Beer labeling: Rules vary state to state

Labeling your beer brand’s cans and bottles is a key part of marketing. In an industry known for bold and original designs – and crowded with competitors – you have ample reason to stay one step ahead of the game with your graphics.

However, you have more to think about than just creating an attractive illustration or eye-catching logo. Rules and regulations regarding warnings and other required design elements are important considerations. Furthermore, depending on the state or province you’re based in, your label designs may be subject to extra limitations and specifications. The following are a few examples of regional rules relating to craft beer production, sale and marketing.

Missouri modernizes graphic management
As the St. Louis Post-Dispatch recently reported, there’s a new way to register alcoholic beverage labels in Missouri. According to brewers, the new system, an online portal, is a drastic improvement from the previous version. The old approach involved submitting revised label designs by mail. The Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Control experienced slowdowns when looking over those physical proofs, and the approval process could take up to eight months.

The pressure was mounting on the ATC department, as the relentless release schedule of new craft brews created a huge backlog of new design submissions. Small brewers and huge conglomerates alike use the same system, and the fact that it is now quicker to get a change greenlit should help businesses of all kinds.

Alliance founded in Texas
According to Texas news station KCEN-TV, several laws on the books in the Lone Star State are holding small breweries back from being creative with their products, working closely with brewpubs and even selling beer at their headquarters. Small companies in the state have banded together to form a political action committee and change some of the laws.

Sometimes, these brewers have to get new regulations approved just to open their doors. Barrow Brewing, for instance, needed the removal of a bylaw that would have prevented it from existing in the town of Salado. Now, it is naming a brew variety “784” in honor of all the people who voted to get the rule changed. In addition to the self-referential name, cans will bear the Brewers Alliance seal to affirm that the company is truly independent.

Get your labeling in order
When it’s time to create new labels for your beer brand – ones that conform to all current laws and rules – you can act quickly with an in-house printer. Browse the selection of assets in Optimedia Labs’ U.S. store or Canada page.