Do's and Don’ts of Labeling for Your Alcohol Product

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A label for your alcohol product must not only stand out from competitors but also provide information necessary for consumers to make an informed decision. It must also contain product details legally required by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB). The design and hierarchy of this information will depend on the sales channel and type of product. Keep in mind these guidelines when developing your alcohol product label.

Do Keep in Mind General Label Hierarchy Guidelines

Hierarchy is a term that explains where and how information should be placed on your label. Here is the breakdown of guidelines for your label and their importance.

1. Brand name. Make sure your name stands out.

2. Product. Keep it clear and near the brand name.

3. Sourcing information such as appellation designation or grain source.

4. Production run, vintage, or limited bottle number.

5. Endorsements, such as awards and signatures.

6. Alcohol % and TTB required information.

Don’t Assume Level of Hierarchy Based on Location

The item at the highest level of hierarchy can be located anywhere on the label. The font size, color, and visual design determine where your eye will go first. Make sure to prioritize what is most important.

RELATED ARTICLE: 5 Good Reasons to Use Pressure Sensitive Labels for Craft Beer

Do Make Your Brand Name Stand Out

You will want your brand name to stand out even if it isn’t the top level of hierarchy. Customers should be able to easily identify your brand on the product, so don’t hide it in the design or place it somewhere unexpected.

Don’t Clutter Your Label

Your label should enable your product to be easily distinguished from other brands and provide consumers with enough information to make a purchase they will be happy with. A label filled with meaningless information or a cluttered design will leave consumers frustrated and likely to choose a different product.

Do Take Into Account Your Sales Channels

If customers will purchase your product in a restaurant or bar, your label needs to catch the eye of the patron scanning the bar shelves. The size of the label and brand name must be large enough to be seen from a distance but not obtrusive.

Wine packaging information can be smaller since the customer is directly in front of the product buying it off a shelf or from a list. The label needs to contain enough information for the consumer to choose a wine that meets their expectations. Brand name placement in beer labeling needs to take into account product distribution and placement. Retail shelf space is very competitive, and your brand needs to stand out. You want it to catch your eye as you walk down the aisle.

RELATED ARTICLE: Wine Labels in the Digital Age: What You Should Know

A great alcohol label will not only make your brand stand out and will also provide the consumer with the information they need to make a purchase they will be happy with. For additional information on developing the best label design for your alcohol product, reach out to our team at Century Label. Call 800.537.9429 or contact us online today.

Aluminum Can Shortage: Thinking Ahead for a Very 2020 Problem

As if 2020 hasn’t thrown us enough weird curveballs, manufacturers are reporting a shortage of aluminum cans. Early this year, as customers hoarded Lysol and toilet paper, the hygiene industry found that they were not prepared for the demand and shortages abounded. Now, it seems, aluminum can production facilities are feeling the same sting. Keeping up with the surge of at-home beverage consumption has been a challenge, leaving companies to turn to Century Label to help them find creative ways to package their products.

The Cost of Aluminum

Aluminum itself is a fairly expensive substance for how commonplace it seems. This is largely because, though it’s one of the earth’s most common metals, it’s difficult to extract from the rock around it and uses great resources to mine anew. For this reason, and due to the ease with which aluminum can be melted down, recycling is the way to go. However, recycling plants are having a difficult time keeping up with the demands of the soda and beer industries. Because the pandemic has left millions to search for in-home fixes to their daily vices, these markets are seeing surges in take-home sales.

An Eco-Friendly Problem

The good news about this shortage is that it’s an indication that consumers understand the “green factor” behind buying cans over bottles. This green-awareness may be just the double-edged sword that’s causing manufacturers to scramble for new solutions. Though pre-pandemic beverage trends showed a shift from the antiquated “bottle service” standard to that of craft-brew cans, once March hit, we saw this phenomenon accelerate ten-fold. For beverage manufacturers, small breweries especially, cans are appealing because they are cheaper to obtain and therefore increase profits. Retail stores have an easier time storing cans due to their relatively compact nature and uniform shape, whereas bottles can vary from brand to brand and often can’t be stacked. Consumers have an easier time carrying a case of Coke cans to their car over a six-pack of bottles. Cans just make sense all around.

Moving Forward in a Shortage

So, what is to be done with the market’s catchall product is experiencing a shortage?

The craft beer market is getting extra creative with their solutions. Many breweries are opting for can designs that cover the entire surface of the can rather than simply a logo or sticker. This opens the door of reusability, as they don’t have to worry about an old logo showing through if the entire can is covered with the new design. These new methods that utilize pressure sensitive labels are often easy to apply and don’t require any special equipment, making them a popular solution to this very niche problem.

RELATED ARTICLE: Are Pressure Sensitive Labels the Right Choice for Your Brand?

If you need this kind of creative solution for your beverage canning business, contact us today to learn about all of the custom label options that Century Label has available.

5 Good Reasons to Use Pressure Sensitive Labels for Craft Beer

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You’ve worked hard to develop the best-tasting beers possible to establish your craft beer brand—and you’re not alone. The craft beer industry is booming, comprising over 25% of the American beer market in 2019. With nearly 8,500 small and craft breweries scattered across the nation, you’ll need to stand out among this increasingly crowded market.

To do that, your labeling needs to represent your brand and draw the consumer’s eye. However, not just any label will do for a beverage product that frequently experiences cold temperatures, moisture, and other hazards before it ever lands in a retail cooler.

Fortunately, there’s an excellent labeling solution for craft beer—pressure sensitive labels.

RELATED ARTICLE: Craft Beer Trends and How They Will Impact Your Labels

Why Should You Use Pressure Sensitive Labels?

Unlike regular labels, which are pre-printed, cut, and glued to beer bottles, pressure-sensitive labels consist of three parts. First, there’s the face stock, which includes your imaging, then there’s a lining, and finally an adhesive back. This construction provides many benefits, including:

1. Durability. Pressure sensitive labels are already much more durable than plain paper labels and are resistant to moisture, cold, and friction. For beer labels, you can add moisture-resistant varnish to provide further protection from damage when stored in cold, moist conditions.

2. Customizability. Pressure sensitive labels can be printed using custom, full-color HD Flexo printing to provide the color-rich graphics that represent your brand. Also, you can add cold foil metallic imprints to ensure your brand stands out among others.

3. Adaptability. For craft breweries with frequent changes in beer offerings due to seasonal beers, promotions, and more, pressure sensitive labels are the perfect choice. You can digitally print short runs of pressure sensitive labels, allowing you the freedom to test flavors, promos, and more.

4. Professionalism. Paper labels often aren’t as richly colored as other labels; worse, they are susceptible to moisture and can easily peel off under stressful conditions. By contrast, richly colored, durable, pressure sensitive labels stay on the bottle and instantly appear professionally done, lending an aura of expertise and professionalism to your beer brand.

5. Affordability. The vast majority of pressure sensitive labels are printed digitally, which requires a relatively short lead time and reduced labor to print. As a result, even short runs of pressure sensitive labels are affordable—and become even more inexpensive the more you print.

RELATED ARTICLE: 3 Tips for Boosting Your Marketing Strategy with Custom Labels

Explore Your Custom Pressure Sensitive Labeling Options

Your labeling decisions should reflect the quality of the beer you produce and the story of the brand you’ve founded. Pressure sensitive labels provide a professional, long-lasting, color-rich appearance for your craft beer. As a result, your packaging will invite more customers to buy your brand and introduce potential loyal followers to your carefully crafted beers.

If you’d like more information about designing a custom pressure sensitive label for your craft beer, contact Century Label today. We can help you get your beer off the shelves and into the hands of loyal, dedicated customers.

3 Craft Beer Trends and How They Will Impact Your Labels

The craft beer industry is explosively popular and wildly interesting. Small breweries all over the country are producing unique flavors and blends never seen before, and their labeling methods are becoming as diverse and intriguing as the flavor profiles they’re developing. If you own a craft beer line and are thinking of ways to make your beers stand out from the vast number of other brewers on the market, your labeling choice could be one of your strongest selling points.

Some of the emerging trends of the craft beer market present attractive labeling opportunities. It’s a good idea to assess these trends and determine the best ways to leverage your labeling process to make your line of craft beers something exceptional.

RELATED ARTICLE: Everything You Needed to Know About Craft Beer Crowler Labels

1. New Beer Styles Are Gaining Popularity

Brewers across the nation are branching out from typical lagers and ales. They’re exploring new brewing styles to create fresh hop beers, Franconian-style rotbier, strong pale ales both juicy and hazy, contemporary Belgian-style gueuze lambic, and many others. If you’re thinking of going with a new beer that’s out of the ordinary, you should have a labeling solution to match. Think of ways to capture your new style of beer with a label that speaks to your brand and your creative vision for the brew.

2. Non-Alcoholic Beer Is Returning

The Brewers’ Association has noted that non-alcoholic beer is gaining popularity, and this presents a fantastic opportunity to any craft brewer thinking of ways to bolster their offerings. When it comes to labeling, it’s possible to create all types of label styles that help a non-alcoholic beer stand apart from the rest while still reflecting the brewer’s brand. Simple color changes can be enough to set these offerings apart from their alcoholic counterparts.

3. Americans Are Getting More Experimental

The cannabis industry has seen tremendous growth across the nation, and cannabis-infused beverages are just one example of how this industry is reshaping American consumption habits. Beer brewers have not only capitalized on this trend by crafting CBD-infused beers and specialty brews made with cannabis, but also other alternatives to typical beer. The craft beer industry has grown so expansive that even non-drinkers are taking an interest and looking for options to standard beers. The sheer number of possibilities opens a whole new world of labeling options, and a unique labeling solution can help an exclusive line of alternative beers stand out in surprising ways.

RELATED ARTICLE: Know the Label Options for Craft Beer

These three trends are signs that the craft beer market isn’t going anywhere, and will likely continue to grow at an incredible pace over the next several years. This means that new brewers face an incredibly competitive market, and the need for creative branding solutions is more significant than it has ever been before. Labeling your new beers can help you stand out in this competitive niche, reach out to non-drinkers, or emphasize the uniqueness of your line of craft beers in surprisingly effective ways.

Century Label has more than 40 years of experience providing professional product labeling services, and we offer a wide range of labeling options ideal for any line of craft beers. Whether you want to create a cohesive vision for your brand that extends across every variety you create or wish to make a unique statement with every type of beer you brew, we can help.

Contact us today for more information about the craft beer labeling solutions we offer.

Everything You Need to Know About Craft Beer Crowler Labels

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Two years ago, it seemed like everyone had heard of the way the growler was changing the craft beer brewing industry as we knew it. The large, glass or ceramic containers enabled breweries to extend their brand far beyond the confines of the brewhouse itself. Unfortunately, growlers aren’t always the most forgiving way of transporting beer; their overall weight is a drawback for some, while their propensity to shatter when dropped is another factor and potential downfall.

RELATED ARTICLE: Know the Label Options for Craft Beer

Beer Crowlers

Now, another container is poised to oust the growler as the most popular way to transport beer – the crowler. These 32 ounce aluminum cans have the extended capacity of a growler, all with the ease of a traditional can.

However, the question remains:
How can you label your crowlers in a way that builds your brand?

Start with these tips…

1. Always use high quality labels. Many breweries have tried – and failed – while experimenting with applying simple stick-on paper labels behind the bar. Run-of-the mill labels don’t display color well and tend to peel and bubble when exposed to refrigeration and moisture – two things necessary for storing your great beer. Ensure all labeling and adhesives are waterproof and resistant to changes in temperature.

2. Consider pressure sensitive labels. Pressure sensitive labels can be applied in small-run batches at the beginning of the day, allowing you to keep a stock ready to go behind the bar. Pressure sensitive labels come in a variety of sizes, allowing you to utilize a large label to ensure your brand speaks loud and clear no matter your design. Wether they are applied by machine or hand, your custom printed labels will stay put long after your beer leaves the brewery.

3. Shrink sleeve labeling is a win. If you’re wanting a crowler that makes a bold statement and stands out among the crowd, shrink sleeve labeling may be your best bet. You can cover the entire surface of the can with your branding, including the contoured ends. A small investment in a shrink-sleeve machine allows you to fill and label a beer for a customer within minutes.

4. Change up your labeling. Use a variety of labels for seasonals, popular flagships, and specialties so your customers always know exactly what’s in their crowler. Print labels in small runs so that each high-quality label reflects each beer’s unique branding. Thinking outside the box? Our Mosaic hyper-customization is a unique technique that is sure to draw attention to your new brew.

RELATED ARTICLE: Boosting Your Brand Identity with Your Label

You’ve created the perfect craft beer – now, create the perfect craft beer label to share your brew with the world. Transition your existing beer branding to this exciting new label format today.

Reach out to the professionals at Century Label regarding our pressure sensitive, shrink sleeve, and other food and beverage labels today – call 800.537.9429 or request a quote online.

How to Properly Label Your Hand Sanitizer

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused countless economic upheavals throughout the world. Many companies have adapted their manufacturing processes to assist in the production of sanitary products and medical supplies to support the healthcare industry in this time of crisis.

One of the most amazing developments is the trend among distilleries and alcoholic beverage manufacturers across the United States shifting gears to produce hand sanitizer due to the extreme shortage our nation is facing.

If your distillery wants to contribute to the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, keep a few things in mind. First, the hand sanitizer your distillery produces is unlikely to meet all applicable regulations and manufacturing standards held by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

However, the FDA has promised not to take legal action against manufacturers who strive to contribute to the fight against the virus as long as they do so responsibly. Labeling is one of the most important things to consider if you wish to shift your business operations toward hand sanitizer production.

RELATED ARTICLE: Adapting Your Business to the Ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic

Why Is Labeling Important?

While you may wish to turn your company’s focus toward contributing to relief efforts, remember that you have a responsibility as a manufacturer to produce safe, effective, and accurately represented products. If the hand sanitizer you produce does not meet all standard regulations for hand sanitizer production, you must inform consumers of this fact on your label.

It’s also essential to list every ingredient used in the production of your new hand sanitizer so consumers can make informed purchasing decisions. The World Health Organization (WHO) has released a suggested formula for creating hand sanitizer. It’s strongly recommended that any distilleries or other manufacturers that wish to contribute to the fight against COVID-19 in this manner follow the suggested formula as closely as possible.

Developing Your Hand Sanitizer Label

The same basic rules apply for creating hand sanitizer labels as for any other type of consumer product. Your label should include the weight and volume of the package as well as a comprehensive list of ingredients. Some people are allergic to isopropyl alcohol, so if you use the WHO-approved formula that includes isopropyl alcohol, consumers need to be aware of this to avoid allergic reactions. While rare, it is also possible for an individual to have an allergic reaction to glycerol or hydrogen peroxide, two other ingredients listed in the WHO-approved formulas for hand sanitizer production.

Your label should clearly display your brand logo and all required information. Work with an established labeling service to produce high-quality, readable labels for your hand sanitizer as quickly as possible.

Contact Century Label today if you have questions about developing a label for new hand sanitizer products.

Adapting Your Business to the Ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has dramatically altered everyday life for many Americans. As countless people reshuffle their daily schedules, work from home, and manage kids home from closed schools, businesses across the country are stepping up in several incredible ways.

In addition to school districts offering free meals to families in need and restaurants shifting to purely takeout services, distilleries in the US are shifting gears and creating hand sanitizer from the alcohol they have on-hand and giving it away for free. While this is a noble effort, it is important for both distilleries and the public to know that hand sanitizer produced in this manner may be somewhat effective, it may not meet applicable regulations. Although, most distilleries are following a recommended recipe by the World Health Organization.

A More Sensible Solution Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic

While it’s honorable of alcohol-producing companies to strive to contribute toward emergency relief efforts across the country, it may be more realistic for these establishments to shift their focus toward making their own sanitation products that meet applicable standards. The average craft beer distillery may not possess the equipment and materials required to produce sanitary products that meet all applicable regulations. Those that can properly prepare hand sanitizer for consumers and health care professionals will not have to worry about the FDA taking action against them during this epidemic.

Alcohol distilleries in Atlanta, Portland, rural Georgia, and North Carolina are shifting their operations in an effort to provide the public with the sanitation products they need to slow the spread of COVID-19. Labeling is an important consideration for this effort, so if you think your business can contribute to the fight against the spread of the coronavirus, keep a few things in mind. All hands on deck.

The Importance of Labeling for Distilleries and Craft Beer Brewers During the Crisis

First, your labels will need to indicate the ingredients used in the production of your hand sanitizer and other products, and it will also need to indicate that the product has not been fully reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration and other relevant government agencies. It is essential for businesses to refrain from making unfounded claims about their products, especially during a crisis situation like this.

Take time to ensure your labels are accurate, represent the new product you have made in a concise, readable, and truthful way, and provide consumers with all the information they need to make an informed decision about using your product. Manufacturers must continue to hold to their responsibility to provide their customers with safe, effective, and accurately labeled products for the duration of the pandemic.

If you have questions about labeling new sanitation products or want to develop new labels for your products, contact Century Label. We continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation and will follow all applicable guidance from the government as we continue to serve our customers to the best of our ability.

Know the Label Options for Craft Beer

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Craft beers are as unique as their crafters, and labels should explore that uniqueness. However, to nail your brand, you need to understand your options when it comes to labeling your beers. Unlike other industries, the same product poured into a different container can completely affect its labeling. The craft beer industry has been positively booming over the last several years, and competition is fierce. If you want your brand to stand out above the crowd, then you need to choose the best labeling option for your goals.

RELATED ARTICLE: Century Label’s Top Predictions for Craft Beer Labels in 2020

Shrink Sleeves

If you want a sleek and streamlined look for your craft beer, shrink sleeves are a fantastic choice. It’s easy for the team at Century Label to adjust your imagery to conform to the shape of your containers, and shrink sleeves offer smooth and seamless labeling for your craft beers. These are great options if you prefer bold color choices and eye-catching branding.

Pressure Sensitive Labels

These are the standby for the beer industry. They adhere easily to bottles and are available in customizable shapes and patterns, so you can get creative with your designs. Pressure sensitive labels are easy to design, cost-effective, and enable quick labeling processes. If you’re looking for the simplest method of getting your brand imagery in front of your customers’ eyes, pressure sensitive labels are a great option.

Metallic Foil Labels

If you want your craft beer to appeal to the high-end crowd, metallic foil labels are the best option for you. This labeling solution provides elegance and sophistication for your beverage containers, immediately providing your brand with an additional sense of quality that can help your craft beer stand out from the crowd. While this option may not be the best choice for heavy ink coverage or reverse print designs, it can be a great solution for craft beer manufacturers that prefer crisp, minimalist label designs that scream quality.

RELATED ARTICLE: Tips for Creating a Memorable Craft Beer Label

Choose an Experienced Labeling Partner for Your Craft Beer Line

The craft beer industry isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. It’s continuing to gain popularity across the country as individual brewers, restaurants, and other businesses continue experimenting with their own unique beer blends, hoping to draw a crowd. If you’re stuck deciding which type of label would be best for your craft beer, Century Label can help.

With more than four decades of experience as a professional product labeling service, we have become an industry leader in craft beer labeling and can help you develop a labeling solution that works for your brand. Contact Century Label today to learn more about our available craft beer labeling options.

Century Label’s Top Predictions for Craft Beer Labels in 2020

Craft beer has become a nationwide sensation over the last several years. After nearly 8,000 new craft breweries began bottling their own brews over the past decade, it’s safe to say that the craft beer trend has picked up enough steam to last for quite a while. Between 2010 and 2020, craft beer jumped from accounting for 8% of all beer sales in the US to 13%. Century Label has years of experience providing professional labeling services to craft breweries and many other companies. We have several predictions for how craft beer labels could change in the coming year.

We’re Going to See a Lot More Craft Beers

The craft beer trend has gained tremendous popularity, and that means we’re sure to see even more new craft beer lines appear in 2020. This means an increased demand for unique, professionally printed labels. If the craft beer selection seems diverse now, this is sure to increase over the next few years as more and more hopeful brewers start their own lines of craft beer. However, with more craft beers available competition is sure to increase, encouraging craft brewers to experiment with new blends and maybe even add different types of beverages to their lists of offerings to capture the attention of the public.

RELATED ARTICLE: Craft Label Options: How Should I Label My Craft Beer for Sale?

Labels Will Become Even More Unique

The most successful craft brewers have created truly unique brews that no other brewer can replicate thanks to their dedication to originality when it comes to both their beer and their label design. In 2020 and beyond we’re sure to see even more unique labeling strategies, from irregular shapes to cutout labels and even labels designed with augmented reality (AR) functionality. An eye-catching label can make or break a new craft beer. As more brewers join the ranks of America’s craft brewing industry, we’re certainly going to see some interesting takes on the labeling side of production.

RELATED ARTICLE: Tips for Creating a Memorable Craft Beer Label

Successful Craft Brewers Will Establish Recognizable Brand Identities

As craft breweries increase revenue and establish stronger followings, we’re likely to see many of them balance their brand images to appeal to multiple markets. Craft breweries with eclectic labeling practices may start to standardize their labels. For example, they may develop unique borders or label styles for all their bottles with different label artwork for each of their beers. Standardizing pressure sensitive labels can both cut production costs and establish stronger brand identity across multiple varieties of beer, offering craft brewers an easier option when it comes to diversifying their product offerings and appealing to wider audiences.

Century Label offers professional labeling services to craft brewers all over the US. With more than 40 years of experience providing professional labeling to all types of product manufacturers, we offer a wide range of solutions that craft brewers can rely upon to cultivate stronger brand images and carry their brands into 2020 and beyond. Contact us today for more information about our labeling services for craft beer.

Custom Label Options: How Should I Label My Craft Beer for Sale?

Thousands of Americans try craft brewing their own beers each year, and some of them find their homemade brews so delicious they want to bottle and sell them to local taverns and other retailers. A craft brewery can become a wonderful side gig for some or transform into a new full-blown business for others. If you’re interested in trying to create your own craft beer, you should know what to expect if you develop a brew you want to commercialize.

Labeling Your Craft Beer

If you want people to buy your craft beer, develop an eye-catching label that not only provides consumers with all the product information required for your beer, such as alcohol content by volume and dietary restriction warnings, but also an attractive and unique design that sets your craft beer apart. Decide whether to bottle your beer or can it, and then choose an appropriate labeling format. Here are some things to consider when thinking about craft beer labels.

• Cut-and-stack labels are the most common and the most versatile. While this option provides lots of room for creativity in terms of paper and film choice and neck and body wrapper sizes, it does require a large upfront investment in the specialized machinery required to apply the labels.

• Pressure sensitive labels are essentially stickers, available in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. This is a great entry-level option for new craft beer brewers that allows them to quickly and easily apply labels to their bottles. However, they sometimes wrinkle and bubble and generally require very smooth bottle surfaces. Pressure sensitive labels also require specialized machinery.

• Shrink sleeve labels have a higher price point than other labeling varieties, but they can offer stellar results that look great. This is also the only suitable option for labeling aluminum cans. Craft brewers who want 360-degree branding on their beverage containers may want to consider shrink sleeve labeling.

RELATED ARTICLE: How to Use Your Label to Tell a Story

If you plan to commercialize your new craft beer, consider your labeling options carefully and find something that fits your budget as well as your vision for your new beer line.

Additional Considerations for Your Craft Beer

When you consider your options for labeling your new craft beer, you need to think about more than just the style and type of label you want. It’s also vital to consider how your ideal graphics will look on different labeling substrates, the environmental impact of your labeling process, where you will be shipping and selling your craft beer, and the overall cost of labeling.

RELATED ARTICLE: What’s Ahead: Custom Labeling Trends for 2020

Century Label has extensive experience providing professional labeling services for all types of products, including craft beers. If you are stuck when it comes to deciding on a labeling system for your new craft beer, contact Century Label for more information about the different types of labels we offer and find out how our team can help.

Tips for Creating a Memorable Craft Beer Label

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The craft beer market is exploding. In fact, according to the Brewer’s Association, craft beer makes up nearly a quarter of the $114 billion beer industry in the United States. Brewers who are looking to get into the business stand to get a piece of a potentially lucrative pie, but quality marketing is just as important as an outstanding product. Here are a few simple tips to inspire the creation of a successful craft beer label:

Keep Brand Personality at the Forefront

Who is the target audience? For most local breweries, it’s the fellow community members. Research supports this, as 22% of craft beer drinkers are interested in supporting their local businesses and breweries. When creating a craft beer label, the brand’s personality should be considered, as well as how it will appeal to the community. For example, Arbor Brewing Company in Ann Arbor, Michigan created a label based on a beloved cultural icon, the “Violin Monster,” who serenades community members with violin concertos dressed as a werewolf.

Choose the Right Color Scheme

The right color scheme will appeal to the target audience and will align with the brand's personality, but it should also reflect the intent of the beer itself. IPA labels, for example, may include bright greens, yellows, or oranges to reflect the intense hoppiness and citrus notes that often accompany them. Stouts, on the other hand, may have browns or darker shades of reds on their labels to reflect the deeper malt character. Label colors may also reflect the season or even the hues of a beloved local sports team.

RELATED ARTICLE: Market with Custom Specialty Beverage Labels

Consider Label Shape and Size

First, will the beer be bottled or canned? If canning, will the design be kept minimalistic with an affixed paper label? Or will a design that wraps all the way around the can be printed? There’s no right or wrong way to do this, but the main considerations should be budget, brand personality, and how much information (such as ABV, IBUs, and the variety of hops and/or malts used in production) will be included on each bottle or can.

Also worthy of consideration is the font choice – sans serif fonts tend to be more modern and require less label space, so more information can be included. Serif fonts may be appropriate for some labels and styles, especially for those trying to appear classic or traditional (Samuel Adams, anyone?)

As always, local laws and regulations should always be followed when it comes to packaging and labeling. These rules can vary greatly from state to state, so it’s best to err on the conservative side, especially if wider distribution is part of the plan. 

Century Label has years of experience in creating craft beer labels for businesses. Contact us to learn more.

The Rise of Cannabis-Infused Beer Against Adversity

As governments slowly lift marijuana restrictions, cannabis innovators look for new ways to normalize the plant. The introduction of cannabis-infused beer faced backlash not only from the government, but from the beer industry as well. The first innovators to break ground in the market of cannabis-infused beer have straddled the line between federal and state regulation of cannabis products and alcohol, facing adversity from all angles including the cannabis industry, the beer industry and all levels of government. Ultimately, the cannabis-infused beer crafters are striving to legitimize cannabis to many different parts of society.

Problems with Public Perception

While Americans have gradually become more accepting of cannabis overall in recent years, many are staunchly opposed to the push for recreational cannabis legalization and believe the only legitimacy of cannabis resides in its medicinal applications. Others believe that cannabis is objectively less harmful than alcohol and therefore should not face such stringent legal barriers considering the legal status of alcohol.

Creating New Products in the Face of Stringent Legislation

Cannabis-infused beers present unique challenges to brewers on many fronts. Federal law prohibits the sale of any mixture of alcohol and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), so brewers must ensure any cannabis used in the brewing process does not contain THC. Many beverage makers seeking to create THC-infused drinks have turned to nonalcoholic beverages like sparkling water, juice, and tea, while cannabis-infused beer brewers have turned to using different cannabis byproducts in their alcoholic beers.

Some brewers, like Keith Villa, inventor of the wildly popular Blue Moon Pale Ale, have started developing recipes for nonalcoholic beer infused with low doses of THC. Grainwave, the first of its kind from Ceria Beverages, hit store shelves in Colorado in December of 2018. Other notable brewers in years past faced legal trouble for experimenting with cannabis-infused beverages, including Lagunitas, which was raided by the California Alcohol Control Board in 2005 for “disorderly house,” and Dad & Dude’s Breweria, which produced the first commercial CBD-infused beer that led to a 2016 legal battle over the beverage, dubbed General Washington’s Secret Stash in an homage to the hemp-growing first President of the United States.

RELATED ARTICLE: The History of Cannabis-Infused Craft Beer

The Push for Legitimacy is a Long Game

Some of the harshest scrutiny facing brewers of cannabis-infused beer comes from the craft brewing community. While these brewers generally strive to create beers with cannabis byproducts that can stand on their own regardless of CBD or THC content, many other craft brewers see the push for cannabis additives in beer as nothing but a gimmick. For example, the Boston Beer Company, the largest craft brewery in the US and makers of the Sam Adams brand, warned in 2016 that THC and CBD-infused beers could devastate the craft beer market and advised consumers not to support those brewers experimenting with cannabis-infused beer. However, a recent survey from the Brewers’ Association reported that craft beer brewers responded overwhelmingly that they planned to experiment with cannabis-infused beer in the near future.

Century Label understands the challenges facing brewers of cannabis-infused beer in the US. Our experience with custom label design can help ensure full compliance at the local, state, and federal level with readable, beautifully designed product labels. Contact us to learn more about Century Label’s services for cannabis-infused beer labeling.

The History of Cannabis-Infused Craft Beer

Over the past few months, the concept of cannabis-infused beer has seen some developments that place the innovative drink in a large spotlight. You might get the impression that it was developed within the last couple of years, however the concept of introducing cannabis to beer dates back at least a decade. This new beverage has an interesting history that has led to its growing rise in popularity   

What Is Cannabis-Infused Craft Beer?

A cannabis-infused beer is, essentially, a beer brewed with barley and infused with marijuana oil. This should not be confused with cannabis-brewed beers, which substitute barley with the unused parts of the cannabis plant, like stems, stalks, and roots. Both drinks are non-alcoholic and aim to create similar effects without the drawbacks of a hangover. 

Hops and Cannabis

Before formal attempts to combine cannabis and beer, there was a connection between the two from 27 million years ago. The beer-related plant humulus lupulus (hops) and cannabis sativa (cannabis) were once the same plant. They are now different species with contrasting uses that did not meet until recently. 

Lagunitas Raid

In 2005, California brewery Lagunitas was raided by the Alcohol Beverage Control agency when it found employees smoking marijuana. In order to commemorate the raid, Lagunitas created a special craft beer inspired by marijuana, though with no cannabis-related ingredients in it. This event inspired the brewery to create more cannabis beer products years later. 

Dad & Dude’s First CBD Beer  

Colorado-based Dad & Dudes Breweria came up with the first two beers that included CBD oil in them, Sativa IPA and Indica Double IPA, in 2015. Both beers had short runs in the brewery due to restrictions imposed in December 2016, which inspired the brewery to fight for legalization of cannabis. 

Wiz Khalifa Joins In

The biggest mainstream exposure of cannabis-infused beer came in April 2016, when rapper Wiz Khalifa announced a line of cannabis-infused drinks, including beer, juice, and carbonated drinks. Despite the popularity, Wiz has not released any products to this date. 

Keith Villa Announces Ceria Beverages

After failed attempts and close calls by numerous companies, Blue Moon founder Keith Villa announced the start of Ceria Beverages—the first major company dedicated to cannabis-infused beers—in March 2018. These products contain THC instead of CBD oil that provide the effects without alcohol drawbacks. 

First US THC and CBD-Infused Drinks

Cannabiniers, a California edibles company, beat Villa to the punch in July 2018 by releasing a line of non-alcoholic brews with both THC and CBD oil to its home state and Nevada. At the same time, Lagunitas, backed by Heineken, released non-alcoholic THC sparkling drinks, the first major release of cannabis-infused drinks. 

As restrictions continue to loosen and new innovations occur in the field, cannabis-infused beers will continue to evolve and reach larger markets.  

RELATED ARTICLE: How to Promote Your Cannabis-Infused Craft Beer Brand

Your Brand is Our Business - Let’s Get Started

The design team at Century Label is ready to help you take your vision and apply it to your craft beer packaging. We will take you through every step of the process, preserving the integrity of your brand and using high-quality printing techniques.

Our customer care specialists are standing by to make sure every order is exactly the way you imagined it, ensuring your satisfaction. Request a quote today to get started on your own quest for craft beer marketing success.

How to Promote Your Cannabis-Infused Craft Beer Brand

As more and more states legalize marijuana, interest in hybrid products has exploded, fueling a significant jump in the number of cannabis-infused treats on the market today. Perhaps none of them, however, capture the youthful, laid-back vibe of cannabis itself like cannabis-infused craft beers. Companies in states where marijuana is legal have jumped at the opportunity to market an alcohol-free, cannabis-infused beer that produces the relaxation consumers of both beer and cannabis covet, without the potential for a hangover.

If you’ve created your own cannabis/beer infusion, you’ve created a unique product at the beginning of a trend. Your packaging should reflect this, while making you stand out from the others. To create the youthful, fun vibe you need, consider elements from both the craft beer and cannabis industries:

The Leaf – Consider the Standby

When most of us consider the image marijuana had years ago, nothing stands out more than the traditional green marijuana leaf. Numerous cannabis companies still use the five-pointed leaf in various styles from campy to classy. While it’s come a long way from its original place on blacklight-activated posters in college dorm rooms, you can continue the hip trend marijuana edibles have been following and use a sleek, modernized version. Or, consider hearkening back to the funky, psychedelic origins many of us are familiar with. 

Crisp White Cans

A current trend in craft beer is the all-white can with minimalistic branding and product information. Across a few different brands, the primary designator of the type of beer included in the can is a lone block of color that makes up the actual logo itself. Of course, green is the traditional color used in cannabis marketing, and a stark white can with green branding sends the “fresh” and “cannabis” messaging effectively. 

Natural Could Be Best

Natural has always been a staple of the cannabis branding community, and cannabis-infused beer is no different. In fact, primary consumers of both products tend to enjoy the outdoors. Consider a full-scale printed photo of a natural feature, the use of earth tones, and natural elements in your packaging.

Stand Out From the Sleek

A major trend in cannabis packaging right now is aimed at garnering the attention of those wishing to incorporate marijuana into the upscale luxury lifestyle they’re already living, resulting in stark, sleek packaging that almost hides the nature of the product. Using a more youthful, colorful packaging scheme can help you stand out from other cannabis products and capture your ideal audience. 

Your product is unique, and getting it to stand out among other beer and cannabis brands alike could require the use of packaging ideas from both industries. Consider where your product will be displayed and craft a packaging scheme that will draw attention your way. 

RELATED ARTICLE: Custom Bottle Labels that Stand Out from a Crowd

Your Brand is Our Business - Let’s Get Started

The design team at Century Label is ready to help you take your vision and apply it to your craft beer labels and shrink sleeves. We will take you through every step of the process, preserving the integrity of your brand and using high-quality printing techniques.

Our customer care specialists are standing by to make sure every order is exactly the way you imagined it, ensuring your satisfaction. Request a quote today to get started on your own quest for craft beer marketing success.

How to Market Your Craft Beer Effectively

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Nothing says refreshing like sipping a cool beer and relaxing outside. But how do you get your beer into consumers’ hands in the first place? Understanding the psychology of beer marketing and learning different application strategies will help to increase your success. Branding is crucial in any modern market, and beer is one of the most popular adult beverages in the United States. 

If you want your brewery and craft beers to stand out among the competition, you need a comprehensive branding strategy to reach the beer lovers who are sure to love your beers. 

Leveraging Psychology in Your Beer Marketing

When you want to market something like beer, you need the perspective of your target consumer. Depending on the type of beer you make, your brews may have wide appeal or only a niche market—either is valuable. 

Ultimately, the marketing materials you use to sell your beers should inspire some mild feelings of envy in your customers; they should see the people enjoying your beer having a great time and enjoying success and imagine themselves in the same situation thanks to your beer. 

You can also leverage humor and romance to create lasting impressions with your marketing materials and appeal to a wider audience.

RELATED ARTICLE: How to Use Color Psychology in Your Favor

Use Social Media to Your Advantage

Social media is an almost unavoidable part of modern life, and leveraging the potential reach of social media makes it an incredibly powerful tool for marketing. If you have social media profiles for your craft beer business, think of new ways to engage with your followers and provide them with valuable content on a consistent basis. 

Encourage them to share your brand with their social circles and foster personalized relationships that show your customers you are different from other breweries. 

Focus Locally Before Expanding

If you start a brewery, it is essential to capitalize on your local market before branching out to larger distribution networks. Cultivating a strong local following offers you a bedrock of safety when it comes to making potentially risky distribution decisions. 

Your local customers who know and love your product will keep buying from you as long as you do not lose sight of your roots and continue to offer them value and personalized attention.  

Custom Beer Labels

Generic labels blend in with the rest of the shelf. While you may not want something flashy or ostentatious for your beer labels, investing in custom-designed craft beer labels and shrink sleeves can help you craft a strong brand identity that creates a memorable image in the minds of your customers. Century Label offers a full range of custom label printing services for all industries, so start thinking about how custom labeling can assist your beer marketing efforts. 

RELATED ARTICLE: Custom Bottle Labels that Stand Out from a Crowd

Your Brand is Our Business - Let’s Get Started

The graphics team at Century Label is ready to help you take your vision and apply it to your craft beer packaging. We will take you through every step of the process, preserving the integrity of your brand and using high-quality printing techniques.

Our customer care specialists are standing by to make sure every order is exactly the way you imagined it, ensuring your satisfaction. Request a quote today to get started on your own quest for craft beer marketing success.

Custom Bottle Labels That Stand Out from a Crowd

The craft brew market is growing, which is great news for the industry. Individual brewers are seeing more competition for the same consumers, so it’s up to each brewer to find a way to stand out from the masses. You know your beer is the best, but until consumers buy it, they don’t. How do you get the customer to choose your brew? Custom bottle labels. 

Craft beer labeling matters almost as much as the beer’s taste. Customers have to notice your brand so they can find out just how fantastic it tastes. Maybe your labels just don’t pop. Maybe they’re looking for your beer, but they can’t remember what the labels look like. Either way, crafting a solid impression is just as important as crafting the beer itself.

Take a look at some of these custom bottle labels from Century Label. You’ll never forget them, right? What gives something like the Great North Aleworks or Sun King Brewing labels such an edge?

Color Me Surprised

Turns out, there’s a lot of science behind why customers prefer one brand design over another. Color, texture, typeface, and material all influence buyers’ choices. Did you know that 90 percent of judgments about a product are made because of color alone? 

Color selection and design need to be based on the personality of your brand. Is your craft brew a down-to-earth, average Joe’s choice? Go with an earthy brown, basic bottle. There’s an entire psychology behind color theory and its impact on marketing. There’s a lot of debate about how much, say, yellow affects someone’s mood. 

One thing that’s certain…

Colors provide associations your customers may not be aware of. 

Sometimes, it’s best to let your product do the talking. If you’re bottling your drinks in clear glass, for example, you need to design your label in a way that highlights the drink itself. This includes matching the colors of your drink to the label.

Century Label’s custom bottle labels for Sun King are good examples of this strategy. The combination of vibrant, warm colors works really well for a standout, high-energy brand. Take a look at the colors. That orange and blue combination is a classic of color theory. The strategy here is using complementary colors – colors on the opposite sides of the color wheel from each other – to make the product bright and sharp. You can also use a monochromatic design, with one color in different shades, and triple color schemes for different effects. That’s the advantage of custom bottle labels – they really arecustom.

Crafting Memories

The size of the market means you can’t afford to have a generic label design. Your beer needs a custom bottle label that people will remember. You need to consider all aspects of your container, product, and even the sales environment. Buyers will have trouble recognizing your product’s name if the text on your bottle is too small or unclear. And while a reflective, metallic texture will certainly catch the eye, it also may be difficult to read if you don’t make accommodations for lighting. 

The drink’s container also has an impact on your labeling. A bottled drink offers less design space than a canned package. Century Label’s Wolf Pack design is an innovative solution: Some bottles are made from aluminum, which, in addition to other advantages, turns the entire bottle into a canvas. This solution means the beer has a consistency in its design – even across containers and materials.

There is no universal rule for good bottle label design. Branding your beer comes naturally, and you know yourself and the product better than anybody. Choose the custom bottle label that works best for your drink’s identity. 

For a no-obligation, confidential initial custom bottle label consultation with one of our design experts, click here.

Century Label Wins Pewter Awards In the Annual Gold Ink Awards Competition

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Both winning shrink sleeves were printed using the HP Indigo 8000.

Printing Impressions, the publication that produces the annual Gold Ink Awards, announced that Century Label has won two Pewter Awards in the Digital Printing, Labels & Packaging category. Both winning entries were shrink sleeves for craft beer cans.

The shrink sleeve for Great North Aleworks Tie Dyed pale ale is an eye catching piece that contrasts a variety of colors with a stark white. The sleeves accommodate the customer's intricate white plating without registration issues, and a frosted look on the clear areas was created using the HP Indigo varnish.

Sun King Brewing created The Eighteenth Sun imperial wheat IPA in collaboration with 18th Street Brewery for the CANvitational, a special annual event that Sun King holds along with dozens of breweries across the country in celebration of canned beer. The sleeve couples an intricate design with vibrant colors to create a visually stunning look.

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The Gold Ink Awards competition is open to all creators and producers of printed materials, and encompasses nearly 50 categories within commercial printing, magazines, books, catalogs, digital printing and packaging. This year’s Gold Ink Award winners were chosen from nearly 1000 entries; winning pieces were chosen based on print quality, technical difficulty and overall visual effect.

A full list of this year’s winners can be found here.

Does Your Beer Label Tell the Right Story?

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A recent packaging industry survey of U.S. craft beer consumers revealed some surprising statistics on what impact packaging—and specifically, the label—can have on a craft beer. Here is a look at some of those numbers and what they mean:

31% of consumers are influenced by packages or labels that features appealing, understandable descriptors. Craft beer is still a relatively new phenomenon, which means that a plethora of consumers are entering the market every day. These interested-yet-unfamiliar consumers greatly benefit from being informed—at a high level—what type of beer they are considering.

30% of consumers are looking for a package or label that includes familiar beer terms that keep them informed. Conversely, the experienced beer drinker will be looking for labels that convey more technical information. This can include anything from hop and malt characteristics to IBU and ABV percentages and allows them to make more discerning purchasing decisions. 

29% of consumers consider whether or not a craft beer comes from a brewery with a long history in the industry. With the wave of breweries that have opened across the country in the past 15 years, older breweries such as Anchor Brewing and Sierra Nevada Brewing boast a longevity that translates into quality in the eyes of the consumer. Both breweries embrace this point by utilizing a label design with a classic feel.

27% of consumers take into account the type of packaging when deciding to try a new product. Picture yourself as a beer consumer who is just deciding to get their feet wet in the world of craft. You love hops and find yourself standing in a bottle shop faced with dozens of IPAs you know nothing about, and not a lot of time to research your decision. How do you select your beer? In this instance, nothing is more persuasive than the label. 

22% of consumers are interested in craft beers that are produced either locally or from their own state. A common strategy for craft brewers is to identify their location in their branding. Great Lakes Brewing in Cleveland, OH named themselves after the region in which they are located and name their beers after local events and icons (Lake Erie Monster, Burning River Pale Ale, etc.) Incorporating local elements creates a sense of pride among consumers in the brewery’s community.  

The label on a craft beer bottle or can is far more than just an attractive logo on a piece of paper—it serves as a brand identifier, tells the story of the beer inside the bottle or can and, at times, is the only thing that influences consumer purchasing decisions. Learn more at centurylabel.com/craft-beer-labels.

Century Label Wins PEAK Award from PSDA

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The Print Services & Distribution Association (PSDA) has selected Century Label as a Silver Award winner in the 2016 PEAK Awards. 

PSDA’s PEAK Awards program recognizes excellence in the print industry promoting projects that display innovation, excellent quality, and produce high return on investment. The judging panel assessed several entries to determine which ones exhibited Print Excellence and Knowledge

Held in partnership with the Print Education & Research Foundation (PERF), the PEAK Awards recognize industry firms that innovate and help customers grow. Since 1995, the program has awarded teams that make bold decisions, connect with customers in new ways, and deliver benefits to end users.

Century Label won this prestigious industry award for its shrink sleeve created for Hoosier Brewing’s Red Flyer Ale. The sleeve featured tight registration detail despite a multitude of raster elements and maintained vibrant reds and yellows using 4-color process as opposed to spot PMS colors.

This is Century Label’s second PEAK Award in as many years. In 2015, its shrink sleeve for Tin Man Brewing Company’s Herald Imperial Pumpkin Ale won 1st Place under the category “Best Digital Solution for Customer”. This year’s awards eliminated category distinctions for entries. 

“Having our work recognized by the Print Services & Distribution Association is an honor,” said Heidi Chambers, Executive Director of Century Label. “We are proud of how our processes and adherence to G7 standards allow us to meet—and exceed—the demands of our customers. Winning this award is an affirmation of our commitment to producing excellent work.”

Century Label to Sponsor Sun King Brewing's CANvitational

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Century Label produced the label for The Eighteenth Sun, the CANvitational-exclusive brew from Sun King and 18th Street Brewery.

Long considered a method of packaging for inferior beers, the practice of canning beer has seen a rise in popularity over the past few years. Sun King Brewing would like more people to be aware of why that is.

Century Label is a proud sponsor of Sun King's CANvitational, a festival that focuses on beer canning and over 65 craft breweries that have taken to the process. Now in its fourth year, the CANvitational will take place in Indianapolis on Saturday, September 10th.  

"We all really truly believe that the can is the best vessel to put craft beer in" says Clay Robinson, Co-Founder of Sun King.

The advantages of canning are becoming more widely apparent. The portability of cans (many outdoor facilities do not allow glass containers), the sustainability of aluminum as compared to glass, and the can's resistance to the two factors that can imperil the quality of beer—UV light and oxygen—are all contributing factors.

In the past, Sun King has partnered with Century Label to create several shrink sleeve labels for Sun King's beers. Two of those beers include Tip Off Ale—which was featured at all Indiana Pacers home games throughout the 2015-16 season—and The Eighteenth Sun, an imperial wheat IPA brewed in conjunction with 18th Street Brewing in celebration of this year's CANvitational.

Interested in attending the CANvitational? Click here for tickets to the event.