Testing a new beer label with real drinkers before you print it

Why test at all

By the time a label reaches final artwork, the founders and designers have seen it a hundred times. They know the beer name, the style and the story. They cannot see it as a stranger does.

Real drinkers meet your label for a second or two, on a crowded shelf, under bad light, often in a hurry. Testing shows whether they can find it, understand it and want it. It costs a few hours and some printouts. Reprinting thousands of labels costs much more.

Who to test with

Test with people who match your target drinkers, using your drinker personas as a guide. Avoid your staff, family and close friends. They know too much and they want to be nice.

Small rounds work well. Five to eight people per round usually reveal the biggest problems. Fix those, then test again with a new group. Two or three rounds are often enough.

Good places to find testers include other taprooms with permission, food markets, beer clubs and office groups. Offer a small thank you that is not alcohol, such as a coffee voucher or merchandise.

The shelf test

The most useful test copies real life. Print the label at actual size, wrap it on a real can or bottle and place it on a fridge shelf among six to ten competing beers. Use a real shop fridge with permission, or mock one up with similar lighting.

Then ask the tester to find a particular style, such as "a wheat beer" or "something dark". Watch where their eyes go and how long they take. If they miss your beer or pick it for the wrong style, you have learned something important.

The five-second test

Show the label for five seconds, then hide it. Ask:

• What was the name of the beer?
• What kind of beer do you think it was?
• Who made it?
• What price would you expect to pay?
• What do you remember most?

If people cannot recall the name or think a light lager is a strong beer, the hierarchy needs work. If the thing they remember most is a minor graphic rather than the name, the design is pulling attention in the wrong direction.

Questions that get honest answers

Ask open questions and listen more than you speak. "What do you think this beer tastes like?" teaches you more than "Do you like it?" People are polite. They will say they like almost anything to your face.

Useful prompts include: "Who do you think this beer is for?", "Would you pick this up? Why or why not?" and "What would you change?" Write down exact words people use, because they often become better descriptions than your own.

Do not explain the label or defend choices during the test. If you have to explain it, the label is not doing its job.

Practical checks beyond opinion

Some tests need no testers, just care:

• Wet and cold test. Put a labelled can or bottle in an ice bucket for an hour and in a fridge overnight. Check that the label does not peel, wrinkle or smudge. Paper labels on glass often fail this at Indian weddings and parties.
• Readability. Check the beer name and ABV from arm's length in dim light.
• Colour on the real material. Colours shift on metallic cans and coloured glass. Print proofs on the real substrate.
• Mandatory text. Check the statutory declarations are present, legible and correct. See our guide to beer label design for layout tips.

Turning results into changes

After each round, list the problems that several people had, not one person's taste. If three of eight testers could not find the style, make it bigger. If most guessed a higher price than you plan, that may be good news. If several said it looked like a soft drink, rethink the colour or imagery.

Resist redesigning around one strong opinion. Look for patterns. Then make the changes and test again with new people. Our guide to a brewery brand audit uses the same approach across the whole brand.

Testing is a habit, not a one-off. The breweries that do it build an instinct for what works on a shelf. That instinct shows across every label they make.

Common questions

How many people do I need to test a beer label?

Five to eight people per round usually reveal the main problems. Run two or three rounds, fixing issues between each.

Should we test labels with our staff?

Not as the main test. Staff know too much and want to be supportive. Test with target drinkers who do not know the brand.

What is the most useful label test?

A shelf test with real competitors, where testers try to find a particular style. It shows whether the label stands out and communicates clearly.