TTB Approved!
We got approval from the TTB, it took us a couple of tries, but thankfully the online COLAs submittal process makes it much quicker than snail mail. This was our third attempt for approval of our original label; we had left out a couple of things:
1. Alc. x% by Vol. (we forgot the "By Volume")
2. Added "-Style" behind Kölsch and Vienna, otherwise it is misleading--we are not from Cologne or Vienna. We don't want to mislead anyone...
It was interesting working with the TTB because the text content wasn't the only issue. The size of the text proved to be a challenge. Regulations said that the text in the Gov't Warning (on the left side of the label) and in the Beer Name section had to be 3 and 2mm high respectively.
However to measure the text, the TTB doesn't print out your art - they literally get out a ruler or calipers and measure the art on their screen. Yes, they measure the height of the characters on the monitor. If I say it again, will you believe me? Our graphics team was pulling out their hair when I found this out, but the solution was simple. No, I did not tell them to adjust the resolution of their monitor. We did have Patton slightly enlarge the whole label so it actually just appeared larger. Voila. Same label, larger, approved.
Now to be sure, the text on our label is 3.2mm and 2.7mm, well above standard, but only after pumping up the size of the file did approval come - once it appeared larger than 3mm on their monitors. It's a crazy world out there at the TTB, but we live in it...
In other news, we got our stickers from Sticker Robot and they look pretty dang awesome too.
1. Alc. x% by Vol. (we forgot the "By Volume")
2. Added "-Style" behind Kölsch and Vienna, otherwise it is misleading--we are not from Cologne or Vienna. We don't want to mislead anyone...
It was interesting working with the TTB because the text content wasn't the only issue. The size of the text proved to be a challenge. Regulations said that the text in the Gov't Warning (on the left side of the label) and in the Beer Name section had to be 3 and 2mm high respectively.
However to measure the text, the TTB doesn't print out your art - they literally get out a ruler or calipers and measure the art on their screen. Yes, they measure the height of the characters on the monitor. If I say it again, will you believe me? Our graphics team was pulling out their hair when I found this out, but the solution was simple. No, I did not tell them to adjust the resolution of their monitor. We did have Patton slightly enlarge the whole label so it actually just appeared larger. Voila. Same label, larger, approved.
Now to be sure, the text on our label is 3.2mm and 2.7mm, well above standard, but only after pumping up the size of the file did approval come - once it appeared larger than 3mm on their monitors. It's a crazy world out there at the TTB, but we live in it...
In other news, we got our stickers from Sticker Robot and they look pretty dang awesome too.
Not For Sale.
We will not be selling in these bottles, they are for your viewing pleasures only (unless you are a bar or restaurant in which case I'll be bringing these by for sampling in the near future!) However, if you want a sticker - come on by! 
Congrats!
ReplyDeleteAlso, that bottle label looks incredible.
Start brewin baby!
ReplyDelete