Great Divide Brewing has a new look that stands out in the crowd

Great Divide stood as Denver's biggest and best-known independent brewery for decades — a beacon on the craft beer shelf that won acclaim, awards and fans.

State of play: Now in its 28th year, Great Divide Brewing is struggling to stand out in a cooler filled with colorful craft cans.

• "There's a lot of beer out there," said founder Brian Dunn. "We are constantly being told by people, 'Oh, there's so much beer, we had a hard time finding your beer.'"

What's new: The brewery's new, bold redesign hopes to solve that problem.

• The packaging on six- and 12-packs — which are starting to appear on local shelves — now features the brewery's name in large, white lettering on a red background.
• The revamped beer logos and cans are brighter in color and display a continuity while maintaining their iconic characters.
• The rim of the silver can features the brewery's motto: "Independent Then. Independent Now."

The big picture: The new look is part of a fresh approach at Great Divide after a few tough years.

• The beer maker suffered a setback earlier this year when it abandoned its massive expansion plans at a new Brighton Boulevard location and returned most of its operations to the original Arapahoe Street brewery downtown.

Yes, but: Dunn says having the company under one roof — and not split between buildings — is boosting morale and creativity.

• It's a welcome return to the old days that allowed the brewery to be more innovative with new beers, limited releases and an all-hoppy beer 12-pack.

What they're saying: "Most importantly, we wanted to make sure the name Great Divide stood out," Dunn told John in an interview this week. "We went from beer style heavy to brewery heavy" in terms of branding.