Designing Beer Bottle Labels

Beer bottle labels carry varying amounts of information, often depending on the jurisdiction in which the beer was brewed. There are often statutory requirements which dictate what must be included, with alcohol volume the most obvious requirement.

Beyond this, though, is an opportunity for some genuine artistry. There are a great many small breweries trying to compete for business, and a memorable name and a striking design can help them to stand out from the crowd. While a high degree of artistry is always an advantage in any creative endeavor, it is by no means an essential part of producing good labels for beer bottles and beer crates and boxes.

The need for disclosure of certain details about the beer the bottle contains only applies to beer which is being sold commercially, so if you are just brewing beer for your own use you can design your own label to suit yourself. Of this freedom also extends to the right not to include a label at all if you don't want to. Many home brewers are only interested in the beer itself, and the bottle is merely a container to keep it all in one place. If this is you, don't worry about it, just carry on and do what you feel happy with.

If, on the other hand, you would like to take the opportunity to present your creation in a more aesthetic light, possibly because you are presenting it to visitors and guests, there is much that you can do.

Traditionally, beer bottle labels design has not been anywhere near as intricate as the design of wine bottles, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't include plenty of color and a striking design. You can use many of the techniques which the commercial breweries use to make their product stand out, as they are all incorporated into online design programs.

As with creating any other type of printed material, there are two stages you need to address.

Firstly, the design stage, where you effectively create a new label design from nothing. There are, however, plenty of templates to help you if you cannot come up with anything completely original. Any good graphics software package will let you experiment with ideas until you find what you are looking for.

Once you have the design, you will then need to get it printed. A professional printer will get you the best results, but unless you are creating a lot of labels the cost per unit may be prohibitive. Now, though, there is a better solution.

Online Label Printing Services

If you use an online printing service, you can create the label online using a very similar interface to the one you would have used had you used software. All of the same options for design components, colors and graphics will be there. The difference is that now you don't need to find your own printing service, or even get hold of your own high quality printer. This service is easy to use. You simply design your label, and then when you are happy with it you submit it to the site. The printing will be done for you, and the labels shipped to your door. If you are a home brewer, you can add another dimension to your hobby by designing your own beer bottle labels.

If you make your own beer, adding a unique label makes each bottle very special. If you want to make beer labels for a special occasion like a birthday or retirement party, using an online label printing service make sense. Design your own beer bottle labels can be lots of fun, so give it a try.