How do you identify your homebrews?

[Frodo]

PADLOCK for swmbBEAT

Oh no! That's tragic.

 

[step]

Another here for the sharpie method but its kind of a bish when you go to give some away! " This letter or symbol or whatever means this but let it sit for 15 mins because its over carb'd or this is better served at a warmer temp"... I much prefer to pour my own beers for sampling at my own discretion, but I digress!

 

[elproducto]

I just write a number on the cap, and have a corresponding list posted on my beer fridge. People really dig it, as it lends sort of a brewpub atmosphere. Easy to keep track of.

 

[Bithead]

Sharpie abbreviation on cap with additional identifier as necessary.

 

[Dr_Gordon_Freeman]

I use a sharpie to write a (usually two letter) acronym of the beer name either on the cap or if it's a fliptop I use masking tape and tape it on the side of the bottle.

I don't write a date, that's what the brewlog is for.

 

[dvdanny]

Sharpie on the cap (Abbreviation of style and recipe revision number) until recently, I've started printing out cool looking labels for the bottles. People are more willing to try a bottle that is labeled then one that is not, I have no idea why. Plus my handwriting kind of sucks so I couldn't tell the difference between my Maple Dunkelweizen, labeled "MD" and my Molasses Porter, labeled "MP".

 

[petep1980]

Memory. If I'm particular drunk when I bottle and store, then sharpie on bottle cap.

 

[TVM71]

I started by putting a small piece of masking tape on the cap with a code as to what the brew was and then my wife found the small round color lables at the Dollar Store and have been using them.

 

[yummybeer]

sharpie on cap.

i also use a sharpie and mark on the cap what it is.

 

[tnbrewer371]

Standard address label with small font name of brew, brew date, bottle date, abv and kcal as determined by beersmith or beertools what ever I used, very easy simple and the little guy likes to help daddy put stickies on his big boy drinks, some of them are crooked but makes yah smile big time when you pop that one for sure as you pour it!!

 

[gannawdm]

This is a simple but great thread. I was in the "sharpie on the cap" camp, but I read about the 3/4" labels in this thread. I went to office depot and picked some up. They are great. After 30 batches, I guess it's time to class up my game.

 

[rico567]

I bought some small circular Avery blue stickers (I think they're 3/4") from Amazon, got the template from the Avery web site, and print labels. I used to mark the caps with a sharpie, but other people claimed my Old Kingdom hieroglyphics on the caps were hard to read. Go figure.

Anyhow, this way I can get something descriptive on there, like "Boston Plus Amber," and the bottling date "11/21/10."

 

[Rob_B]

Silver sharpie on glass. Comes off with scrubby.

This is what I do too, quick dip in oxiclean or PBW when you clean your bottles then a little rub and it's gone. Also blue painters tape on the six packs/cases for quick referance.

 

[Beer_Guy]

I use a marker on the cap for all bottles. But for the ones I take to club meetings, I will make a simple note I scotch tape to the bottle. Once the cap is off no one can tell what the brew is unless they ask. Saves a lot of confusion.

---------------------
Robust Honey Barrel Porter
Bottled: Oct 3, 2010
OG: 1.062 FG:1.012 ABV:6.71%
---------------------

I’ll do a two column word doc with enough to cover 12 or so bottles for each brew. Come club day, I build a 6er, cut out the labels I need for each brew and tape them on. Works great.

 

[Carter1932]

I buy lots of different colored bottle caps, but I also create labels for most of my brews.

If I use like colored caps I'll mark the top to give indication of which batch the bottle represents.

 

[hibbleton]

I used to design bottle labels on my computer, print them off, and tape them on. The tape was hard to get off so I stuck the labels on with milk. Labels got runny so I stuck them on with glue stick. I got tired of rinsing the glue off so now I print cap labels with Name, Date, ABV, and Style. My only problem with this is finding a program that lines up an image so it is printed correctly on my sheet of circle stickers. Anyone find a good one? Or preferably a good way of doing this in Inkscape?

 

[Beer:30]

I used to use a sharpie for writing the batch number on the caps when I bottled. Now that I keg, I write the batch number on painters tape which I stick on the keg handle. The corresponding entry in the brew log summarizes all info about the batch.

 

[Carter1932]

I used to design bottle labels on my computer, print them off, and tape them on. The tape was hard to get off so I stuck the labels on with milk. Labels got runny so I stuck them on with glue stick. I got tired of rinsing the glue off so now I print cap labels with Name, Date, ABV, and Style. My only problem with this is finding a program that lines up an image so it is printed correctly on my sheet of circle stickers. Anyone find a good one? Or preferably a good way of doing this in Inkscape?

I'd recommend printing to gum backed paper. They apply easily and remove easily. The manufacturer warns that ink may run if you print from ink jet printer, however my experience has been great with color laser printers - thanks work .

http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/brewing-equipment/bottling/bottle-labels/white-label-making-paper.html

 

[l1ranger]

i do what revvy said - i also put the cap code in my brewlog so that if there is every any question, i can go back and look.

 

[dvdanny]

I'd recommend printing to gum backed paper. They apply easily and remove easily. The manufacturer warns that ink may run if you print from ink jet printer, however my experience has been great with color laser printers - thanks work .

http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/brewing-equipment/bottling/bottle-labels/white-label-making-paper.html

Another suggestion is craft spray or photomount. It'll come off easy in water, doesn't bleed through paper and it is what I used before going with gum back paper. It does make a mess while you are spraying each label then sticking it on the bottle though.

another vote for laser-jet. they won't bled like ink jet does when it gets moist or wet. I always just go to kinko's to have my labels printed out as I don't have a color laser-jet.

 

[LKHA]

different colored caps dont come loose in the cooler

 

[hmmmbeer]

I'm getting to the point where I need to deal with this and have been thinking about it for a while now..

I keg... I'm thinking of using post card paper 'tags' with strings.. that I can record/update all the relevant data on.. from recipes, to brew day data, to gravity measurements, to ferment notes and times, and so on on the tags, and then just move them from being tied around the neck of the fermenter to the secondary corny, to the serving keg, as I transfer wort/beer from stage to stage......

I'd be interested in hearing how others who keg deal with this..

I do the tag around the colar idea for the fermenters then in the keg I take a dry erase pen on the metal of the corny as well as over each tap on the outside of the fridge (4 taps gets confusing if you dont... whoops, thats not the soda tap, sorry kids....)

 

[Beezy]

I only brew twice a month not a big deal. I sharpie the caps with the number of the brew.

 

[petey_c]

I use PET bottles and white plastic caps, so the sharpie idea only works for a limited time. I print them up on a lame excel spread sheet. Cut them out, then tape them to each bottle. The tape comes off easily (most times). That doesn't work out if I want to take them somewhere in a cooler. I may use the laser printer at work and try "milking" them on. Isn't there a "bottle tag" thread on here somewhere?

 

[bovineblitz]

Sharpie + cap = win.

 

[dnslater]

I use the little round labels for my caps. Simply print beer type and month/year. Easy to identify when boxed. I use labels printed with inkjet attached with milk on a couple of six packs for each batch for gifts or parties.

 

[Daybis]

I use a Brother label printer. It's only black and white, but you can put graphics and stuff on them and they come off of bottles easily. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000ZHEVZ8/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[beergolf]

Sharpie on caps with codes, and different colors to mark different brews in the style. I then record the code in my brew log so I can reference if I forget which brew is which.

X= wheat beers
o= Belgian blonde
T=Tripel
//= Dubbel
dot= BDSA
/= IPA

You get the point. Make up a system that works for you.

 

[littlelord]

i write the name & date in white china marker right on the bottle. i label my carboys in the same way... works great.

 

[Chia]

I'm getting to the point where I need to deal with this and have been thinking about it for a while now..

I keg... I'm thinking of using post card paper 'tags' with strings.. that I can record/update all the relevant data on.. from recipes, to brew day data, to gravity measurements, to ferment notes and times, and so on on the tags, and then just move them from being tied around the neck of the fermenter to the secondary corny, to the serving keg, as I transfer wort/beer from stage to stage......

I'd be interested in hearing how others who keg deal with this..

i am painting my keg frige with chalk board paint to keep records