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spittingglass · 10-06-2012, 04:17 AM

Screw everything about cleaning bottles/peeling labels. OxiClean made it easier, but never again. Never. I will gladly pay for new bottles at my LHBS for each new batch. Never again. Never.

I'm sorry, but after 2 hours and barely 40 bottles to show for it, I had to get that off my chest.

Never.

**emjay** · 10-06-2012, 04:20 AM

Meh, I just leave the labels on.

spittingglass · 10-06-2012, 04:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by emjay

Meh, I just leave the labels on.

They'd been sitting for quite a while in anticipation of my first brew (which I neglected to do for a long time, another regret) and hadn't been rinsed after use, so I had to soak them to clean them. I thought to myself "might as well peel the labels while I'm doing this!"

If I had a time machine, I'd use it to go back in time and bitchslap myself for having that thought.

**emjay** · 10-06-2012, 04:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spittingglass

They'd been sitting for quite a while in anticipation of my first brew (which I neglected to do for a long time, another regret) and hadn't been rinsed after use, so I had to soak them to clean them. I thought to myself "might as well peel the labels while I'm doing this!"

If I had a time machine, I'd use it to go back in time and bitchslap myself for having that thought.

Ah. I also rinse bottles with hot water immediately after pouring, so a shot of sanitizer immediately before filling is all I really have to worry about.

kh54s10 · 10-06-2012, 04:40 AM

How long did you soak them. I have cleaned and de-labeled over 200 bottles. I put the bottles in a bucket with Oxyclean for a day or two. The labels almost fall off. A little scrubbing with a nylon scrubby to get the glue off. I usually do just a few at a time. For me free and a little cleaning far outweighs the price of buying new bottles. I did but enough for my first batch and half of the second batch. I didn't allow time for collecting empties.

**AMonkey** · 10-06-2012, 04:42 AM

40 bottles in two hours? You are doing something wrong. I de-label and clean up probably 15 at a time in about 10 minutes. The key is to soak them for a day to loosen the labels. Works very well with minimal work. Trying to rush it defeats the purpose of soaking in oxiclean.

Icenine61 · 10-06-2012, 05:12 AM

I soak mine in water with baking soda overnight.

Then I line them up like a firing squad against my fence, secured with bungees at top and bottom. And let the business end of my pressure washer have it's way with them. I can clean 48 bottles front and back in about 5-15 minutes depending.

I use an old cheap tarp to collect the labels and move on.

**b-boy** · 10-06-2012, 05:19 AM

Come to the dark side. Once you keg you will never go back.

actually I do have a stash of flip-top bottles for when I bottle. They are awesome. I just run them thru the dishwasher.

spittingglass · 10-06-2012, 05:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AMonkey

40 bottles in two hours? You are doing something wrong. I de-label and clean up probably 15 at a time in about 10 minutes. The key is to soak them for a day to loosen the labels. Works very well with minimal work. Trying to rush it defeats the purpose of soaking in oxiclean.

Well, there's the problem. I soaked them for about an hour, I was scared of getting the dreaded OxiClean residue and had read an hour was sufficient.

Some labels (specifically Bell's Two Hearted Ale, Magic Hat, Flying Dog) came off smooth like butter, but the Loose Cannon/Rogue labels clung as if they were attached by the personally preferred adhesive of The Lord Almighty Himself.

**Devin** · 10-06-2012, 05:51 AM

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/commercial-beer-bottle-label-removal-difficulty-343569/