How to Design Original Bottle Caps
When Budweiser was bought by a Belgian company on July 16, 2008, a portion of the beer-brewing population merely nodded their heads. These were the owners of microbreweries, which have increased since 1990 to more than 1,500 across the United States. Said David Geary, president of the Portland, Maine-based D. L. Geary Brewing Company, "While the growth of microbreweries appears to be phenomenal, to me it simply represents the return of a good idea." Indeed, this "good idea" has a history dating back to the Mesopotamians and celebrated by the "ultimate microbrewers," the home brewers. Geary and the ultimate microbrewers of the world share one important need: original bottle caps. These caps can represent you and your beer long after it's been drank and win over the hearts of the disillusioned fans of former American giant Budweiser.
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Instructions
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The first step in designing an original bottle cap is to study the bottle caps of other microbreweries. Geary's caps feature a G for Geary printed on various colored grounds, while the Alaskan Brewing and Bottling Company features a huge polar bear and Harpoon Brewery caps feature a stylized harpoon. The multitude of designs for bottling caps is legion. However, one feature is shared by most: a simplicity in design and a bright color palette. These are bottle caps that are meant to be noticed.
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Think of an image that can represent your beer. Just as the G can mean nothing but "Geary" and the harpoon can mean nothing but "Harpoon Brewery," having a simple image can be a great selling and marketing point for your beer. Perhaps you're from Maine. You can choose symbols that represent your state such as pine trees or lobsters or lobster boats. Your cap could sport a stylized representation of any of these images. Perhaps you love bulldogs; your cap could feature a closeup of a grinning bulldog. Try out several designs on paper by drawing a circle then the design within it. Experiment with colors.
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Scan your designs into your computer and print them out until you are able to hone in on the one you like best. Create a digital image of that file.
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Submit your design to a company that prints custom bottle caps. There is more than one company that offers this service and the rates are reasonable. These companies either allow you to upload your design to their site or submit your design as a CD. Once your design is uploaded by the company, printing more of your caps when they're needed will be a snap.
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