Recycling Bottles?

[MPOWELLJR]

Use them till they break! I've accumulated a vast array of bottles from friends that I've de-labeled and are waiting to be filled. Now I need to up production because they're feeling empty inside and I don't want them to get depressed lol.

 

[Arkador]

Why buy when you can recycle. A Soak in Oxiclean will remove most paper labels. As long as it is not a twist off, you are good to go.

 

[steve45ca]

I find it funny how everyone is like dont use twist off bottles...... they work perfectly fine.... at least the Canadian twist off bottles don't... not sure why there would be a difference.....I had many batches of beer through the same twist off bottles, and all have been carbonated and none have been ruined

 

[theveganbrewer]

I found the cheapest solution, while sacrificing a bit on the tastebuds, are the craft brewery packs at Costco. I read here that the west coast ones are terrible, but on the east coast they are palatable. They cost 75 cents a bottle, with beer in them. A 24-pack is 17.99 here. I've also enlisted my friends and family to get bottles and save them and any cardboard 6-pack holders I come across. I get a lot of Sam Adams empties from neighbors, the labels are the easiest to remove.

 

[Oldbrew75]

I think I have about 150 Grolsch Bottles in my collection, and I am slowly moving towards 650ml (22oz) Bombers one beer buy at a time. Just need to figure out how to get the painted labels off the Rogue bottles.

 

[MPOWELLJR]

steve45ca - I believe they are fine to use, just more apt to break if not careful while capping.

 

[LibertyBrewer]

The 2 liter plastic bottles of A&W root beer work great for bottling beer. I use them for taking to parties, because you don't have to deal with empty bottles.

 

[j3ff]

I buy fat tire in the 12 pack boxes and use fat tire bottles. Let them soak in hot water with oxy clean in a cooler for a few days and then the labels come right off. While they are still wet I take a scrub brush and scrub the glue off. Then I use a bottle brush to scrub them out with dish washing soap. Rinse with jet bottle washer and stick on bottle tree to dry. When it comes time to bottle I rinse again with the bottle washer to get any dust out and sanitize. Pain in the butt but it saves money.

 

[bigmix]

imho, the easiest labels to remove are Deschutes. Just an overnight soak in water, and the labels are floating the next day. Some require a tiny scrub for the glue, but just a quick rub with a scratch pad while wet and it comes right off. Then you have great brown bottles with decorative little hop vines around the necks!

 

[Jacob_Marley]

I just got need to find more sources for used champagne bottles.
"...

Try local banquet rental halls particularly the nicer ones. They do a lot of weddings, and weddings serve sparking wine or champagne often.

 

[DevilDog2000]

Back in the day of returnable bottles, I could buy cases of empties from my local beer store for the price of the deposit: $2.00 per case!!! Since those bottles were meant to be reused by the brewery, they were sturdy -- a bit thicker than current bottles. I still have many of those bottles that I purchased in the '70s and '80s. Now, I supplement with non-screw top bottles my family and friends save for me since I rarely buy beer. As others have mentioned a day or two soaking in oxyclean and most labels just fall off. The oxyclean leaves a bit of a powdery residue that I don't care for, so I rinse the bottles, then soak in a vinegar and chlorine solution (1 oz. of each in 5 gal. water) for a day. That leaves the bottles sparkling and ready for use. I also check each bottle when sanitizing to make sure there are no chips or cracks. The modern bottles are noticeably thinner and more susceptible to damage.

 

[DUNDASJ]

Try local banquet rental halls particularly the nicer ones. They do a lot of weddings, and weddings serve sparking wine or champagne often.

Good idea!

 

[Joe_in_CT]

I wish there was a deposit on champagne bottles in CT

 

[Recluse]

Heh.. I always say:

"You can always spot a homebrewer. He's the one surreptitiously picking up the empties at a party"

I hate it when people bring Heineken to parties. Those labels are hell to remove...

 

[Jacob_Marley]

I'll take em where I can get em.

 

[Jacob_Marley]

<duplicate post>

OT ... is there a way to delete a post you make?