Upstart Press Award for Best Non-Illustrated Book 2024
Finalist
Designer: Duncan Munro
Title: Continuous Ferment: A History of Beer and Brewing in New Zealand
Publisher: Auckland University Press
Format: 240 x 170mm, 380pp, flexibinding. Internals printed 4c throughout on creamy uncoated Yulong Pure, jacket laminated 4c with spot UV over the ‘beer label’ title lockup, fully cased on a c2/s flexi art board cover. Endpapers are printed a striking 2c, utilising the advertising ephemera of the period displayed through the book.
Typography: Grenette Pro (titles and headings), Wonder Extralight Italic (subtitle), FreightText Pro (body), FreightMicro Pro (headers/footers/captions)
“It was a challenging brief, acknowledging that while beer is a popular liquid, this book takes a more scholarly angle: is primarily a very well written, well researched history of beer in New Zealand, rather than a gifty beer drinker’s bible. Generally, we wanted this book to look inviting/friendly/accessible to your beer enthusiast and general reader while also recognising that it’s a scholarly book aboutculture/economics/society through a beer and brewing lens.”
Judges’ comments Beer, beer and more beer! Upon closer inspection however, this book reveals an impressive depth of content and typographic skill. The text is expertly handled, and the typographic choices keep the page count to 365, when it could have easily been 600! The designer’s ability to craft an entire world from limited resources is evident, as is their skill in taking complex technical content and making it visually engaging. The design successfully captures the book’s historical period and appeals to both beer enthusiasts and scholars.
