Bottle identification

[BeerNBBQ]

Hello,

I have a dilemma which I’m sure one of you clever lot has sussed out.

here we go, I have just started home brewing and not ever tasted a product yet! but I know I like variety so I started off by brewing 3 batches. I have bought 100 odd bottles but without having to put sticky labels on them each time I put something different in them how are you differentiating what’s in that bottle? BTW all the bottles look the same.
Thanks all

 

[lupinehorror]

paint pen? labels around the neck on string? dymo?

 

[Cwrw666]

Put them in crates with a label on the crate. No need to mark the bottles at all.

 

[Appleyard]

I have bought 100 odd bottles but without having to put sticky labels on them each time I put something different in them how are you differentiating what’s in that bottle? BTW all the bottles look the same.

Marker pen - a letter on the caps, and an index on a bit of paper. I'm using "B1" for "Brew 1", "B2", "B3" etc., but just letters or numbers should be fine. Then you don't have to clean the labels off, either!

 

[BeerNBBQ]

Marker pen - a letter on the caps, and an index on a bit of paper. I'm using "B1" for "Brew 1", "B2", "B3" etc., but just letters or numbers should be fine. Then you don't have to clean the labels off, either!

I was thinking along this line as well but when you get the bottles back after 3 batches you may have different bottle back, which then you may have 1 2 or 3.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Different coloured caps and label the case used to store them.

 

[MickDundee]

Marker pen - a letter on the caps, and an index on a bit of paper. I'm using "B1" for "Brew 1", "B2", "B3" etc., but just letters or numbers should be fine. Then you don't have to clean the labels off, either!

Yep, Sharpie on the caps here too. I code them by beer type though because I’d never remember them by batch number.

I’m now kegging, but for my remaining bottles I have:
S - Saison
E - English Pale
H - Helles
C - California Common
V - Vienna Lager etc

 

[Clint]

I just write a couple of letters on the cap with a Sharpie.

 

[dad_of_jon]

I use different colour bottle caps - generally lighter for lighter beers and darker for darker beers

red = calicommon
yellow = no-gaarden
purple = orange abbey
white = triple
green = xmas ale
black = imperial stout
blue = belgian quad
silver = triple
brown = barley wine

etc...

 

[DocAnna]

Yep, Sharpie on the caps here too. I code them by beer type though because I’d never remember them by batch number.

I’m now kegging, but for my remaining bottles I have:
S - Saison
E - English Pale
H - Helles
C - California Common
V - Vienna Lager etc

A further vote for sharpie on the cap, but I also use different cap colours. I used to write dates on the lids as well but now just keep a note in my brewing note book of what the letter/numbers mean and the date brewed. Mind you it's also quite fun designing labels and you can buy sticky paper labels that are easily removable, though the finish is a bit matt which makes the colour reproduction a bit disappointing. If I'm giving beer to friends/colleagues then I'll print on gloss labels which really make the colours pop!

Anna

 

[BeerNBBQ]

A further vote for sharpie on the cap, but I also use different cap colours. I used to write dates on the lids as well but now just keep a note in my brewing note book of what the letter/numbers mean and the date brewed. Mind you it's also quite fun designing labels and you can buy sticky paper labels that are easily removable, though the finish is a bit matt which makes the colour reproduction a bit disappointing. If I'm giving beer to friends/colleagues then I'll print on gloss labels which really make the colours pop!

Anna

that’s good To know for the future for the labels. Thank you.

 

[BeerNBBQ]

Sharpie seems to be the way. I’m just thinking about when you re-use the bottles?

 

[Appleyard]

Sharpie seems to be the way. I’m just thinking about when you re-use the bottles?

You re-cap them....

If you're using some sort of re-usable cap, a quick wipe with some meths on a rag gets the marker off (don't let if get in the bottle... ).

 

[BeerNBBQ]

You re-cap them....

If you're using some sort of re-usable cap, a quick wipe with some meths on a rag gets the marker off (don't let if get in the bottle... ).

haha ok thanks for that yea they are swing top bottles.

 

[jof]

Cap colours for me too

 

[Banbeer]

I use masking tape, easy to peel off and not much per roll.

 

[MmmBeer]

I tended to use a letter on the cap (non flip-top) with a marker pen. Alternatively I have used 25mm round sticky labels to stick on the caps and print the name date and ABV of the beer onto the labels.

 

[muppix]

Sticky labels for me ... sorry.

The type that I use can be pulled off in one piece if you're careful, and my printer is able to serialise the batch (e.g. Bottle 4 of 39) while also adding a QR code which can be scanned to view the entire history for that batch.

Sometimes I get creative with the design, mostly I don't bother.

 

[matt76]

I made an old post here about how I make labels for the bottle caps.

Basically I design them in Excel, print them out on a big A4 sized label them use a 25mm cutter to cut out the individual circular labels

 

[AnimatedGIF]

I do coloured caps with a board, bit that's only because I wanted something decorative to have on the wall. The caps attach to the board with magnets. Cost about £5 in total. There are easier/cheaper ways as mentioned above, but like I say, I wanted something to show.