Label Removal:
1) Allocate an empty container (sink or tub)
2) Fill bottles with hot water
3) Lay bottles upright in container
4) Add a couple oz. of sodium percarbonate (Oxiclean) and dish detergent.
5) Fill container until bottles are covered and wait a few hours.
6) Labels should fall right off or some minor coaxing with a razor blade.
7) Wipe off glue with sponge.
Bottle Preferences:
I find Sierra Nevada bottle labels come off fairly easy (labels hold together). Plus I like them best cuz they're stubby
Smuttynose labels tend to fall apart and more of a PITA.
Label Adhesive:
I use Avery 5163/5168 shipping labels which have an adhesive. If you have access to a color laser printer, they come out awesome.
Guinness widget bottles have a plastic label that can be removed with the simple slice of a razor blade. No glue, no fuss, no mess. The widget is easily removed with a pair of small needle nose pliers.
An overnight soak in plain old water will remove many labels (including Sam Adams).
Also, in my personal experience, New Belgium bottles are easiest to delabel - no OxyClean needed, the labels literally fall off in hot water after about 3 minutes.
Heck, if you're drinking a NB straight from the bottle on a warm day, the condensation on the outside of the bottle is enough to peel the label off without much difficulty!
Like others have suggested, I use hot water and Oxyclean to soak bottles in. Within 24 hours even the toughest labels can be peeled or scraped off with your thumbnail. Then I use a little scrubby brush and hot water to scrub off any glue.
This method seems to work well for almost every bottle. 22oz bottles with the sticker type labels like Bear Republic and Harpoon can sometimes be a pain though.
I used to use ammonia and water and that only worked for some labels. Once I learned about Oxyclean I haven't looked back.
For bottles with silk screened labels like Stone and Rogue, I use a solution of muriatic acid and water and soak for about 15-20 minutes. Sometimes the Rogue bottles might need a little scrubbing and a longer soak.
For those stubborn hard to remove labels which can also be found on wine bottles, I use a heat gun to heat up the label and glue, then peel the label right off the bottle. It leaves some glue still on the bottle, but it simplifies the removal ten fold. Oh yeah...... watch the heat gun doesn't get to close to your fingers...... it stings a bit sometimes.
I do not have to use this method often, but it sure does work on very stubborn ones.
Salute!
__________________ On Tap - All Cascade Pale Ale - 100% Home grown Hops. On Tap - American Brown Ale. On Tap - Robust Smoked Porter.
I've got to say that I've cleaned a lot of these, and a bit of hot water and oxyclean has the labels floating the next morning...
I think the method to the madness is this: Regular, off the shelf, 6pk bottles (e.g. Cream Stout, Boston Lager) are all pretty easy to clean IMO. Soak, and it comes off in a couple hours. It's however the Holiday Pack that are evil incarnate to remove. YMMV of course - this is just what I've noticed.
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Sweetwater labels are laminated and adhered with non-soluble form of mega glue. Oxyclean and other products might help.
What is with Atlanta based brewers and the labels?
Atlanta Brew Co. labels are the worst... They are laminated and then apparently glued on with some bodily fluid of Satan... Took two oxyclean soaks and a green Scotchbrite to get all the gunk off...
Oxyclean does wonders on the Sweetwater labels...
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Timberwolf
Non-Alcoholic beer is like going down on your cousin, it might taste the same but it just ain’t right!
I use a bucket of bleach water to remove labels. Haven't found anything it doesn't work on and just keep reusing the bucket until all the bottles are clean. Set the bottles in and walk away (take a nap, drink a beer, etc.) and the labels wipe off. Rubber gloves are nice. Not earth friendly but....
Milk is my personal favorite. Actually 1/2 and 1/2 creamer. Lots of fat and protein. Labels always come off with no effort.
I let some sierra nevada bottles sit in an oxyclean solution for a day and when I pulled one out to clean off with a scotch brite pad the oxyclean had left scale all over the bottle. I was able to scrub it off the outside but no way was I going to get it off the inside. Had to toss the whole 6 pack in the trash.
Love Sierra Nevada stubby bottles.
Never had this problem. I usually soak for a long period of time and get to them when I have time. Peel the label off scrub the softened glue residue and use a bottle brush on the inside (probably not necessary) then rinse with a bottle washer.
I have seen a residue on glass with oxyclean if left too long and dried some. Soak it in white vinegar solution and it will be gone.
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