Down Easy Pale Ale in multiple formats throughout the province. We encourage you to celebrate artists and the natural world around us in the same way we do — with a glass raised and the tip of a hat to all those who helped bring this amazing design to life!