Labels: What are you using?

I bottle in plastic green and brown PETs and I was wondering what, you people who do similar, use for labels. Essentially I'm looking for something that is easily applied and more importantly, removed. I've done up a tonne of labels in my time but never apply them to bottles because after the first whirl through I was po'd at the mess it created.

I recently discovered bumper sticker stock (used it on my Pale Rider APA). It's a little pricey but you can use a standard ink jet printer and it won't run. Once your through simply peal off the bottle and stick to the back of your car.

I use removable label stock from www.onlinelabels.com which works good for me. The labels peel right off when they are dry. They do run if they get wet (printing with an inkjet).

Hey Brewtopia.... the stock that they make bumper stickers from is a vinyl...one main brand name is fasson and they cal theirs "crack n peel". You can buy the stuff in rolls for a lot cheaper than pre-cut..maybe you can split a roll with another brewer or 2-3, and save yourselves a bundle

Hey Brewtopia.... the stock that they make bumper stickers from is a vinyl...one main brand name is fasson and they cal theirs "crack n peel". You can buy the stuff in rolls for a lot cheaper than pre-cut..maybe you can split a roll with another brewer or 2-3, and save yourselves a bundle

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I keg most everything and usually just bottle a 6 pack for beer swaps.

Good idea though. I'll check out the rolls.

I use the Bumper Sticker too. Don't run and peel right off! Worth the price in my opinion

black sharpie marker on the cap-no fuss

I print mine on a laser printer using plain paper and apply them using the milk method. It holds the label on with no issues and its only milk so it also comes off easily when finished.

If you submerge your bottles in ice and water you'll have to pick it up to read what type it is. I just label my caps as they can be seen while looking down.

Office Max: 1" circles, free downloadable Avery template for Word...adds a botton on Words toolbar. Based upon font size used can add 4 lines. Easy to use.

They also come in colors.

have any of you tryed screen-printing on the bottle caps???

fleas

My cousin does T-Shirt Screen printing but she thought the caps would be too small and to akward to print on.. I was thinking about making a template and then using my airbrush to do some logos.. couldn't be anything too complex cause you only got so much room.. but I plan to try it once it gets a little warmer in the studio.

SpamDog

Use different kinds of caps for each type of brew. No extra work at all, and at my local homebrew supply store the overrun caps are actually cheaper than the plain ones and much cooler looking.

Hey Spamdog...

To print on something as small as a bottle cap, the way to go is pad printing. Thats how they print keychains, pens, etc....

Hmm.. Interesting.. I may have to look into that.. I was thinking of just putting a simple logo on the cap.. maybe change the color depending on the brew.. I'll have to see what places charge for pad printing..

SpamDog

there you go!! I've done it(pad printing), and it's a snap. You can easily use the same logo, but with a simple "color change" on the press you can have different color caps, like Anchor....usually the cost gets cheaper by the quantity you have done. Buy a gross of caps or more and have them all done at the same time is my advice..good luck..may have to have some done myself

fiddup_is_a_middup said:

I use the Bumper Sticker too. Don't run and peel right off! Worth the price in my opinion

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So you have someplace to buy stock or do you mean like "Avery Bumper sticker kit" from the local Office Max?

Picked up some Avery 3/4" round labels in assorted colors and labeled my bottles this weekend. I don't care what they look like but it is nice to be able to easily determine what is in a bottle with a quick glance. With the templates available from Avery printing is a snap.
The only problem is there is 4 different colors on each sheet. If you want different batches to have different colors then you have to print for 4 batches at a time or save the partly used sheets and run back through the printer, printing on a different column. Next time I will buy different color sheets to make it easier.
Craig

DG Paul said:

I use removable label stock from www.onlinelabels.com which works good for me. The labels peel right off when they are dry. They do run if they get wet (printing with an inkjet).

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Have you ever tried their "weatherproof labels"? I'm thinking of giving them a shot!

http://www.onlinelabels.com/material_vinyl_inkjet_labels.htm

I scratch roman numerals on the cap with anything sharp.