Batch and Bottle Numbers on Labels

[Patio29Dadio]

Like many smalls getting started, we thought it was special to hand-write the batch and bottle number on each new finished spirit product we produce.   Tasting room customers like it... it absolutely connects to the feeling of craft, hand-made and artisan.

However, the batches are getting big and we will move into 3-digit and then 4-digit batch numbers soon.   So the hand-writing is becoming a big PITA chore. 

One suggestion is to pre-print the "bottle number" when the labels are produced... and then hand-write the batch number.  My employees are a bit against the pre-printing as they say it looks "too corporate" for a small craft distillery.  One idea they have it to just write the batch number and skip the bottle number... basically have a batch number space on the bottle label but no bottle number.  I think this is a reasonable idea.

Anyone out there with thoughts, ideas, recommendations?

[Golden Beaver Distillery]

Volunteers.

Hell, I bet you can come up with a scheme that they pay you to work in the distillery and fill out the labels.

[Bier Distillery]

16 hours ago, Golden Beaver Distillery said:

Volunteers.

Hell, I bet you can come up with a scheme that they pay you to work in the distillery and fill out the labels.

Ha, then you'll find out how many otherwise intelligent people have trouble counting.. skipping numbers, duplicating, etc...

The struggle is real.

Need a machine that can print what looks like handwriting.

[Tom Lenerz]

Update the packaging to eliminate the information and/or switch to larger batches. We only handwrite on Single Barrel products (barrel, proof, abv and age), which is a smaller % of our products. We print batch stickers for our larger batched products that are annual releases, they look like old WI state tax stamps. Handwriting bottle numbers seems like a nightmare...

[JNorris]

Handwriting on labels is something I warn some of my new customers about.  It is easy when you are starting out but becomes a nightmare as you grow: keeping track of numbers, writing on every label, and writing legibly.   

My suggestion is to get with your label company; they have many different fonts and many of them look like handwriting.  Ask for font samples and settle on one that you like. 

If it were me, I would drop the bottle numbers, as preprinted labels will undoubtedly not end up being sequential once they get on bottles.  For example having to burn through 15 labels just to get your labeler to work correctly today.  Maybe that is just an OCD thing though.