Tips for Choosing Durable Craft Beer Packaging

When it comes to choosing the supplier for your craft beer bottles or cans, there are a number of factors to consider. You’ll want the packaging on the outside to reflect the quality and care that you put into your beer on the inside. Make sure your beer bottles and/or cans are durable and will not only travel well and look good on a store shelf, but will also help to maintain the integrity and taste of your craft brew with these tips.

Craft Beer Packaging: Cans vs. Bottles

While bottles remain a top choice for brewers of all sizes, cans offer new, interesting options and a wide range of price points to fit any budget. Additionally, cans use lightweight aluminum that may help to reduce shipping and distribution costs, and cans are easily stackable for more efficient use of space – from your warehouse storage, to shipment, to store shelves.

For brewers looking to go the more traditional craft beer route, bottles remain a steadfast choice. Glass generally does not add any textures, scents, or tastes to the liquid it holds – even over long periods of time. Most brewers choose brown bottles, as brown glass lets in the least amount of ultraviolet light, which negatively affects the alpha acid in hops. An endless variety of shapes and sizes means that you can create exactly the look you want.

Branding 

Your craft beer packaging should reflect your brand vision.  Bottles offer flexibility thanks to the ability to produce custom beer labels that adhere to the bottles. Because it’s easy to design and print multiple labels, brewers can save costs when bottling multiple types of beers with different labels. Today, it’s possible to find incredibly durable beer bottle labels that are designed to withstand shipping, storing, shelving, and drinking.  If you choose cans, there are more options than ever for printing your logo and beer name on the can itself.

Think Outside the Bottle

Craft brewers large and small looking for creative and durable methods of distributing their beer have more options than ever.

Durable beer boxes hold multiple bottles to create an easy-to carry bundle of brews. Perfect for store distribution or gift packaging, these boxes can be custom-designed, and are available in a variety of shapes and sizes.

Growlers are a popular option for brewers selling their craft straight from the brewery. Growlers come in a variety of sizes (most commonly 64 ounces) and durable materials (including aluminum and glass). These refillable jugs allow customers to take home several glasses, without the brewery necessarily having to bottle or can any beer for distribution. In addition, growlers are more environmentally friendly, thanks to their reusable nature.

If you are a beer brewer in the process of creating unique labels that will stand out to your consumer, be sure to contact our highly-trained label engineers.