Apr
Many brewers value the artwork associated with their brands as highly as the beer they produce. Additionally, there is no doubt beer labels can influence purchasing decisions. Aside from being an important marketing tool and aesthetically pleasing, they contain some very important legal requirements.
Before designing a beer label or seeking a designer to do it for you, make sure you’re aware of the required information and the details surrounding it. Failing to include this information, formatted in the correct way could result in a rejection from the TTB or worse… legal troubles down the road.
Mandatory label information
According to the Tax and Trade Bureau’s (TTB), the following should be stated on the beer label:
- Brand name
- Type of beer (If it’s not part of the beer name, the type of beer is required to be on the label, ie India Pale Ale, Lager, American Pale Ale)
- Name and address where the product was bottled and produced (except when blown, branded, or burned, in the container)
- Net contents (except when blown, branded, or burned, in the container)
- Alcohol content (__% Alc. by Vol.) or (__% Alc./Vol.)
Additional considerations:
- Legibility: Mandatory information should be legible in an uncomplicated font. Additionally, the message should be clear and not be misleading in any way.
- Labels with Organic Claims
Government Warning Requirements
There shall be stated on the brand label or separate front label, or on a back or side label, separate and apart from all other information, the following statement:
GOVERNMENT WARNING: (1) According to the Surgeon General, women should not drink alcoholic beverages during pregnancy because of the risk of birth defects.
(2) Consumption of alcoholic beverages impairs your ability to drive a car or operate machinery, and may cause health problems.
Legibility of Government Warning
- All labels shall be so designed that the statement is readily legible under ordinary conditions, and such statement shall be on a contrasting background.
- The first two words of the statement, i.e., “GOVERNMENT WARNING,” shall appear in capital letters and in bold type. The remaining statement does not need to appear in bold type.
- The letters and/or words of the statement shall not be compressed in such a manner that the warning statement is not readily legible.
- The warning statement shall appear in a maximum number of characters (i.e., letters, numbers, marks) per inch, as follows:
| Minimum required type size for warning statement | Maximum number of characters per inch |
|---|---|
| 1 millimeter | 40 |
| 2 millimeters | 25 |
| 3 millimeters | 12 |
Size of type
- Containers of 237 milliliters (8 fl. oz.) or less: The statement shall be in script, type, or printing not smaller than 1 millimeter.
- Containers of more than 237 milliliters (8 fl. oz.) up to 3 liters (101 fl. oz.): The statement shall be in script, type, or printing not smaller than 2 millimeters.
- Containers of more than 3 liters (101 fl. oz.): The statement shall be in script, type, or printing not smaller than 3 millimeters.
Ready to Start Designing?
We created this free beer label template with the required information mentioned above. All you need to do is insert some nice artwork! Need help making adjustments or creating graphics for your label? Contact us!
Beer Label Design Template
Beer Label TemplateGallery
More Resources:
- A Visual Guide to Beer Label Materials
- GS1 Barcode for Beer Labels – Are They Required?
- Cost of Beer Label Design
