Artwork by Thomas Ness. Image courtesy of Voodoo Brewery.

Over the last 20 years, the craft beer industry has elevated product labels to an art form.

Local breweries consistently deliver eye-popping images to promote their latest elixirs … and some are getting national recognition.

Thirsty Bastards, a Chicago-based beer culture blog, has compiled a list of the 169 Best Beer Labels of 2020 and several Pittsburgh-area companies made the cut: Strange Roots Experimental Ales’ Smoov Criminal IPA, Voodoo Brewery’s White Magick of the Sun Wheat Ale, North Country Brewing Company’s Melinda and the Night Sky Helles Bock and Recon Brewing’s Immaculate Hazy IPA.

Through Feb. 22, you can vote for your favorite boozy masterpiece and be entered to win a variety of prizes, including free brews from Tavour and beer label art to hang on your fridge. All of the brews were registered with the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau in 2020.

Thirsty Bastards will post the Top 10 Beer Labels one week after the contest ends. Hopefully, we’ll be raising a celebratory toast to a local brewer and artist. After this crazy year, we could all use a drink. Cheers!

Kristy Locklin is a North Hills-based writer. When she's not busy reporting, she enjoys watching horror movies and exploring Pittsburgh's craft beer scene.