Joe McKendry Illustrates the Science of Non-Alcoholic Beer for National Geographic
Illustrator Joe McKendry was commissioned to create a striking gatefold spread for the February 2026 issue of National Geographic, visualizing the beer-making process and the science behind today’s rapidly evolving non-alcoholic brews.
The illustration explores how brewers and scientists are rethinking traditional fermentation—combining chemistry, biology, and innovative techniques to create complex flavors without the alcohol. McKendry’s work brings clarity and energy to a highly technical subject, guiding readers through each stage of production with visual precision and narrative flow.
Blending editorial storytelling with scientific insight, the expansive gatefold format allows the process to unfold at scale—perfectly suited to National Geographic’s tradition of making complex systems both accessible and visually compelling.
This project is a standout example of how illustration can bridge craft, science, and culture, transforming a behind-the-scenes process into an engaging visual journey.
About Joe McKendry
Joe McKendry is a painter and illustrator whose work has appeared in over 100 publications worldwide, including the New York Times, the London Times, Vanity Fair, Esquire, andTIME Magazine. His books, Beneath the Streets of Boston: Building America’s First Subway (David R. Godine, 2005) and One Times Square: A Century of Change at the Crossroads of the World (David R. Godine, 2012), chronicle the history of their subjects in a way that is accessible to both children and adults. A native of Maynard, MA, McKendry teaches painting and illustration at the Rhode Island School of Design and lives in Brookline, MA with his wife and three kids.
