Case Study: Lazy Eye Brewing — A Portfolio Concept by Work By Davey
At Work By Davey, every brand I build starts with a question:
How can I make it impossible to confuse this brand with anything else?
Lazy Eye Brewing began as a purely fictional brewery — a concept brand that gave me room to push design without the limits of a client brief. I wanted to create something that, if it existed in the real world, would never be mistaken for generic beer branding.
This wasn’t about barley stalks, steins, or retro beer script fonts. Lazy Eye Brewing had to look like art first, beer second.
The Backstory
The “founder” of Lazy Eye Brewing — in my imagined world — is a brewer who kept getting fired for challenging traditional recipes. Instead of conforming, she opened her own taproom. Her mission: brew for people who normally drink macro lagers but want to explore the craft world without the pretense.
Her menu is diverse: from a blueberry sour ale to a chocolate stout to a classic saison — beers that appeal equally to casual drinkers and IPA aficionados.
The brand’s personality? If Lazy Eye Brewing were a person, she’d be a brown bisexual woman with dyed hair, tattoos, a septum piercing, and a knack for mid-century modern furniture history. She makes good money, but resents her day job, and spends weekends biking with her girlfriend. She’s effortlessly cool, and you can’t quite predict what she’ll say next.
Creative Direction
For me, the goal was to give this “brewery” a visual identity as unpredictable as its beer menu. When a customer sees a Lazy Eye can or hoodie, I want them to pause — to feel like they’ve stumbled onto something unique, something that doesn’t look like beer branding at all.
I drew inspiration from local Pittsburgh breweries I admire — TRACE Brewing, Coven Brewing, Necromancer Brewing Co. — but pushed further into experimental territory.
I went straight to digital, experimenting with textures, typography, and visual layering. The eyes became a central motif — mysterious, hypnotic, and memorable. The name “Lazy Eye” came naturally; it’s personal, but also perfect for the brand’s laid-back-yet-intense vibe.
Brand Elements
Logos: I created seven distinct logos, each versatile enough to stand alone or work in tandem.
Packaging: Each beer label tells its own visual story — from the kaleidoscopic energy of Lazy Driftt to the quiet minimalism of Grey Days.
Merchandise: Tote bags, hoodies, and tees extend the brand into lifestyle territory. These pieces look like streetwear, not brewery swag.
Taproom Menu & Coasters: Every touchpoint is designed to feel collectible — something you’d want to keep.
Notable Beers
Lazy Driftt (Hazy IPA) — Tropical haze with mango, pineapple, and tangerine. A vacation in a pint.
Grey Days (New England IPA) — Smooth, balanced, a beer for sitting with your thoughts.
Beer is Good Food (Classic Saison) — Playful and bright, like a late summer afternoon.
Saturdays Are a Holiday (Milkshake IPA) — Because Saturdays deserve their own celebration.
Indigo (Blueberry Sour Ale) — Vibrant, tart, and unapologetic.
Midnight Velvet (Chocolate Stout) — Dark, smooth, and indulgent.
Challenges & Learning
The hardest part wasn’t the design — it was immersing myself in a culture I’d only seen from the outside. Before this project, my beer knowledge stopped at Budweiser, Miller Lite, and Corona. I had to learn the vocabulary of craft beer: hops, flavor profiles, seasonal styles.
But that learning curve was exactly what made the project rewarding. It reminded me that great branding comes from curiosity — from fully stepping into a world, even if it’s new to you.
The Result
Lazy Eye Brewing feels like a brand that could walk into the Pittsburgh craft beer scene tomorrow and hold its own. The visuals are layered and intentional, the product design feels collectible, and the brand identity is cohesive enough to scale — from a single taproom to national distribution.
And while the brewery may be fictional, the work is very real. It’s proof that Work By Davey can build not just a logo, but a world — a brand with story, style, and substance that customers want to be part of.
If you want your business to have a brand identity that stops people in their tracks — one that makes them want to taste, touch, and tell others about it — let’s talk.
