Every month, the federal government approves a massive wave of new craft beer labels (see our Illinois May 2026 report to catch up). We do the heavy lifting – digging through the dry, clunky database of the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) – to pull out the art, the data, and the trends actually worth looking at.
Label of the Month
Each month, I pick a single piece of artwork to stand at the front of the pack. Sometimes a design grabs me immediately; other months, it’s a battle between a few brilliant standouts (or a struggle through a sea of mediocrity). Therefore, before we crown the ultimate winner, you can check out the top candidates fighting for the spot below.
June 2026 Winner: Beer for Kicks by Off Color Brewing
Why it won: Honestly, there was technically “better” artwork in the batch this month, but timing is everything. With the World Cup matches absolutely dominating the screen and bringing so much energy this June, tying the crown to the world’s biggest soccer stage made this an incredibly easy win.
The May Numbers at a Glance
| Metric | June 2026 Stats |
| Total IL Approvals | 34 |
| Labels Curated Below | 26 |
| The VIP (Most Submissions) | Hop Butcher for the World (12 labels) |
A Quick Note on the Curation: You won’t find keg collars or generic text-only labels here. In fact, we skip the boring industrial stuff and double-ups to focus strictly on the bottles and cans you’ll actually see in your hand or on the shelves.
Spied on the Shelves: Oddities & Standouts
While reviewing the lineup, one specific label jumped right out. The folks over at Ginger Road Brewing Company are releasing a West Coast-style IPA playfully named “Punch A Ginger.” Now, before anyone gets protective of their favorite redheads, rest assured it’s just a clever, heavy-hitting play on the brewery’s own name! It easily wins the award for the most memorable branding twist of the month.
The Lineup: New Approvals
