Beer Bottle Dimensions

Beer bottles come in a variety of shapes and sizes. In the United States, the most common beer size is 12 fl. oz. But even among bottles of this common capacity, there are a variety of dimensions that vary by bottle style, company and manufacturer.

The Industry Standard Bottle (North American Longneck) is:

• Overall Height: 9.1"
• Overall Diameter: 2.4"
• Label Straight: 3.5"

But what about the glass growlers, Belgian beer bottles, bombers and other styles of beer bottles? Before we can get into the size of a beer bottle, we must understand what element of the bottle we are measuring and why it is important. Let’s start with the common dimensions used to measure beer bottles.

The overall bottle height is the distance from the bottom of the bottle to the top. This is one of the most commonly used measurements to designate the dimensions of a bottle.

The overall diameter is distance from one side of the bottle to the other passing through the center. The overall diameter is measured at the widest section of the beer bottle, which is often at the base.

The finish is top section of a beer bottle which determines the proper closure for the bottle. The finish appearance can vary by bead configurations and other external design variants, but these often do not affect the functional finish as this is shaped to accommodate standardized closures.  

The finish height is the length from the top of the neck to tallest point on the bottle. The top of the neck is often differentiated by an indentation.

The neck height is the distance from the root of the neck to the bottom of the finish. The root of the neck (neck base) is the lowest point of the neck.

The neck diameter is typically measured at the point where the finish ends and the neck begins. Many beer bottles feature a flared neck where this diameter is the narrowest point of the neck, flaring out towards the root of the bottle neck.

While many necks are straight with a conical neck profile to allow for easy labeling, many bottle styles feature a neck that may curve in before flaring out or a number of other unique shapes.

On bottles where the neck is not straight, manufacturers often measure the diameter of the neck at each point where the neck is narrowest/widest. This is particularly common on bottle styles such as the Belgian beer bottle.

The fill point capacity is the suggested amount of liquid a bottle can contain. This should not be confused with overflow capacity, which is the maximum amount of volume a bottle can contain. Fill point capactiy is sometimes divided into:

• Low fill point capacity: the smallest amount of liquid a bottle can contain while still appearing full.
• Ideal or approximate fill point capacity: the average of low F.P. capacity and high F.P. capacity.
• High fill point capacity: the maximum capacity recommended by the manufacturer.

The label straight is the height of the label panel, the section of the bottle which is flat and suitable for a printed label. Most label panels are recessed to prevent scuffing from bottle-to-bottle contact.

The label indent is the usually the same as the label straight. This is the height of the section of the bottle that is recessed to accommodate a label.

Glass thickness is the wall thickness of the bottle. Bottles suitable for containing higher levels of carbonation often have thicker glass than bottles with a lower volumes carbonation rating. Glass thickness is often around 0.015" to 0.023".

The heel is the section of the bottle where the base of the bottle transitions to the straight body of the bottle. This distance is the end of the label straight to the bottom of the bottle.

The bearing surface diameter is the diameter of the weight-bearing surface of the bottle, the distance from the outermost weight-bearing surface on one side of the bottle to the other passing through the center.

The bearing surface radius is the distance from the outermost weight-bearing surface of the bottle to the innermost weight-bearing surface, typically the beginning of the punt. This section of the bottle is most subject to thermal shock and abrasion during production. To help prevent damage, this surface is often textured with stipples.

The tip angle empty is the inclination at which the bottle must be tilted for the contents to completely empty. The shape of the neck and shoulders of the bottle largely determine this tip angle empty.

Check out the dimensions of some of our most popular bottle styles bellow!

• Overall Height: 6.2"
• Overall Diameter: 2.6"
• Label Straight: 3.2"

• Overall Height: 7.5"
• Overall Diameter: 2.6"
• Label Straight: 2.9"

• Overall Height: 8.7"
• Overall Diameter: 2.6"
• Label Straight: 3.9"

• Overall Height: 9.0"
• Overall Diameter: 2.8"
• Label Straight: 3.9"

• Overall Height: 9.0"
• Overall Diameter: 2.4"
• Label Straight: 4.0"

• Overall Height: 10.2"
• Overall Diameter: 2.6"
• Label Straight: 4.0"

• Overall Height: 11.0"
• Overall Diameter: 2.9"
• Label Straight: 4.7"

• Overall Height: 12.0"
• Overall Diameter: 3.3"
• Label Straight: 4.0"

• Overall Height: 11.4"
• Overall Diameter: 3.1"
• Label Straight: 5.9"

• Overall Height: 10.9"
• Overall Diameter: 4.9"
• Label Straight: 5.4"

Want to know the dimensions of a specific bottle size or style? View our full selection of beer bottles and growlers. Individual bottle specifications are available on the product page.

Whether you have an amazing design in your head or have no clue where to start, our designers are here to help. We’ll create a mockup of your label before it’s printed so it looks exactly how you imagined. The Cary Company offers design services to make your dream bottle a reality.