The Glass Packaging Institute (GPI) have announced the winners of its 2016 Clear Choice Awards, recognizing the country’s top brands and manufacturers using glass to create powerful brand experiences. The seven winners, ranging in categories from “Beer & Cider” to “Cosmetics & Fragrances” were recognized during a ceremony at the national Packaging That Sells Conference in Chicago in early October. 

The winning glass containers were selected by an independent panel of food and beverage packaging professionals, including Ethan Fixell, beer, wine and spirits journalist; Tom Bobak, Editor-in-Chief of American Craft Beer; and Denise Purcell, Head of Content for the Specialty Food Association.  

"Packaging is often the first opportunity for brands to make an impression on consumers,” said Fixell. “These industries are highly competitive, with new products constantly entering the marketplace. Consumers of premium goods not only value quality -- they value the story behind a well-crafted product. Clear Choice Award winners stood out for their ability to separate themselves from the competition with innovative, thought-provoking design and an impressive knack for clearly conveying the history of a unique commodity."

Winners include:

Beer and Cider: Goose Island Bourbon County Stout 

Wine: Maestro 50th Anniversary

Spirits: Wild Turkey Master's Keep   

Non-Alcoholic Beverage: Argo Tea  

Food: Sir Kensington's Organic Mayonnaise

Cosmetics, Fragrances & Other: Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair

Newcomer to Glass Packaging (Including Reversions): Crazy Mountain Brewing Company

“The containers that are being created for today’s artisan products can be as important as the products themselves,” said Bobak. “This year’s Clear Choice Awards competition presented us with an incredible array of modern glass options, and made choosing ‘the best’ in any given category, all the more difficult.”