Fans Chose Artist for 2026 Jubelale Packaging

Port Townsend artist Jesse Joshua Watson designed the winter-themed imagery for the annual Deschutes Brewery release.

Updated on Oct. 14, 2026 in Beer

Screen-print poster illustration of a snow-covered pine forest in a warm, muted palette, representing regional winter-themed seasonal packaging. — Artist Jesse Joshua Watson designed the winter-themed packaging for the 2026 release of Deschutes Brewery's seasonal Jubelale Winter Ale. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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In 2026, Deschutes Brewery selected artist Jesse Joshua Watson to create the packaging art for its Jubelale Winter Ale. The decision followed a public voting process that narrowed down a pool of approximately 200 applicants.

Why it matters

The brewery implemented the public vote to ensure the label imagery authentically reflects the winters of central Oregon. This initiative continues a long-standing tradition of highlighting regional art on seasonal packaging.

Approximately 200 artists applied for the 2026 project. The brewery has maintained this annual tradition of featuring regional artist work since 1994.

The players

Jesse Joshua Watson

He is a professional artist based in Port Townsend who was selected by the public to design the 2026 winter ale packaging.

Deschutes Brewery

Founded in 1988, this Oregon-based company is a well-known craft brewery that produces the seasonal Jubelale.

The details

Jesse Joshua Watson, an artist based in Port Townsend, created a painting of a snowy Pacific Northwest landscape. This artwork now appears on bottles, cans, and secondary packaging for six-packs and 12-packs of the seasonal ale.

1988: Deschutes Brewery was founded by Gary Fish.
1994: The brewery began featuring original regional artwork on Jubelale.
2026: Jesse Joshua Watson's art was used on the Jubelale packaging.

Culture Shift

The Deschutes Brewery Jubelale annual artist series reflects a broader trend of craft beverage companies integrating local artistic communities into their branding. By shifting the selection to a public vote, the brewery emphasizes consumer engagement over top-down corporate creative decisions.

Consumers in Bend and across the region can find the new artwork on store shelves when purchasing six-packs or 12-packs. The design is limited to the 2026 seasonal release of Jubelale.

The takeaway

Supporting regional artists through product packaging creates a tangible connection between local consumers and the craft products they enjoy. You can look for similar artist-collaboration series when browsing seasonal items to support independent creators.