Journal

Designing labels that work in a real bar: seen from above in the rail, read across a dim room, held with wet hands, and poured without turning the bottle.

State label registration for alcohol, the "FL" mark on beer and malt drinks, and why homemade syrups aren't covered by Florida's cottage food law.

The nine things every beverage label brief needs, the mistakes that slow projects down, and a template you can copy and send.

Label materials that survive humidity and ice, sun and heat, the rules for bilingual labels, and looking like Miami without the clichés.

Which rules apply depending on what's in the can, how to name the drink, printed cans versus sleeves versus labels, and designing for a cooler.

What a syrup label legally needs, from the front panel to allergens and the small business exemption, and how to design it for real use behind a bar.

A plain guide to every item a U.S. spirits label needs, the minimum sizes, the health warning, and label approval, and what each rule changes about the design.

Typical prices for labels, packaging, and identity, what pushes the number up, and the costs people forget until the invoice arrives.