You’ve sourced all the best ingredients, experimented with various ratios of hops and malts, and refined your recipe. Your brew is now ready to launch and your warehouse is standing by, but you hear a record scratch—your beer label design hasn’t been approved by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB).
Choosing the Right Roberts Gordon Heaters for Your Needs
Often taken for granted, beer labels are more than just decorative add-ons to bottles or cans. They communicate a brewery’s identity, inform consumers, ensure compliance, and add depth to the beer-drinking experience. As the craft beer market grows and competition heats up, it’s more important than ever for breweries to make sure their label design is both eye-catching and compliant.
A pop of color is the first thing to grab a consumer’s attention, and can be used to set a mood for the beer inside. Warm reds, oranges and yellows can evoke autumnal flavors like hefeweizen or marzen while pastel greens, light blues and lilac purples can signal springtime maibocks or blonde ales. A pop of typography likewise signals brand style, with serif fonts resonating as classic or traditional while sans-serifs feel modern and contemporary.
However, even if a brewery’s label is visually appealing and meets TTB requirements, it must also contain certain legally mandated information. From the abbreviation IPA to the minimum ABV, this Design Guide to Beer Label Requirements will help you understand what needs to be on your beer label—and what can’t! We’ve compiled a list of all the information you need to know before sending your label for printing.
