Make Beer Labels
Brewing your own beer can be a surprisingly simple and satisfying hobby. It can also be less expensive than purchasing beer from the store, and it allows you to share your handcrafted beer with your friends and neighbors. Keeping all your different brews identified in their ubiquitous brown bottles can be a challenge, however. To help in this identification and to add a bit of creative flair to your bottled brew, consider learning how to make beer labels for affixing to your bottles.
Steps
- Decide on a name for each of your beers. Rather than simply identifying your beers by style, brew date, or other prosaic details, consider giving them each creative names. Browse the craft beer selection at your favorite stores to get ideas for beer names.
- Remember that some beer styles tend to follow specific naming conventions. Doppelbocks, for example, traditionally have names ending in "-ator" - Optimator, Maximator, and Triumphator, for instance.
- Decide on the size of your beer labels. Labels on beer bottles can vary widely in size. Some are wide, horizontal bands that wrap all the way around the bottle, while others are small oval-shaped badges. To decide on a size, it is easiest to measure the dimensions of an existing beer label that you admire.
- Create an appropriately sized document in an image editing program. Open your favorite image editing software and create a new file with the dimensions that you measured from an existing label. Set the resolution to 200 points per inch (80 per cm) or above, as this will ensure adequate print quality.
- If you do not have any image editing software on your computer, you can download an open source piece of software called GIMP - the GNU Image Manipulation Program.
- Add the desired text and images to the file. Make sure to add your beer's name and style somewhere on the label. Additional information to consider including might be the brew date, specific gravity or alcohol by volume, and of course, the brewmaster's name. If your graphic design skills leave something to be desired, you can find free clip art on the Internet for use on your beer labels.
- Print the beer labels onto sticker paper. When you are finished designing your beer labels, you are ready to print them. The most straightforward approach is to load your printer with 8.5x11" (22x28 cm) adhesive-backed paper. This way, you can simply cut the labels out of the paper with scissors.
- Affix the beer labels to each bottle. After cutting the labels from the sheet of sticker paper, remove the backing and position them carefully onto each bottle. This step is best done after the bottle has been filled and capped so that errant drips of water, beer, or sanitizer solution do not mar the label's appearance.
- Wiping the bottle clean of dust and moisture before affixing the label will ensure a good seal.
- Finished.
Warnings
- If you want to place labels on your beer bottles, but do not want to make them yourself, you can have labels custom made through various web design services. An Internet search for "beer bottle labels" will help you find companies that offer short-run label printing services.
- If you choose to go down the path of short-run label printing services, ensure that the company of choice provides food safe ink. This is essential when packaging food and beverages.
Things You'll Need
- Beer bottles
- Ruler
- Computer
- Image editing software
- Printer
- Sticker paper
- Scissors
- Clean cloth
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