Apple_Jacker

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Very good to know. I already did have leftover bottles from last year (that I didn't give away) and planned on reusing those ones. It never even dawned on me to use the bottles I already had until it was too late. And yes, they were way over priced! It was around $13 for 24 empty bottles. Last year I paid $8 for the same amount of bottles which is far more reasonable, but recycling what I already have is what I'll be doing from now on. Plus, having another excuse to crack open a beer is always a good thing! I found that the Bells Beer were for the most part easy-to-remove labels. Magic Hat must use better adhesive on their labels because they won't come completely off even after soaking them in soapy water overnight. Guess I'll be sanitizing all of my bottles in the bathtub tonight then going to town on my bottling!

@Jacob_Marley: I just moved away from Michigan. Here in Tennessee they don't do the bottle returns. It took some getting used to seeing people throw away pop cans and bottles. However, there are several recycling facilities around me and I am sure when I go drop off my recycling, I can grab a few bottles to bring back home for free.

kc_in_wv

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I haven't tried this yet, but a friend of mine who is a serious homebrewer said he puts a cap full of ammonia in the water he soaks his bottles in. He told me it loosens the stubburn glue.

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What I smoke has a sting to it.

Apple_Jacker

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Hmm, I might just try that.

dinnerstick

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soaking in hot oxyclean solution works wonders inside and out for me

BrewKnurd

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Yup, Oxyclean + Hot Water = Easy Label Removal

You can even get off the painted on labels from Stone if you wanna soak in a starsan solution. But that's more effort than its worth for me. Oddly, Rogue bottles do not respond the same way, they must use a different paint.

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Jacob_Marley

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Getting the labels off using star-san is an interesting idea. I use a lot of Guinness 11.2 oz Drought bottles and those do have their labels painted on. I might try a spot test of star-san on one. Really the labeling on them doesn't bother me too much tho.

Joe_in_CT

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Oxyclean is doing a good job for me...

I just got need to find more sources for used champagne bottles.

Single-stream recycling doesn't help when you need to do some "shopping "...

Devo9

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Kijiji was a good source for me. You might have to pay a few bucks, but it is better then buying them new.

I just make sure to soak them extra long in the sanitizing solution...

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Homercidal

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With recycling, I buy them for 10 cents, like Yooper, and I get to go in the back of the beers store and choose my own!

Also, You might hang out at a bar or two and ask if they will save any brown pry off bottles for you. The place downtown saves Guinness bottles, which are VERY easy to clean and delabel! And they have that sexy hourglass shape! (The draught version, not the extra stout version...)

TheBroonery

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Don't ever buy empty beer bottles. They sell them for close to the same price with beer in them! I've got over 400 of them in my collection from over the years. They're good until they break!