Anyone with more than a passing interest in wine is likely familiar with the popularity of so-called “critter wines” - i.e. wines that are often mass-produced and generally of a less-than-impressive quality that are packaged behind labels that feature a cute or humorous animal illustration of some sort. The wild success of such wines, especially in the United States, shows that at least where casual consumers are concerned, marketing will win out over quality almost every time.

While the same general adage holds true in the world of beer, packaging tends to hold a smaller role in the marketing process, at least here in Ontario where the majority of beer is purchased at the Beer Store. After all, what the label or case looks like doesn’t matter much when people don’t see them until they’ve placed their order based on the large wall of tiny logos, and their beer comes rolling along the conveyor belt from the back room.

(Aside: Have I mentioned lately how much I hate the Beer Store? It’s like a cross between a fast food restaurant and a government-run rations outlet in Communist Russia! No wonder so many people ignore the logo wall and just get the same ol’, same ol’ every time. But I guess that’s just fine as far as Beer Store owners Molson and Labatt are concerned…)

As for the small percentage of beer sold through the LCBO, packaging has a much bigger part in the success or failure of a product. And while cute animals on beer labels are few and far between, the bottles on the LCBO shelves do reveal a few marketing gimmicks.

One brewer that plays the packaging game well is Wychwood Brewery of Oxfordshire, England. While the quality of their beers range from decent (Fiddlers Elbow, Hobgoblin) to dreadful (Black Wych Stout), Wychwood is best known for the ornate fantasy-inspired illustrations on their labels. Sitting next to the drab looking bottles favoured by many other brewers, the labels are certainly attention-grabbing, and have led to several other beers from Wychwood and their affiliated imprints to become available at the LCBO on a limited basis.

The most recent of these special offerings is Wychwood’s Christmas beer, Bah Humbug (LCBO 3822, $3.40/500 ml), which is back from a return visit after having a sell-out run last holiday season. And the good news is that even if it’s the label that sells it, the beer inside the bottle completely deserves the success.

It pours a very nice clear ruby-copper with a frothy beige head and a fairly still body. The aroma is sweet and spicy, with notes of fruitcake, cinnamon, nutmeg, roasted malt, and a hint of chocolate. The flavour follows the aroma, with a malty and fruity opening followed by some mild spice in the middle, and as promised by the label, some banana-like flavour and a subtle hoppiness in the finish. It’s a warm and inviting beer, perfect for our rapidly cooling weather, and worth a taste even if you don’t like the label.

Jumping The Gunn: In last week’s review of Innis & Gunn Limited Edition IPA, I neglected to mention that it’s on a slow roll-out at the LCBO, and is currently only available at a few out-of-town locations. It should be available at selected Toronto outlets in the next couple of weeks. Similarly, the Ontario Craft Brewers Discovery Pack suffered a couple of release delays, but has finally started appearing in stores in the last week or so. Happy hunting!