Beer, wine, and other alcoholic beverages must follow certain labeling regulations when bottled, canned, or otherwise distributed for sale and consumption.
In an effort to help guide you in creating and designing alcoholic beverage labels that will be approved by the TTB, we’ve pulled together a few resources for you,
Beer Labeling Requirements
The Advertising, Labeling, and Formulation Division (ALFD) of the Alcohol, Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) is responsible for how beer producers label and market their beer. The TTB’s regulations are very specific, and any beer producer planning to bottle or can their beer for consumption must obtain a Certificate of Label Approval (COLA) in order for any beer label to be compliant.
Find more about the TTBs requirements and COLA approval process here.
Submit your label for COLA here.
Wine Labeling Requirements
The Advertising, Labeling, and Formulation Division (ALFD) of the Alcohol, Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) is also responsible for how wine producers label and market their wine. There are three official categories of wine – table wine, dessert wine, and sparkling wine – and over 300 recognized varietals of wine. As with beer, you’ll want to refer to the TTB website for specific wine label regulations and requirements, and you will be required to submit your wine label to obtain a Certificate of Label Approval (COLA).
Submit your label for COLA here.
TTB Label Approval – Creating a Label Design that Works
The TTB offers a number of resources to help you create an alcoholic beverage label design to be approved for retail. Here, we’ve rounded up some of the most pertinent label design information.
Include a Specification Sheet
The number one reason that alcoholic beverage label submissions are not approved by the TTB is that the complete list of ingredients is not included with the submission. Be sure to include a list of the ingredients or a clear image of the label with the ingredients listed.
Include a Flavor Ingredient Data (FID) Sheet
Each compounded flavor in your specified ingredients list needs an FID sheet. Guidance on the FID Sheet can be found here.
Beer labels should include the following information:
- Brand Name
- Class & Type Designation
- Name & Address
- Net Contents
- Alcohol Content
- FD&C Yellow #5 Disclosure
- Saccharin Disclosure
- Sulfite Declaration
- Aspartame Disclosure
- Health Warning Statement
- Country of Origin
Learn more about placement and specific requirements here.
Wine labels should include the following information:
- Appellation of Origin
- Brand Name
- Class or Type Designation
- Percentage of Foreign Wine (if applicable)
- Alcohol Content
- Color Ingredient Disclosures
- Country of Origin (for imports)
- Health Warning Statement
- Name & Address
- Net Contents
- Sulfite Declaration
While this may seem like a lot of information to place on one label, it’s important to remember that an aesthetically pleasing design will prominently feature the most important information (like the Brand and Product Name) and use a much smaller font for the remaining information.
Refer to our blogs – Tips for Designing Craft Beer Labels and The Anatomy of Stunning Wine & Spirits Labels for more guidance and inspiration on designing eye-catching labels that stand out.
Start an Inquiry for your Custom Alcoholic Beverage Labels today!
