Brownalemikie
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What is easiest, best way to remove labels from beer bottles? Thanks!
Removing labels from bottles....
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Trust me on this, the easiest way is to select bottles that have easy to remove labels.
I got a bunch of bottles from the local recycling centre. I noted carefully which ones I liked the shape of AND had labels that came off easily AND are short enough to stand up on the bottom shelf of my fridge. Bonus points for solid construction / thick glass which will be less likely to explode under carbonation. Emersons, Asahi, Harringtons, Coopers, Epic, Ground up, Monteiths all pretty good. These are what people drink in my town, YMMV. Then I went back and specifically looked for the brands I wanted at the recycling center.
That is the easiest way. Just avoid the labels that are tough work and only process the easy ones.
Otherwise this is my process...
First try soaking in warm water (optionally with some bleach, 1 tablespoon to a gallon, to clean and sanitise), other cleaner. I'll also scrub the insides with a bottlebrush at this point. Everything goes in the dishwasher later so the goal is to clean at this point rather than sanitise. Soak at least 30 mins, some labels will slide right off in one piece and others will scrape off easily with fingernails or a knife.
The ones that don't slide off, leave overnight and try again next day. Some of those will scrape off easily after a bit more water contact.
Some labels have a kind of waterproof top layer and paper label underneath. With these you peel off the top layer best you can and soak them a bit longer once the paper part is exposed.
After removing the label on all these give them a scrub with detergent and a scouring pad to remove any last traces of label / glue residue. Just make sure you don't get detergent inside the bottle as this is bad for the beer.
Some labels just don't respond to this treatment at all - you end up with a sticky residue that just won't come off. For these, I just throw the bottle out, my time is worth more than that. But if you really want the bottle you can also rub vegetable oil on the label residue and it often dissolves, then wash the oil off with detergent and rinse well.
Some labels are a strange foil substance that always tears when removing - I don't know the answer to these ones yet.
That's my process anyway.
I got a bunch of bottles from the local recycling centre. I noted carefully which ones I liked the shape of AND had labels that came off easily AND are short enough to stand up on the bottom shelf of my fridge. Bonus points for solid construction / thick glass which will be less likely to explode under carbonation. Emersons, Asahi, Harringtons, Coopers, Epic, Ground up, Monteiths all pretty good. These are what people drink in my town, YMMV. Then I went back and specifically looked for the brands I wanted at the recycling center.
That is the easiest way. Just avoid the labels that are tough work and only process the easy ones.
Otherwise this is my process...
First try soaking in warm water (optionally with some bleach, 1 tablespoon to a gallon, to clean and sanitise), other cleaner. I'll also scrub the insides with a bottlebrush at this point. Everything goes in the dishwasher later so the goal is to clean at this point rather than sanitise. Soak at least 30 mins, some labels will slide right off in one piece and others will scrape off easily with fingernails or a knife.
The ones that don't slide off, leave overnight and try again next day. Some of those will scrape off easily after a bit more water contact.
Some labels have a kind of waterproof top layer and paper label underneath. With these you peel off the top layer best you can and soak them a bit longer once the paper part is exposed.
After removing the label on all these give them a scrub with detergent and a scouring pad to remove any last traces of label / glue residue. Just make sure you don't get detergent inside the bottle as this is bad for the beer.
Some labels just don't respond to this treatment at all - you end up with a sticky residue that just won't come off. For these, I just throw the bottle out, my time is worth more than that. But if you really want the bottle you can also rub vegetable oil on the label residue and it often dissolves, then wash the oil off with detergent and rinse well.
Some labels are a strange foil substance that always tears when removing - I don't know the answer to these ones yet.
That's my process anyway.
kombat
Well-Known Member
Soak them overnight in a bucket of hot Oxyclean or PBW. They'll float right off.
jspain3
Well-Known Member
+1 this.
But there are still bottles whose labels simply don't come off easily. For me, Jekyll Brewing (local brewery) has good beers but extremely hard to remove labels. I have stopped saving their bottles and just recycle those. Most labels do slide right off after a good PBW overnight soak. Plus, I've built up a cache of bottles over the last year or so.
Another +1 for PBW. When drinking commercials I keep a barrel of PBW/Water in the garage and sink the empties in there. When I am ready I go fish them out and rinse them off clean.
I also toss bottles with those super-glued labels, like Great Lakes. I put three or four Tablespoons of PBW in a 5 gallon bucket & fill with water just high enough to leave about 1-2 inches above the sunken bottles at room temp to soak. Many will slide off in about an hour. They'll also have the ink well intact to dry on a towel laid out flat. Let the labels dry, then press under something flat & heavy to flatten them for framing, artsy projects, etc. I'm going to frame them, like these coasters...
I just fill the sink with a couple of tablespoons of OxiClean and hot water, leave the bottles in there for 5-10 minutes and usually they come off with very little resistance. The ones that tend to have nicer labels and better glue (like Trillium here) it can be a little bit of a chore, but they come off after a little bit of tugging and the glue is easily scraped off with the scouring side of a Scotch Brite-type sponge.
OP
OP
Brownalemikie
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Thanks guys, just bought some Oxy Clean Free last week. Will try soaking the bottles today.
dmcman73
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Yup, warm to hot tap water with PBW or Oxi free and soak the bottles. Most of the times I'll see the labels float right to the top and any glue residue comes right off with a wipe from a sponge. You'll also clean the bottle at the same time and get any beer residue out of the bottles. Win Win.
There was one time where I had a bottle that I really liked the shape of it but the label was super glued on. I had to do a soak in PBW but the glue was not budging, I had to use Goof Off for the glue but i eventually got it cleaned, did another soak and the bottle was good as new.
There was one time where I had a bottle that I really liked the shape of it but the label was super glued on. I had to do a soak in PBW but the glue was not budging, I had to use Goof Off for the glue but i eventually got it cleaned, did another soak and the bottle was good as new.
+1 to the Oxiclean soak method. I also discovered Tommyknocker is the EASIEST labels to get off. Unfortunately for me, I'm not a huge fan of their beers which means I had to choose between better beer or savable bottles.
Honestly, I don't remove labels anymore. It's nicer for homebrew but I just double rinse after my drink, box my bottles, sanitize on bottle day, done.
Honestly, I don't remove labels anymore. It's nicer for homebrew but I just double rinse after my drink, box my bottles, sanitize on bottle day, done.
The easiest way it to get someone else to do it!!! 
When I was removing labels and I came across a type that would not come off easily, those just went in the recycling bin. Glad I am passed that phase. I now have kegs and PLENTY of bottles.
When I was removing labels and I came across a type that would not come off easily, those just went in the recycling bin. Glad I am passed that phase. I now have kegs and PLENTY of bottles.
Aristotelian
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Search the forums for threads on bottles that have easy to remove labels. Bells, New Belgium, and Sierra Nevada are always good. Great Lakes are OK, not great. If they don't come off quickly and easily I toss.
+1 on this. I keep a bucket of PBW. After a few days or a week, most labels fall right off.
Yeah Oxy or PBW. Or buy Stone beer no label to remove
Well...let me see if I can remember the easy ones without my bottle collection in sight?...
Deschutes
Sierra Nevada
Victory
Kona (Hawaiian)
Franziskaner
Paulaner
Wernesgruner
Sam Adams
Shiner
Michelob
Bells
New Belgium
Kentucky Bourbon Barrel ale
Thirsty Dog
Some other craft beers I forget at the moment. But some, like Great Lakes, are like computer labels that use lacquered paper as well as some glue from hell! 3-4 TBSP PBW in a bucket of room temp water will soak these loose in about an hour, dissolving or softening the glue. The bottles can be gotten squeaky clean with a bottle brush & Dobie brand scrubber quickly & easily.
Deschutes
Sierra Nevada
Victory
Kona (Hawaiian)
Franziskaner
Paulaner
Wernesgruner
Sam Adams
Shiner
Michelob
Bells
New Belgium
Kentucky Bourbon Barrel ale
Thirsty Dog
Some other craft beers I forget at the moment. But some, like Great Lakes, are like computer labels that use lacquered paper as well as some glue from hell! 3-4 TBSP PBW in a bucket of room temp water will soak these loose in about an hour, dissolving or softening the glue. The bottles can be gotten squeaky clean with a bottle brush & Dobie brand scrubber quickly & easily.
csurowiec
Well-Known Member
I haven't tried oxyclean yet but I have good luck with about 1/3 cup baking soda in 5 gallons HOT tap water with an overnight soak. Many float off some wipe off easy and a few just get recycled. As I pull them out a quick scrub with a green scotchbrite pad removes all adhesive using no detergent so there is no residue.
You don't even need hot water. I took a ton of bottles scavenged from recycle bins, and put them in a big plastic tub. Add a big scoop of oxyclean (per 50 bottles) and hose water. Let it sit for 24 hours. Most labels with slide off. Some require a bit of work with a sponge. Anything else is not worth it. Any super tough labels go in the trash can. Trust me I've done this dozens of times. Never had a problem once.
NoIguanaForZ
Well-Known Member
Founders, Magic Hat and Angry Orchard are the ones that are jumping out at me presently, from my own experience.
I've found either 1/4 cup of Homemade PBW or 1 cup of baking soda per 5 gallons hot water (round up) takes labels off the above pretty easily in about...well, I don't remember if I've ever not forgotten and left them sitting in the back of the tub/shower for more than a day...
[Edit]Innis and Gunn, too. And Anchor, doh.
Founders & magic hat...those were two I forgot.
add guiness and smithwicks to the list of easy-off labels.
Brewmasher
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Aldi's has a selection of imported beers in the high pressure 330 ml European bottles for the same price as standard InBev mega-swill. Labels come off easily, adhesive wipes clean.
jonny24
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The soak with Oxy or bleach works pretty good for me. I'll sometimes use Goof off or acetone on stubborn glue.
However, a local brewery that I use a lot of bottles from, I've found it's actually better to peel the labels when dry. They are a thick paper and come off pretty good that way. Once they get wet the paper rips apart and separated leaving the white back part stuck to the bottle.
However, a local brewery that I use a lot of bottles from, I've found it's actually better to peel the labels when dry. They are a thick paper and come off pretty good that way. Once they get wet the paper rips apart and separated leaving the white back part stuck to the bottle.
The Wernesgruner pils comes from Aldi's, as do the sets of glasses by Libby that I use in the pics. There's a Cervesa from Guatemala City there too, & it's less skunked, if at all, compared to the closer to us Mexican Cervesa's.
Stone bottles etc..... not sure it's even doable without harsh chemicals.
I would just reiterate that finding brands that have easier labels to remove makes all the difference whatever you method. If I can't EASILY remove the label after a good soak I skip it. Not worth the heartache.
I have avoided buying Stone bottles just because I can't remove labels- still love the artwork though, and if the offering is tempting i'll still buy it.
I would just reiterate that finding brands that have easier labels to remove makes all the difference whatever you method. If I can't EASILY remove the label after a good soak I skip it. Not worth the heartache.
I have avoided buying Stone bottles just because I can't remove labels- still love the artwork though, and if the offering is tempting i'll still buy it.
Or just don't worry about the painted labels and use the bottles anyways.
I do Stone bottles all the time...easiest of all bottles, IMHO! Just dump them into an old bucket of StarSan mix and overnight the acid will eat the label off clean as a whistle...wipe clean and you have a bottle with no label that is sanitized to boot! Cheers...
PDevlin75
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One good whack with a hammer, and you can usually just pick the shards of glass off of the back of the labels... I will warn you, they can be pretty sharp, so use caution... Maybe gloves...
Or maybe what everyone else said. Soak in hot water & oxyclean or pbw. I usually give them 30-60 minutes. I keep a plastic scraper next to my sink for stoneware or the occasionally stubborn pot or pan. Sometimes I'll use that to get some of the glue off, but I'm typically pretty quick to discard a bottle whose label puts up too much of a fight. I've amassed enough over the years that I don't have the patience. Except for Belgian cork bottles. I never saved them before, but having just recently acquired a corker, and bottled a tripel, I'll spend some extra time with those.
Or maybe what everyone else said. Soak in hot water & oxyclean or pbw. I usually give them 30-60 minutes. I keep a plastic scraper next to my sink for stoneware or the occasionally stubborn pot or pan. Sometimes I'll use that to get some of the glue off, but I'm typically pretty quick to discard a bottle whose label puts up too much of a fight. I've amassed enough over the years that I don't have the patience. Except for Belgian cork bottles. I never saved them before, but having just recently acquired a corker, and bottled a tripel, I'll spend some extra time with those.
Thanks! I'll have to give that a try after I brew tomorrow.
I've been using 4 TBSPN's of PBW in enough room temp water to cover the bottles by a couple inches in a 5G homer cheapo bucket. Removes many labels & glue in an hour or so. Gotta make up some more to remove the labels I'm going to dry, press & frame...
No experience with the New Belgium bottles...stronger acid should work, but please be careful! Maybe lye going the other way?
New Belgium's come off easily the way I've been doing it?
NoIguanaForZ
Well-Known Member
If you're talking about the paper New Belgian labels, I've found both baking soda and DIY PBR to be effective. Baking soda is amphoteric and I believe DIY PBW is fairly basic in solution, so yeah, the other way.
I have some bombers with labels screen printed on the glass like Stone's bottles. Stone labels came off with star san. I'm somewhere between trying paint thinner or just leaving them as is.
jspain3
Well-Known Member
Had a variety pack of Stone IPAs. I noticed that certain colors came off easier than others. I've started chucking the printed ink bottles now rather than do them separately since I've amassed plenty of bottles.
