Bottles from the UK - are they re-used?

[Walker]

When cleaning labels off my 'disposable' bottles the other day, I realized that every single bottle I had from the UK had the name of the brewery printed in raised letters on the glass (newcastles, sammy smith's, bass.)

I also noticed that these bottles are more willing to shed their labels than the american beer bottles I was cleaning. A few minutes in hot water and the british beers' labels simply come off (without my having to touch them) and float to the surface of the wash basin. The glue wipes clean very easily, too.

This made me wonder: are these bottles directly re-used by the brewery in the UK? In other words, are recycled bottles sorted and sent back to the breweries for cleaning, re-filling, and re-labeling? I know the ones here in America would not be shipped back, but I was wondering about the ones that are sold domestically in England.

Any of you UK'ers know?

(Heck.. I don't even know if the bottles in the UK even look the same as the ones here in the USA.)

-walker

 

[Darth Konvel]

I can't answer your question, but I can chime in and say I've noticed the same.

I soaked a batch for bottling. The Bass labels were literally falling off while I had to peel the labels off the Warsteiner bottles, and most would still have a decent amount of adhesive left on them. The Bass bottles were clean as could be. *shrug*

 

[SwAMi75]

When cleaning labels off my 'disposable' bottles the other day, I realized that every single bottle I had from the UK had the name of the brewery printed in raised letters on the glass (newcastles, sammy smith's, bass.)

I also noticed that these bottles are more willing to shed their labels than the american beer bottles I was cleaning. A few minutes in hot water and the british beers' labels simply come off (without my having to touch them) and float to the surface of the wash basin. The glue wipes clean very easily, too.

This made me wonder: are these bottles directly re-used by the brewery in the UK? In other words, are recycled bottles sorted and sent back to the breweries for cleaning, re-filling, and re-labeling? I know the ones here in America would not be shipped back, but I was wondering about the ones that are sold domestically in England.

Any of you UK'ers know?

(Heck.. I don't even know if the bottles in the UK even look the same as the ones here in the USA.)

-walker

That's a damn good point. They are marked, and the labels do all come off real easily, huh? Never condsidered that they might be reused. It does make sense. Plus many of them seem use unique, and heavier guage bottles.

While we're on the subject....why do so many English beers come in clear bottles?! Many of them cost an arm and a leg over here (Sammy Smith "Old Brewery" Pale is $10 for a 4 pack), but don't sell because they're so likely to be skunked.

 

[Caplan]

No guys. The UK has 'bottle banks' in supermarkets, car parks etc and even in the last few years local government recycle schemes where you get a seperate rubbish bin for glass/pet bottles/cans which get collected like garbage but obviously recycled. The bottles just go back into the 'recycled glass' market. 25% of all the glass in 'new' bottles is apparently reused glass. The logistics involved would cost the breweries a fortune in sorting and collection on this scale. Much chearer for them to have their own bottles made again 'new' from the old glass.
The UK traditionally uses more clear glass i've read - maybe with a cooler climate and less sun it doesn't 'skunk' (Go off???) so quickly when it comes to beer?
Remember as well the big brewery stuff is produced to be at it's 'prime' on the shop shelf. 'You're meant to drink it there and then - That's why you're buying it...' are the producers thoughts. That applies to crappy bud as much as to better quality beer. Best Before dates are a good guide to how long it's been gathering dust and enjoying the heat and sun on those supermarket aisles!

And hey - 4 bottles of Samuel Smith's Old Brewery Pale Ale? Costs about $12.50 in the UK! Just don't get me started on Gas prices Gents......

 

[SwAMi75]

No guys. The UK has 'bottle banks' in supermarkets, car parks etc and even in the last few years local government recycle schemes where you get a seperate rubbish bin for glass/pet bottles/cans which get collected like garbage but obviously recycled. The bottles just go back into the 'recycled glass' market. 25% of all the glass in 'new' bottles is apparently reused glass. The logistics involved would cost the breweries a fortune in sorting and collection on this scale. Much chearer for them to have their own bottles made again 'new' from the old glass.
The UK traditionally uses more clear glass i've read - maybe with a cooler climate and less sun it doesn't 'skunk' (Go off???) so quickly when it comes to beer?
Remember as well the big brewery stuff is produced to be at it's 'prime' on the shop shelf. 'You're meant to drink it there and then - That's why you're buying it...' are the producers thoughts. That applies to crappy bud as much as to better quality beer. Best Before dates are a good guide to how long it's been gathering dust and enjoying the heat and sun on those supermarket aisles!

And hey - 4 bottles of Samuel Smith's Old Brewery Pale Ale? Costs about $12.50 in the UK! Just don't get me started on Gas prices Gents......

Cool, thanks for the info!

 

[80/-]

Hi

It certainly used to be the case that bottles of beer sold in pubs would often be returned through the beer distribution chain back to the wholesaler - who often used to be the regional brewery that made the beer.

It used to be that small deposits were charged on each case of bottles and this was refunded when a full crate of emoties was returned. This practice died out a good few years ago and as is said, most of the empty glass will be returned for recycling.

I guess the design of the bottles may not have changed to refelct this - partly thorugh a marketing departments attepmpts to give a sense of history and quality honed through time to the product.

HTH

80/-

 

[Caplan]

Definately agree with 80/- on the Marketing department reliance on trying to add on the 'traditional'. Seems to be more prevalent nowadays. And i'd almost forgotten about 'deposits paid on empties'! I was gonna mention about milkmen and their collection and reusual of bottles but there pretty much a thing of the past too over here....
I can't comment on the glue used on UK bottles as opposed to the US though. Anyone know?

 

[BlightyBrewer]

Not all of the labels are easy to remove. Some of the breweries are starting to use these "plastic film" type labels (Marstons IPA comes to mind) that are an absolute nightmare to remove and leave glue on the bottle that is difficult to remove. On that note, what's the best/easiest way to get the glue residue off the bottle?

 

[kenmc]

yeah rolling rock over here in Ireland are useless for refilling cos of those stickers.
Usually I just leave my bottles in a bucket of bleachy water and the labels come right off.

 

[user 574]

Not all of the labels are easy to remove. Some of the breweries are starting to use these "plastic film" type labels (Marstons IPA comes to mind) that are an absolute nightmare to remove and leave glue on the bottle that is difficult to remove. On that note, what's the best/easiest way to get the glue residue off the bottle?

In the states we have something called Goo Gone which takes glue/gum/sticky stuff off of about anything. I used it on some bottles that were stubborn that I wanted to keep. I just don't know the chemical makeup of it and if you may have something similar by a different name? Smells like oranges and seems to be oil based. If it's tacky, it works. If its a hardened epoxy type of adhesive it doesn't. Might google that...

Update: http://www.magicamerican.com/googone.shtml

Else, I've also used a fine grade steel wool whilst soaking in a light chlorine mixture.

 

[Caplan]

Thanks desertBrew, Spot on - Citrus Based Degreasers! I've used them before but not in a brewing sense. I can even get them cheap (via some old friends and their staff discount) at a place near my work

 

[mik82]

Yeah what the other UK ppl said is right. I've got a lot of different brewery specific bottles and otherwise they'd be put in the recycling bag.

I just spent ages cleaning about 30 bottles recently. Most of the beers (Fullers, Jennings, Black Sheep, Old Speckled Hen..) had paper labels and water soluble glue. However there were a worrying amount that needed plenty of scrubbing with desolv-it (citrus based solvent). The worst was actually a Coniston Bluebird Bitter bottle - plastic label and a massive amount of sticky glue. The two bottles of Double Maxim were also horrendous - the glue wasn't even soluble in the solvent and I had to scrub furiously with a scourer. Why do they use these things.. surely it's cheaper just to use paper and pva glue?

 

[Deuchar]

Try nail varnish remover for getting rid of the gluey gunk off bottles.

Painting your nails beforehand is optional.