Heineken bottle label removal

Several months back I told an old friend that I had started homebrewing and bottling my own homebrew and that I collected suitable bottles. A month later, he gave me a case of Becks bottles to which I gave him a couple of my best. The labels soaked off almost over-night and the bottles are now conditioning a tasty Munich Helles.

A month later, he offered up a case of Heineken bottles. The labels are some plastazine thing that is impervious to soaking and is extremely difficult to just scrap off.

Any suggestions? I'm thinking I have to get some carcenogenic solvent to nuke these suckers off.

Its a big sticker. You just peel it off.

I found out how annoying heineken labels are myself a couple weeks ago. Sounds like a lousy answer, but just keep at it. Once I got the label started, I took a plastic scraper to it as I peeled it. The up-side to those labels is you don't have to worry about it ripping. With some elbow grease it took a minutes or two for each label once you get the hang of it. I agree with your thinking though, there's gotta be a solution that breaks down the glue to make it easier. Maybe some sort of weaker acid. Theres bound to be someone with a little chemistry education roaming these forums.

Goo Gone will break down the glue but it is a mess!!!! I have probably a case of Hein bottles that I use for my Apfelwein.

I had the same problem with Amstel Light Bottles. I soaked them in a Rubbermaid tub with hot water and Oxyclean for a few days. They are still a bit of a PITA but it helps a lot.

Razor blade- Just don't cut yourself!

The BEST way is HOT water. It melts the glue and the glue sticks to the label. I just run them under the hot tap and peel them off. Very little glue / if any sticks to the bottle.

I hit 'em with a heat gun for a couple seconds. Melts the glue nicely.

I soak them in hot OxyClean along with the rest of the bottles to be de-labeled. The back labels can usually be peeled off with just a thumnail, but the front ones for some reason are tougher. I pick at a corner intil I get enough to grab, then grab it with needlenose pliers and peel.

I kinda like the heat gun approach...hmmmmm

Me with my last batch o'Heiny



Fack it. Too much werk. Tried it once. Never more. Just use brown anyways. Plus, I prolly have enough bottles for 6 batches anywho.

I didn't think it was difficult at all. Actually easier than scrubbing off the paper residue some bottles leave behind.

BTW, I use green and clear bottles for cider and save the brown ones for beer.

Yeah, I like the heat-gun idea, too. Although I have a powerful heat-gun, I wonder if a common hair-dryer would work as well?