Labels can indicate aging suggestions for wine, spirits and…beer?

Single malt scotch, a fine Bordeaux—these are bottles that spirits connoisseurs might leave to age in their wet bar, cellar or kitchen cabinet. However, a new trend in beer-aging has emerged, which might come as a surprise to ale lovers who tend to drink beer as soon as it’s been purchased.

According to James Dreese of the Albany Times Union, leaving beer to age can enhance flavor and highlight notes that might go untasted otherwise. 

“The real ‘point’ of aging beer is to make it taste better,” he explains in a blog post. “But taste is subjective; you have to tinker with different beers aged at different time spans in order to find your favorite ‘aged recipe,’ similar to how you probably tried dozens upon dozens of different beers before finding your favorites.”

The Dogfish Head brewing company, renowned for its IPAs, affirms that the alchemy of beer aging is really a matter of personal preference. Standards, expectations, prescribed aging times and other helpful directions for wine and spirits have been institutionalized by vintners and sommeliers. Beer, on the other hand, leaves a more open-ended endeavor for avid consumers. 

For companies that produce wine, beer and other alcohols, the opportunity for custom label printing is obvious: Does your product get better with age? If so, how would you suggest that customers age bottles? Helpful tips for aging can make a label more instructional than most descriptive labels and provide another incentive for customers to try your product. 

An industrial label printer allows companies to take control of their label strategy, experiment with new promotions and produce limited-edition products. Giving your customers some tips about the aging process can show them a new way to enjoy your beverage and another reason to return for more.