labels

[drvodka]

hey lads
so I have made some extremely cool labels for my beers. ok, so they are crappy, but they are labels. any advice on how to put them on the bottles? do you just print them out on label paper and stick em on?

 

[Eskram]

The few bottles I bothered to label, I just printed the labels on plain paper, and used a glue stick to put them on.

 

[El Pistolero]

That is the best label I've ever seen!

 

[Walker]

if any one wants labels made forf their beer, i would be more than happy to do the artwork. i love doing that kind of stuff, and am not too shabby at it. i'll post my beer labels tonight (busy with kids at the moment)

 

[rohan]

that is a cool label man... im still thinking what mine will be something like tough on thirst with a cool picture...

hay walker, might take you up on that offer??

 

[Eskram]

That is the best label I've ever seen!

I wish I could take full credit for it. I made a rough-draft of it, then one of the web guys here at work cleaned up and made it what it is.

 

[ScottT]

Awsome photo of Neuschwanstein Castle in the back ground. If you've ever been there, it's an incredible view.

 

[Eskram]

Beautiful, it is.

I was just there about 2 months ago. Pic of Neuschwanstein

 

[Walker]

yeah, getting up there is quite a little hike if you are a smoker, but worth the trip. perfect place to stand, admire, and smoke a cigarette.

-walker

 

[Dude]

yeah, getting up there is quite a little hike if you are a smoker, but worth the trip. perfect place to stand, admire, and smoke a cigarette.

-walker

No kidding, its a hell of a walk up to that sucker even if you aren't a smoker.

 

[Darth Konvel]

Awesome pic there, Eskram.

 

[homebrewer_99]

It is a good picture. That one was taken from Mirianbrucke (Mary's Bridge).

I have hundreds like it. My last 4-5 times to the castle (I haven't been inside since '91, but I've taken relatives and friends there) I continued past the bridge and climbed the mountain and took many more pics along the climb.

 

[Walker]

Not to hyjack the thread, but I finally got around to putting my labels up on my web server.

Anyway, here's are examples of the labels I have whipped up for my most recent three batches of goods. If anyone wants labels made for their brews, let me know. I enjoy making the labels about as much as making the beer:

Walker's Labels
* my personal favorite is the IPA label *

I don't have any of that fancy schmancy ABV and Caloric content text, because (A) I rarely use a hydrometer and (B) I don't know how to figure up the calories. But, I can put any text on the labels that you want.

-walker

 

[drvodka]

those are great mate. I couldnt help but notice you are brewing Bleach Water Ale at the moment. Don't do it - trust me.

 

[kenmc]

Here's some I made....
This was for a party keg. We went Binge drinking that night

For a friends' 30th birthday party.

And for a bock beer. This was pretty much the first I made.

I have some others I'll post from home.

 

[Walker]

nice labels, kenmc!

 

[kenmc]

ta! Finally figured out how to use The Gimp.
I have Christmas Ale, Duvale (Duvel clone) and Abbey Beer labels all at home. Labelling is great fun. The only problem is I only have an inkjet, and the ink runs when the labels get wet anyone got a solution for that???

 

[Walker]

ta! Finally figured out how to use The Gimp.

Yeah, the Gimp rocks. Best damn free graphics program in existance.

The only problem is I only have an inkjet, and the ink runs when the labels get wet anyone got a solution for that???

I have the same issue. I think that a laser printer or color photocopier will not smudge (or at least, not smudge as much).

I was just going to take my labels and cover them with a couple strips of clear packaging tape. I don't know if this would work or not, but I guess it's worth a try. I only label a few bottles from each batch (those bottles that I give away to friends) so that taping is done on a small scale.

-walker

 

[Walker]

Just found this via google....

Ink jet printer ink is water soluble so to keep from smudging, spray with an art fixative like Grumbacher Myston or a clear lacquer from the hardware store. These are available in gloss or non-gloss finishes.

I guess it would work best of you sprayed them prior to attaching to the bottles, but seems like a workable solution.

-walker

 

[Darth Konvel]

You've got the wrong end of the badger on the label there, kenmc

And Gimp is a very nice tool to work with, not to mention the great price

 

[homebrewer_99]

Or you could buy a whole roll of laminate from WalMart. The brand is Duck and has a cartoon picture of a small yellow duck wearing a painters hat (or at least it looks like one). Also marked as a Henkel product and www.duckproducts.com, 1-800-321-0253

I have a roll that cost me under $5.00 that measures 12 inches x 43 feet. It's really thin adhesive plastic, but you get a lot of it.

 

[kenmc]

You've got the wrong end of the badger on the label there, kenmc

was looking for a badger that was facing away, but turning around so you could see his arse and also his face smiling. I can't draw though, so can't do that. Might ask my girlfriend's sister....

 

[Eskram]

I'm lucky enough to have a very nice color laser printer at work, so I just whore it out when I print labels. No smudging ink.

As far as calculating calories, carbs, etc., Mr Goodbeer has a calculator that does all of that.

 

[kenmc]

Ok - heres the Duvel clone. Not so sure about this, i think it's missing somehting

and the christmas beer

and the (unfinished) Abbey Ale.Think it needs a different color border or something - it's a bit dull. Won't have a badgers head in it either methinks.

 

[homebrewer_99]

I just downloaded / loaded several GIMP files. The program comes up alright, but...

Your labels look great so I thought I'd give it a try, but I can't figure out this program. Any tips.

 

[kenmc]

Hmmm. how to use the gimp?!?!? Well I have to admit it took me a fair while to get the hang of it. It's not so much of a drawing tool as a manipulation tool. All the images I've used are bastardized from somewhere or other - eg I took the scroll from some place, the badgers head from another place. What it is great at doing is allowing you to manipulate them all and move things about on layers and sort of place them on top of each other and then merge them together to produce a flat image.
I'd go to http://www.gimp.org/tutorials/ and try out some of them to get the hang of using the tool. Once you get the hang of it you'll be able to work it ok.

 

[homebrewer_99]

I can see the layering effect is similar to a lot of other programs.

OK. Thanks, I'll check the tutorial out.

I'm still not sure if I downloaded all of it. It still looks strange.

 

[kenmc]

how do you mean it looks strange? It tends to have several windows, but no real program window. However if you're on a windows box you can use "gimpshop" which puts it all in the one window. I usually use this, but there's very little difference between them to be honest - some things pop up in different menus is about all really - same thing different names/locations.

 

[homebrewer_99]

What you described is about what I meant. Thanks.

 

[Walker]

New label created at Rohan's request (this was done with The Gimp):

I love doing these things, so if you want a label, let me know...

-walker

 

[Walker]

and the (unfinished) Abbey Ale.Think it needs a different color border or something - it's a bit dull. Won't have a badgers head in it either methinks

Yeah, that seems to needs a little 'pop' of color. Maybe brick-red for the border?

-walker

 

[kenmc]

I'll try that - went with a two-tone green wash effect last night, but couldn't find a nice color to match the scroll with it. May lose the scroll for that one.
Where did you get the font for that Rohan's Bitter. Looks cool. Fact the whole label does. I've found some reasonably decent fonts, but not many.

 

[Walker]

Where did you get the font for that Rohan's Bitter. Looks cook. I've found some reasonably decent fonts, but not many.

There is a jackpot of free fonts here (the one on Rohan's label is "Demon"):

http://www.coolarchive.com/fonts.php

-walker

 

[kenmc]

cool, thanks!

 

[Darth Konvel]

Ah, nice site, thanks for the link, Walker. Dig the "Rohan's Bitter" label as well.

 

[Walker]

the label was all Rohan's idea, but thanks. He provided the base image and artistic direction. I just implemented it and made a couple suggestions.

-walker

 

[homebrewer_99]

I saw all the tools, but I have yet to find out how to import a picture (jpg) into GIMP. Any idea what I'm missing?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Walker]

click FILE->OPEN

then browse to the image you want to open on your computer and it should load up in a new window.

-walker

 

[kenmc]

New version of the Abbey beer, from scratch. Like this more, whatchya all think??

 

[2pugbrews]

hey lads
so I have made some extremely cool labels for my beers. ok, so they are crappy, but they are labels. any advice on how to put them on the bottles? do you just print them out on label paper and stick em on?

Read someplace to use milk!! My son is designing labels for me - the first samples I printed on 15 lb paper, brushed some plain milk on the label and stuck it on. Works. Easy to remove too.