Custom Labels for Your Craft Beer
- Nov 12, 2018
Modified On: September 5, 2025
My favorite craft beer is so good that if I were resigned to drink it from a stranger’s cupped hands, I’d gleefully do so. Others have a tang that leads me to think they were bottled in someone’s bird bath. Thankfully, the beer’s label helps me quickly find my delicious brew and avoid those — wait, is that 12% ABV cucumber passion fruit concoction still called beer?
Anyway, an eye-catching craft beer label is important for both loyal customers to identify their favorite beer as well as for attracting new customers. While you know the design is important, did you know that the type of label you choose can be just as important for your brewery?
The stakes are even higher in competitive markets like Florida. With hundreds of active breweries and continued year-over-year growth, standing out on the shelf isn’t optional. Our Florida Craft Beer Statistics infographic breaks down how fast the state’s craft beer industry is expanding and why branding and labeling play such a critical role.
Here’s why you should choose pressure-sensitive labels for your craft beer.
What are Pressure Sensitive Labels for Craft Beer?
Pressure sensitive labels are self-adhesive labels commonly used on craft beer bottles and cans. They stick to glass, aluminum, or plastic with light pressure and are popular because they're easy to apply, durable, and flexible for short digital runs.
Cut and Stack vs Pressure Sensitive Labels
In the craft beer industry, breweries often compare cut and stack labels with pressure-sensitive or shrink sleeves. Here's how they stack up:
| Label Type | Best For | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cut and Stack Labels | High-volume breweries | Cost-effective in large runs | Requires extra machinery; less flexible for small orders |
| Pressure Sensitive Labels | Small to medium breweries | Easy application, flexible short runs, high-quality print | Slightly higher cost at very large volumes |
| Shrink Sleeve Labels | Craft beer cans | Full-wrap 360° design, durable, moisture-resistant | Requires heat application; not ideal for small DIY runs |
Why Digital Printing is Perfect for Craft Beer Labels
1. Money, Money, Money (Muuun-aayy)
While the O’Jays may not have had the rosiest view of money, in a competitive market like the booming craft beer industry, being cost-efficient is instrumental to your brewery’s success. That’s the first reason why pressure sensitive labels are the right choice.
Cut and stack labels are certainly a viable option for those breweries with high volume orders, those requiring printed material in excess of 5,000 feet. The problem is they require extra logistics and machinery for application, making them less than ideal for small and medium sized breweries. Pressure sensitive labels and digitally printed labels have very low initial costs when digitally printed.
As you know, time is money. By using pressure-sensitive labels for your craft beer, you’ll have both more money to help market your business and more time to do so.
2. Easier For The Design & Brewing Process
Some designs are meant to curve around the container in microcosmic, yet expansive, layouts. Others created for frontal viewing find their totality obscured, parts of their image falling behind the container’s curves. No matter what you’re imagining, you’ll be able to select a die for your labels that fits your use case, as pressure sensitive labels can be easily die cut to meet your specifications. With digital printing, your creativity is the only limit. Your consumers will view your label’s art the way it was meant to be received!
3. Pressure Sensitive Labels are Long Lasting
Over time a glue applied label may wrinkle, having its image distorted. It may peel off. A pressure sensitive label, on the other hand, is built to last. Subject it to moisture or heat, its adhesive will remain. It makes no difference whether it is in a packaging facility or fixed to a jostled-around bottle in an ice-filled cooler. What’s more, they have the ability to stick to a wide range of surfaces from plastic to aluminum and everything in between!
For the majority of breweries, pressure sensitive labels are the best fit for labeling craft beer. While some high volume breweries may find benefits in the cost-effective large runs of cut and stack labels, the majority will benefit from the easier production process and flexibility that digitally printed pressure sensitive labels provide.
Shrink Sleeve Labels for Beer Cans
An additional option for labeling your craft beer is shrink sleeve labels.These labels provide bold 360° coverage, allowing your design to wrap completely around the can for maximum shelf impact. Digitally printed shrink sleeves deliver vibrant colors, durability, and moisture resistance — making them a favorite choice for breweries that want their cans to stand out in coolers and on store shelves.
Craft Beer Label FAQs
What are pressure sensitive labels?
Pressure sensitive labels are self-adhesive labels that stick to bottles or cans with light pressure. They are popular in the craft beer industry for their easy application, flexibility in design, and compatibility with glass, plastic, and aluminum surfaces.
What are cut and stack beer labels?
Cut and stack labels are printed sheets cut into individual labels and applied with glue. They are cost-effective for high-volume breweries but require additional machinery, making them less practical for smaller craft breweries.
How does digital printing work for craft beer labels?
Digital printing uses advanced presses to print directly from a digital file. This allows breweries to create short-run custom beer labels, make quick design changes, and experiment with seasonal or limited-edition designs without high setup costs.
What’s the best label for craft beer bottles vs cans?
For bottles, pressure sensitive labels are the most popular choice due to easy application and durability. For cans, shrink sleeve labels are often preferred because they provide full 360° coverage and withstand moisture from refrigeration and coolers.
Ready to Create Your Craft Beer Labels?
Whether you need pressure sensitive labels for bottles or shrink sleeve beer labels for cans, LabelValue makes it easy.
Get started with your custom label quote here or call us at (800) 750-7764 to receive a quote. LabelValue is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m EST. We’d love to help!