One thing about craft beer is that if you have the time, the resources, and space, you can start your own project in your home. Brewing is a cherished art that has been in existence for years now and continues to be refined and improved.
Starting out on your own can be a bit challenging in the beginning. For starters, you will need to have some background knowledge of how brewing works. You will also need fresh ingredients like wheat and barley, and finally, you will need the most crucial thing in all of this—the beer bottle.
Various companies across the globe manufacture beer bottles; Both homegrown factories as well as glass bottle manufacturers from as far as China finding the right one for your project is another matter. Before advancing, you will need to understand beer bottles extensively.
Broadly speaking, there are three main types of beer bottles. The distinction is mainly based on the shape and the positioning of certain features. The three categories include the following.
These are reusable craft beer bottles that owe their name to the swing-top caps that hold the content of the bottle in place. Swing top bottles are no longer used as much despite their durability, ease of opening, and general aesthetics. They usually vary from 500ml to 1L.
These are beer bottles that use a screw cap for closure. They are the most common nowadays after brewing competitions changed the rules that made it mandatory for any entrant to submit beers that have screw tops instead of swing top closures. Once a screw top is opened, it cannot be refitted back properly.
These are the tiny kinds of beer bottles that range from 300ml to 650ml; the actual size varies depending on the location you are based at. They are made small for people who love their beers in pint sizes, taken in moderation.
When setting up your own brewery, the bottles you go for have to be unique in a way that communicates your brand and style. Before settling down on a craft beer bottle, here are some of the things you have to keep in mind.
The shape of the beer bottle is everything. It is the first thing people see even before the branding. A shape that leaves a lasting impression will bring you repeat clients. How a person feels when they clasp their hands around a beer bottle determines their attachment to the product.
Beer bottles come in 4 distinct shapes that include the following:
The most common shape that is the standard of beer packaging around the world. It is loved by many because of its efficient use of space and materials. The labeling process is also much easier when dealing with cylindrical shapes.
The longneck bottle is another familiar beer bottle shape that is more widely used in North America than in any other part of the world. Many large breweries use the longneck because of its iconic shape that is hard to forget as well as the round shoulders and a steep panel that makes the ideal position for a label to be displayed.
One of the oldest beer bottle shapes that owes its origin to Belgium, home to some of the oldest and the most famous breweries on the planet. The Belgium-shape bottle has a double bumped shoulder that bars yeast from transferring into the glass during pouring. It is the perfect bottle for wheat-based beers.
Stubby and Steinie beer bottles are compact, short, and wide. They were introduced during the prohibition area, where the need for a smaller bottle that was easy to hide was necessary. Despite their diminutive appearance, the bottles have a very wide diameter, which allows them to hold a lot of beer.
The-12 ounce bottle has been the standard size for beer bottles since 1945, and many manufacturers and breweries have stuck to that size ever since. There have been some slight variations over the years, like the European 16-ounce bottle that is also widely used in Africa and Asia.
Generally, as far as the beer bottle size is concerned, it is rare for them to go beyond 25 ounces, as is the case with most spirits bottles. With most beers having a 7% alcohol content, it makes more sense to package them in 16-ounce bottles that allow someone to drink several bottles in the company of other people.
You would be hard-pressed to find a clear beer bottle. The reason why beer bottles are colored is because of the effect of UV light that has the ability to alter the taste of the beer. The color of the beer bottle is as important as the shape; this is the reason why people associate all green beer bottles with Heineken beer.
The following are the most common hues used in beer bottles.
This is the oldest color and the most identifiable when it comes to beer bottles. It acts as an excellent shield against UV light radiation; it blocks all wavelengths that are shorter than 450nm. However, being that widespread a color, amber does not stand out. If you are looking to score attention, then you should consider other colors.
Green bottles provide UV almost as good as Amber ones. Green beer bottles have their own unique appeal as they also showcase how a beer looks like at first glance.
How the bottle is closed and opened is as important as the quality of the contents inside of it. The part that meets a consumer’s lips has to be properly sealed to keep out any contaminants and impurities that may affect the product and the well-being of the drinker. Beer bottle closures come in two types.
This is the most popular closure in the current beer industry because it reduces oxygen egress, needs a specialized bottle opener, and is widely known by beer drinkers across the globe. The pry-off closure usually measures about 26mm in diameter.
Cork and Cage closures are rare; you will only find them in luxury brands of beer, the type that you cannot find in your local bar. They are the type of closure you will find on a 22-ounce beer bottle, another rare sight in the beer world. The cork and cage closures are more fun to open as they resemble opening a champagne bottle with that familiar pop sound at the end.
The failure or the success of a beer very much depends on the branding. The label you choose to slap on the bottle is what will stick in the minds of the consumer. An effective label is the type that garners recognition, even without reading the actual words written on them. That’s the reason why Heineken bottles are recognizable from a mile away.
Label placement is also another delicate decision. A beer bottle has only two areas where a label can be placed for maximum visibility, and they include the following.
This is the most visible part of a beer bottle and where all beer brands stick their brand names and logos on. It is the cylindrical middle part of the bottle where the hands clasp during drinking. It is the widest surface area of a bottle that provides the maximum space for a sticker to be placed.
When coming up with a logo for your product, consider the color of the bottle. Ensure that the colors you use mix and match well with the bottle for the best effect. In a nutshell, only come up with a logo after settling on a beer bottle.
The band label should be as large as possible. Make use of the space for maximum visibility in a way that makes the bottle easy to spot on the shelf from a distance.
The neck area might be smaller than the middle part, but it is also as visible as any other area of the bottle. The neck area is more effective in long neck bottles as it has a bigger surface area. Generally, the label that goes around the neck area mainly features scanty information, the name of the company, and the logo.
Making your own craft beer is an exciting hobby that can turn into a profitable venture if you dedicate yourself to it. If you choose to go down that route, make sure you are prepared. As much as bottles are essential, they will mean nothing if the beer in question is not up to standards.
Therefore, before placing an order for a custom designed bottle, first ensure your beer is up to standards. When the beer tastes good, people tend to overlook everything else in the long run.
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