3 Q’s on Qwerky's Kitsu 808 Beer

To celebrate the recent launch of its new headquarters, QWERKY AI partnered with Columbia Craft Brewing Company on a custom rice lager, Kitsu 808 — a one-time collaboration brewed to celebrate QWERKY’s new headquarters. Guests enjoyed the beer during the launch event, raising a glass to the future of tech in Columbia. 

For this edition of the QWERKY blog, we posed three questions to three of the people who made the striking design and creation of this custom lager possible: Elizabete Geka, QWERKY’s designer; Max Fann, brewer and CEO of Inbox Beverage; and Andrew Strauss, Co-founder and CRO of QWERKY AI and former COO of Columbia Craft Brewing Company. 

Elizabete, who designed the can, lets us in on what she had in mind during the design process.

What inspired this striking design?

Elizabete: I’m drawn to creating designs where every detail holds meaning, so for this rice lager, it felt natural to root the concept in the beer's Japanese origins. I brought together a variety of visual cues that celebrate both tradition and innovation, blending cultural storytelling with a sleek, modern edge. 

At the centre of the design is our own version of the Kitsune, a fox spirit from Japanese folklore that’s closely tied to rice and Shinto beliefs. This fox illustration started as an AI-generated image, and as soon as I saw it, I knew it could be something special. I cropped the Kitsune out of the original scene and began refining it: adding a third tail to heighten its mythical energy and designing a medallion necklace featuring the letter “Q” as a subtle nod to Qwerky.

Around the fox, I layered in other references. On the left, “Qwerky AI” is written in Katakana, a Japanese syllabary. Behind the text, the sun rises — a symbol of rebirth and strength. On the right, a Torii gate represents the entrance to a sacred space. The stylized ocean is inspired by Hokusai’s iconic artwork "The Great Wave off Kanagawa”, but reimagined as "The Great Taste Wave" composed of circuit lines. Together, these elements form a kind of futuristic sanctuary, where the Kitsune moves freely between the spiritual and digital realms.

I also helped name the beer, which brings the concept full circle. “Kitsu” shortens Kitsune, while “808” pays tribute to the iconic Roland TR-808 drum machine, whose deep, otherworldly beats helped shape the sound of electronic music and hip-hop.

Max Fann—the brewer responsible for the recipe and brewing process—gives us some insight into what makes the Kitsu 808 unique.

What’s distinct about this lager compared to your other offerings, like the Columbia Craft Lager? 

Max: Kitsu 808 was brewed true to a classic lager profile — lean, dry, and refreshing—with a subtle fruitiness on the nose coming from the specific hop blend we selected. It’s intentionally clean and crisp, offering broad drinkability while still providing enough nuance to keep it interesting for more discerning palates.

Compared to the Columbia Craft Lager, Kitsu 808 finishes a bit drier, with a lighter body and a touch of sweetness that rounds out the palate without weighing it down. Overall, we were aiming for something approachable and versatile that would be perfect for a wide range of drinkers while still keeping it stylistically tight.

Andrew Strauss, the former COO of Columbia Craft (and QWERKY’s CRO), explains the process of turning a digital design into a tangible product.

What’s the process for getting a design from an idea onto the can?

Andrew: We typically start with the target audience and ask who the beer is for. This influences design style, colors, and messaging.

In terms of beer style and profile, the design should reflect the beer itself (e.g., a light lager vs. a dark stout). We also try to think about brand identity. “What are the brewery's core values, story, and existing visual identity?” The new design needs to align with or evolve from this. “How will this beer stand out on a crowded shelf? How is this different?”

We tend to think about packaging type, whether that’s bottle (various shapes/sizes), can (standard, slim), keg, etc. These differences dictate the dimensions and format of the digital design.

For the Kitsu 808, we gave Elizabete pretty much full control over the design, and she knocked it out of the park.

The Kitsu 808 Rice Lager will be available on draft at Columbia Craft’s taproom in limited quantities coming soon.