New For the Home Decorating Beer Snob: Pantone Swatches!

Trying to find a gift for the beer lover on your list that's not a six-pack of beer? Try Beertone swatches.

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It probably never occurred to you, but imagine, just for a moment, if you could take the color of your favorite type of beer and paint an entire room that exact same shade.  Which beer would you choose?  Something light and airy, like a Corona or other lager?  Or maybe something dark and stormy, like a Guinness or similarly heavy stout?  Well, designers Alexander Michelbach and Daniel Eugster have actually given this prospect a lot of thought, and have now come up with a way to make it a reality: Beertone swatches.

Each card represents the exact color value of a unique beer – we’re talking RGB, CMYK, and HTML code – along with a brief profile of the brew, according to Fast Company’s Co.Design blog.

The duo must be serious beer lovers because the project involved some extensive research.  Michelbach and Eugster contacted Swiss breweries asking if they’d want to take part – and 202 responded.

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The breweries sent the team all sorts of information including “SRM data (which is the standard for beer color reference) and an actual bottle of beer to double check the value in person, often with a light measure sensor for beyond-eyeball accuracy,” reported Co.Design.

The result: An array of beer tones to replace the chipping paint on your walls.  The swatches aren’t available yet, but they’ll put you back at least $39.  The designers are also planning a U.S. edition and a mobile app, reported Co.Design.

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