While it is certainly possible (and common) to put homebrewed beer into kegs, that requires regulated gas and large refrigeration space. A keg is also more difficult to transport and overkill if you just want to bring a few beers to a friend’s backyard BBQ. For those reasons, many homebrewers bottle their beer. Those homebrewers will want to check out this very impressive wet labeling machine built by Franz Hirschböck (AKA Fraens).

This machine is mesmerizing to watch in action and would be genuinely useful to most homebrewers — or anyone else with a reason to label bottles. It works with standard printer paper, so users can print their own labels on an inkjet or laser printer at home. When a user places a bottle, the machine will automatically grab a new label, apply the glue, and then attach the label. It is even possible to adjust the amount of glue and the glue pattern by swapping out rollers.

Hirschböck designed this bottle labeler as a mostly electromechanical machine, meaning that it doesn’t need much electronic sophistication to work. That’s all thanks to electric motors and an ingenious set of 3D-printed mechanical parts. But there are two exceptions: the button that starts the labeling process and an infrared sensor that detects the end of the label. An Arduino board monitors the button and sensor. 

If you want to build this machine for your own bottling needs, Hirschböck has the files and plans available on Etsy and Cults3D. He even provides glue recipes to get started.