Easiest labeling solution for relabeling?

So whats the best way to lable your bottles so you don't have to spend forever peeling off the old ones or erasing them every time you rebottle?

Don't label them

But really though, I just label the caps. The people who I give beer to haven't complained about the lack of label yet, and I certainly don't care whether it has a label or not. Just a few letters on the cap to let me know what's inside the bottle.

I plan on making labels for my mead when it's bottled .... just because it's a special thing.

I think the easiest way for labeling bottles is to use the "milk" method. I print my labels to my work's color laser jet printer using standard paper and paste them with milk. Just cut your labels accordingly and with a pastry brush, or a bbq brush, slap some milk on the back and stick it right to the bottle. I have used the whole milk, not sure about skim, 2% etc... Works everytime ! Then when you are finished, just soak them in regular H2O and the labels come right off.

I use a glue stick and regular old laser printer paper. I use the laser printer so it won't run, cut out the labels, and use the glue stick. I occasionally get problems of labels peeling off prematurely, but not usually. When it's time for them to come off I just peel them right off. It does leave some glue residue but it's nothing that 5 minutes in an OxyClean bath won't take care of and then, hey, my bottles are clean too.

JustDave said:

Don't label them

But really though, I just label the caps. The people who I give beer to haven't complained about the lack of label yet, and I certainly don't care whether it has a label or not. Just a few letters on the cap to let me know what's inside the bottle.

I plan on making labels for my mead when it's bottled .... just because it's a special thing.

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Hmm, thanks, but any ideas for flippy top bottles? Do you think china marker would rub off?

Hey, milk is a fantastic labeling method. It sticks so well it looks like you bought it from a store, when it's ready to come off, warm water will make it basically fall off. (with an inkjet printer, be careful not to get it too wet)

ericd said:

Hmm, thanks, but any ideas for flippy top bottles?

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On those bottles I make my labels 1"x3 1/8" and apply them from the top of the neck over the metal parts, has a look of a seal.

tom

Wow, milk? Does it ever smell? And you just soak the paper in it?

kpellicone said:

I have used the whole milk, not sure about skim, 2% etc... Works everytime !

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Brilliant!! A reason to get whole milk past SWMBO!! Ever since my last cholesterol test, its been nothing but skim!!

no, just brush it lightly on the back

kpellicone said:

I think the easiest way for labeling bottles is to use the "milk" method. I print my labels to my work's color laser jet printer using standard paper and paste them with milk. Just cut your labels accordingly and with a pastry brush, or a bbq brush, slap some milk on the back and stick it right to the bottle. I have used the whole milk, not sure about skim, 2% etc... Works everytime ! Then when you are finished, just soak them in regular H2O and the labels come right off.

Click to expand...

I have to agree here. My method was identical and the labels are perfectly adhered. The only deviance from this was that I just dunked the labels in a saucer and slapped them on then lightly rubbed from the center out to remove the extra "adhesive".

If you go with the milk method, dehydrated milk works fine. Just add some water to get it thick in a plate, dip your labels, paste onto the bottle. Be aware that water will make ink-jet printing run unless it's treated.

That said, I use Avery #06103 3/4 inch white round labels and print designs onto them. Apply to bottlecaps, and voila! Remove the label as soon as you pop the top.

i just use 1" circle laser printer labels. Print them off and stick them on each bottle cap after bottling. Much fast and more info than writing them by hand with a sharpie.

Just the cap - on "flippy tops" you can tuck a small label in where it gets pinched by the down bail, or loop one over the bail and stick it to itself so it stays on, but is not glued to any part of the bottle and rips right off.

For giving away, if the need for a bigger label is felt (often isn't) a rubber band works, or if you don't expect the bottle back, glue on by any means you like.

I usually just note the date on the cap, and add an M for mead if it's mead, or a C for cider - otherwise it's beer - if I want details, I can look them up in my notes, assuming I can find those.

Bleachwater soaking helps if you are stuck scraping labels off.

Milk is by far the simplest. Extremely dilute white Elmer's glue works well also.

I use some 'return-address' type labels because someone gave me a box of thousands. I think they're 0.75"x2.5" or something like that. First I print the info want. Then I just center 'em on the cap and push down on the ends. For flip-tops I use 'em like millstone wrote.

I don't use names on those labels; I use batch or gyle numbers which correspond to singular brews.

Cheers,

Bob

I put 4 labels onto a WORD doc and usign an printer printed one page.

Then took that page to Kinkos who copied 6 pages (about $1 each).

Cut out the labels and using a cheap paint brush brush the Milk onto the back.

The paper will curl but just put it on the bottle and hold the edges for a few seconds. Sticks like glue.

Ink does not run with wet hands with color copier paper.

Plus - my cat likes the process leftovers - he was feeling left out when I used the spent grains for Doggie Beer Bars.