Bottle label removal

I have managed to collect a very nice cache of Sam Adams bottles which I plan on using for my first batch soon. Does anyone have any bright ideas on the easiest and most effective way to remove the labels? Only thought I have come up with is to throw about 15 a time in a large cooler with water and soap and let them soak for a day or two and then use a wire bristle brush.

Oxyclean -- perfume free kind. throw them in a batch of that, let them soak overnight and voila labels come right off.

Boru said:

Oxyclean -- perfume free kind. throw them in a batch of that, let them soak overnight and voila labels come right off.

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Absolutely, even dissolves the adhesive underneath the labels easily. In fact, I don't even go overnight, just 45 minutes in hot water does it for me. Throw them in the tub or sink while I brew and the labels slide right off. Soak them again in plain warm water, shake them up on the inside, a final good rinse in running water, then a soak in sanitizer... squeaky clean and good to go.

unionrdr said:

Could use another 45 bottle tree,though...

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I use the racks in my dishwasher. Pull them out, they fit about 60 bottles.

Oxyclean works wonders. I use a tote I can put a case or so at a time in there. The tote as a matter of fact is an important piece of kit for me starting out. Use it in all phases of brewing.

+1 on PBW for most easily removed labels.

If perchance you want to keep the labels as mementos, try a 1-hour soak in a solution of 1/2 cup ammonia to 3 gallons water. PBW shreds the adhesive and discolors the labels in record time. Ammonia will deactivate the glue (don't ask me how it works, I'm just describing my experience) without discoloring the labels. Most labels you can then peel off fairly easily, and there's often still enough glue that it will stick to a sheet of paper or something after it dries.

gregger said:

Absolutely, even dissolves the adhesive underneath the labels easily. In fact, I don't even go overnight, just 45 minutes in hot water does it for me. Throw them in the tub or sink while I brew and the labels slide right off. Soak them again in plain warm water, shake them up on the inside, a final good rinse in running water, then a soak in sanitizer... squeaky clean and good to go.

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Yeah I'm kinda lazy. I've also gotten some REALLLY grungy bottles from friends who don't bother to rinse the bottles... it's amazing what oxyclean will get out of the bottom of a bottle by just soaking overnight. Though that water will be thoroughly disgusting the next day.

boomtown25 said:

I have managed to collect a very nice cache of Sam Adams bottles which I plan on using for my first batch soon. Does anyone have any bright ideas on the easiest and most effective way to remove the labels? Only thought I have come up with is to throw about 15 a time in a large cooler with water and soap and let them soak for a day or two and then use a wire bristle brush.

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I use the sam adams bottles as well. Honestly they are the best. Soak them in hot water for 30 min.... label should come off by them sellves. Then just use a cleanser to clean them out inside if you didnt rinse after you finsihed the beer.

I must be weird but the sam adams bottles have the raised lettering. I like completely unmarked bottles. A lot of breweries go with the standard brown. I will keep sam adams bottles for beers I give away or whatever.

I'm sure this will seem like a stupid newbie question but... what's PBW?

Boru said:

Yeah I'm kinda lazy. I've also gotten some REALLLY grungy bottles from friends who don't bother to rinse the bottles... it's amazing what oxyclean will get out of the bottom of a bottle by just soaking overnight. Though that water will be thoroughly disgusting the next day.

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$5 if you drink it.

cactussam said:

I'm sure this will seem like a stupid newbie question but... what's PBW?

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Peanut Butter Water. Does wonders on labels.


Powdered Brewery Wash, made by Five Star

Oxyclean works, but don't overconcentrate or leave them in more than a day, it can leave residue which is a pain to remove. Really for sam adams bottles just a soak in hot water for 10 minutes makes them come right off.

Also, I've found, it depends on the brand. Real Ale labels slip right off in hot water, even the glue (those guys MUST be homebrewers). Dogfish Head labels are a cast iron bee-yotch. Thanks for tip on the Oxyclean. I'll give that a try.

Two cases perfectly in my laundry deep sink. Soak them in oxyclean overnight and the labels fall right off. I then give them a quick once over with a blue scrub pad to remove any residual glue goo. Rinse twice and they are good as new. There are some breweries that have messy labels and I try to recycle those.

When I first started brewing more than 10 years ago, I collected all sorts of bottles, basically anything that wasn't twist-off. I just went through my collection a few weeks ago and paired it down to the ubiquitous brown bottles that most of the smaller brands use, same as you buy from the HBS. Anything with raised lettering like the SA, odd Euro brands, clear, green, short, oddly shaped, etc was recycled. It's just easier to match a six pack if they are all the same. I still have a couple hundred bottles.

Tip: A copier/printer paper box fits four 6-packs nicely, is quite sturdy, and comes with a lid.

Sam Adams are the best bottles ever for homebrewing. Labels come off easy. Soak in hot water and they fall off like a dress on prom night. Use a scratch pad to get the trace amount of remaining glue off the bottle. Couple swipes and done. Also, they have ideal spacing between the upper rim and curvature directly below, key for some cappers. Mine snags on Bass bottlenecks upon release.

gregger said:

$5 if you drink it.

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Get me like this and that might seem like a good idea.

I use the Sun brand oxyclean, sold at walmart and some dollar stores. It is the same as the expensive name brand one. If you want to make your own PBW, mix this 60/40 with some Red Devil TSP/90.

Oxiclean Free, warm water, and in about 15 minutes I can peel most labels off, and hit them with a scrubber sponge. Then rinse and hang on bottle tree to dry.

Sam Adams labels DO come off fast, but not as fast as most any german beer, those labels fly right off

boomtown25 said:

I have managed to collect a very nice cache of Sam Adams bottles which I plan on using for my first batch soon. Does anyone have any bright ideas on the easiest and most effective way to remove the labels? Only thought I have come up with is to throw about 15 a time in a large cooler with water and soap and let them soak for a day or two and then use a wire bristle brush.

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Oxiclean works great for me. You don't even have to use full strength. Make sure you rinse well.

Hot water soak then peel,if there are stubborn ones i use a small plastic pan scraper,maybe a once over with a scubbing sponge pad.Then i clean the inside with baking soda hot water with a bottle brush briefly,rinse and tip them in a dishrack to dry. Then store them away in boxes til im ready to use them and sanitize them.

bump for the oxyclean...soak overnight and they will almost fall off on their own

I put them in the dishwasher and just run it, grab em as soon as the cycle is done and you'll find half the labels came off themselves and then you just wipe off any glue residue with a paper towel or scotchbrite pad.

gregger said:

absolutely, even dissolves the adhesive underneath the labels easily. In fact, i don't even go overnight, just 45 minutes in hot water does it for me. Throw them in the tub or sink while i brew and the labels slide right off. Soak them again in plain warm water, shake them up on the inside, a final good rinse in running water, then a soak in sanitizer... Squeaky clean and good to go.

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+1

I generally fill up the bathtub half way with hot water and add half a scoop of green lid oxyclean (fragrance free!) I leave it over night, they'll fall right off

Different Breweries use different methods to label bottles. So you really have to learn by experience. I once contacted a Brewery because the labels they used were impossible to remove the glue. This was the response from them..

"Please don't try to take the labels off unless you have a high power angle grinder with a wire wheel attachment, leather gloves and a face mask. Spend more time brewing.
Our labeler uses "pressure sensitive" labels which are essentially really good stickers. The "cold glue" labels come off real easy after soaking them in warm water usually because the glue is water soluble. The pressure sensitive labels are not. That's why they suck to remove."

iaefebs said:

"Please don't try to take the labels off unless you have a high power angle grinder with a wire wheel attachment, leather gloves and a face mask"

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BAHAHAHA!!! You know that they repied with that because some fool actually tried it!!

+1 on running the bottles in the dishwasher. The hot rinse usually gets the labels off, and a machine dose the work for you, wonderful!

BTW my personal favs are the Deschutes Brewery bottles, slim, and a bit of raised hop design on the rim. Of course the lables are easy to get off too!:rockin:

gregger said:

I use the racks in my dishwasher. Pull them out, they fit about 60 bottles.

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I found this is the best use for my dishwasher! No need for a bottle tree. Simply let the bottles dry upside down. Depending on the size of your dishwasher, you should be able to fit at least two cases worth.

I just went through this pain in the ass a couple of days ago. I had to remove 50+ labels so I mixed up some oxyclean free in two 5 gallon buckets of water and let the bottles sit overnight. Hoegaarden and Sam Adams labels come off easily while some others were very resilient even after a full day of soaking.

X3 dishwasher. The bottle tree is a waste. I think they are too expensive for what they are anyway.

Beezy said:

The bottle tree is a waste. I think they are too expensive for what they are anyway.

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I was thinking about trying to make one... seems simple enough. I'm sure there are plans on-line, but it seems so simple I'm not even sure I need any. Seems like you just need a base, a thick dowel, and a bunch of thin dowels...

+ another with the oxycleen free. I just buy the sun brand stuff. 1 scoop per gallon of hot water. Labels fall off and most glues dissolved within 15 minutes. Works like a champ. There are a few labels that it does not cut through well for example any with a metallic finish or plastic coating. With those just peel the outer label off then drop it back in and it will come off easy.