Leapin Lizards Blog

Craft Beer Label Designs

Written by Robert Coles | Jul 28, 2022 1:00:35 PM

The craft beer industry is booming, and with its growing popularity has come a growing affinity for colorful and graphic branding on both canned and bottled beer. If you want your craft beer to stand out from the crowd of fun and interesting designs, you really need to put a lot of thought, labor, and love into your label designs. But with the influx of creative designs on the market, how can you make a label that holds up to the competition?  

We’ll help you figure it out. We’ll walk through five tips for designing a solid craft beer label and give you some examples of the top designs on the market so you can design a label that’s just as good as your beer.

Tips for Designing Craft Beer Labels

Here are just a few tips to keep in mind when it comes to designing your craft beer labels:

  1. Choose a Style for Your Brand 

While there are many different ways to design a beer label, the style you choose should be reflective of the overall branding of your brewery. You want your products to all fit into your overall branding to keep things consistent with the rest of your marketing materials, so take some time to consider what company image you want to project.

  1. Decide on a Color Scheme 

The colors you use on your label are also important. They should be eye-catching and work well together. You don't want your label to be too busy, but you also don't want it to be boring. Some breweries opt to use the same color scheme for all of their labels, while others change it up depending on the beer.

  1. Create a Design That Represents Your Beer 

Your label should include a design that represents your beer. This is often the most crucial part of the label, as it's what people will remember long after they've finished drinking the beer. Take some time to create a unique design that suits your branding while also showing off all of the unique aspects of your craft beer. 

  1. Don’t Forget the Text 

Your label needs to include text that describes the beer's flavor and lists out all of the ingredients and other legally-mandated information. Make sure you leave enough space for this that the text is still easy to read once it’s printed. 

While on the topic of text, it’s also important to consider the fonts you use on your label. You want to choose a font and font size that anyone can read, so avoid using fancy or decorative lettering that will be difficult to skim. If you want to include a funky font somewhere, we recommend leaving enough space to make it large so it’s easier to read. 

  1. Make Sure Everything’s the Right Size 

Checking the size and shape of the bottle or can you’re using might seem like a small detail, but it's pretty essential to the overall look of your label. You want to make sure it’s the right size so it doesn't look too small or too large on the container. Plus, if the shape of the label complements the shape of the container, this will be another design element that makes your beer look particularly nice on the shelf. 

Some of the Best Label Designs on the Market

When it comes to beer, there are so many different styles and flavors that it can be hard to keep track of them all. But one thing that's always easy to spot is a great label design. If you’re looking for some inspiration, there’s no harm in looking up to the greats.  

Here are some of the best and most creative label designs out there: 

  • 21st Amendment Brewery: This San Francisco-based brewery has some of the most eye-catching labels in the business. Their designs are colorful and playful scenes, and they're never afraid to experiment with new ideas. While they use different color schemes for every can, they’re all still easily recognizable as being from the same brand. 
  • Uinta Brewing: This Utah-based brewery is known for its beautiful landscape labels. Each label features a different scene from the state, making them perfect for any beer lover who loves the outdoors. 
  • Huyghe Brewery: While this Belgian brewery uses simpler designs than the other two, it’s still well-known for its unique and stylish labels. From the classic Delirium Tremens to the more modern Monstre Rouge, each label is distinct and memorable. 

Bring Your Craft Beer to Life With Leapin’ Lizard Labels

Looking at these great examples, it's easy to see how label design can make a huge difference for a craft brewery — and we can’t wait to see what you do with yours.  

After you’ve created a label that perfectly captures the essence of your beer, trust Leapin’ Lizard Labels to help you bring it to life. We specialize in custom label printing for craft breweries, and we’d be happy to print the perfect label for your beer on high-quality materials that make it stand out from the rest.

Whether you’re just looking to ask a quick question about our services or you need a full-blown consultation, we’re here to help. Connect with us today to get labels that are a cut above the rest.