Use KNOX! It's the best label adhesive

[sidepart]

what laser printer do you use? im looking to get one for this, but I don't want to spend a million bucks. I still want a quality print though. I was looking at this one. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16828113695

Probably worth making a new post for this so others can chime in. I use the following printer: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002VPU9E4/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

It prints simple labels that I make using vector art (in Adobe Illustrator) well, but it's not so great with actual photographs (much to my disappointment). I can't really speak to the quality of the printer you've posted. I'm no expert. However if you're looking to throw out your inkjet and go full laser, understand that printing color documents and photographs are two different things. I haven't found a laser printer that prints photos to my liking. So if photographs (aside from beer labels) are important to you, maybe keep the inkjet on standby for that.

If you have a microcenter or something like that nearby, maybe take along a picture or label you want to print out. They usually will let you test the print quality.

 

[jasonsbeer]

Followed this procedure tonight and I am impressed. This is a great idea. The gelatin is very tacky and the labels stick right on.

I took 1/2 cup of hot tap water and added a packet of Knox. I mixed it a little bit with a spoon, but it wasn't completely disolving. I stuck it in the microwave for 15 seconds and stirred again. This time got it completely disolved. I filled a 1 fl oz squirt bottle and sprayed the backs of three labels at a time. Once they touch the bottle they are pretty firm, so you want to square up the label before too much paper contacts the bottle. I labeled 28 bottles with maybe 1/2 fl oz of the mixture. A little goes a long ways.

After just a few minutes of drying they labels are very firmly attached. I tried to pull one off and the label was tearing.

It's a little late for me tonight, but after work tomorrow I'll soak a labeled bottle in a cooler for a few hours to see what happens. Regardless of the results of the cooler experiment tomorrow, this is a great way to label bottles.

I vote STICKY! Kudos to Sidepart!

 

[rearview]

I tried this method tonight and it worked great! It is a bit hard to get the stuff to dissolve, but it didn't seem to matter.

 

[jasonsbeer]

Here are the results of my "cooler" test. Rousing success in my opinion.

The bottles with labels sat overnight, about 21 hours. I grabbed a bottle to test on, one that I attached the label a little cock-eyed.

I soaked it in a "cooler" for 2 1/2 hours (I couldn't wait any longer)

The extracated bottle.

I started in the corner, trying to peel the label off. The Knox held fairly firm, no chance this label was going to fall off. It is notable that even though the Knox adhesive held well, it was very easy to scrub the remaing paper off with my thumb nail. This is just about perfect - strong enough to hold on in water, but weak enough to remove with minimal effort.

 

[501irishred]

Hallelujah!! Thanks "sidepart" for bringing this wonderful trick to our attention! I've saved at least an hour (probably closer to two) using this method in just one batch over my closest alternatives. Easy on easy off.

 

[sidepart]

I took 1/2 cup of hot tap water and added a packet of Knox. I mixed it a little bit with a spoon, but it wasn't completely disolving. I stuck it in the microwave for 15 seconds and stirred again. This time got it completely disolved.

I tried this method tonight and it worked great! It is a but hard to get the stuff to dissolve, but it didn't seem to matter.

Glad to see people are having success with the method! I don't think I've ever been "nominated" for a sticky...on any forum.

If you're having trouble dissolving the gelatin, try adding more water. This is especially the case if it's sort of "snotty". Adding some more water will dilute it and thin it out. Still adheres pretty well. I've gotten my gelatin mixture to be pretty thin and was surprised by how well it worked still. Second tip is to make sure the water is near the boiling point too. Think of how you make jello, because it's the same stuff. If the water isn't hot enough, you just get pasty boogers.

 

[mistercameron]

Probably worth making a new post for this so others can chime in. I use the following printer: http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Color-Laser-Printer-CLP-620ND/dp/B002VPU9E4

It prints simple labels that I make using vector art (in Adobe Illustrator) well, but it's not so great with actual photographs (much to my disappointment). I can't really speak to the quality of the printer you've posted. I'm no expert. However if you're looking to throw out your inkjet and go full laser, understand that printing color documents and photographs are two different things. I haven't found a laser printer that prints photos to my liking. So if photographs (aside from beer labels) are important to you, maybe keep the inkjet on standby for that.

If you have a microcenter or something like that nearby, maybe take along a picture or label you want to print out. They usually will let you test the print quality.

Fwiw you can use water resistant inkjet inks. Most manufacturers make them and the quality of the prints will be much better than laser. I had a friend give me a sample from his hp using the photo inks (which are water proof) and it came out great. Sure, it might be relatively expensive to print on inkjet, but the quality can't be beat and you won't have to buy a brand new printer.

 

[mb82]

Just tried it. I used 1/2 cup of water and microwaved it. Labeled 48 beers and put it on with a small paint brush. It was easy and it seemed like I didn't even use much of the liquid. I had an extra label and an extra bottle so later I am going to try and remove it after applying it earlier tonight.

The label came off with a little hot water in the bottle like I was rinsing the bottle out.

 

[Warthaug]

Down with milk!

I too have had great success with this method - 1/2 cup boiling water poured onto 1 packet knox = great glue. Comes off with hot tap water, but not in cold water (even with an overnight soak!).

I'd like to nominate this thread for a stiky.

Bryan

 

[Cromwell]

+1 for a sticky! Especially for a thread that's all about being sticky!

I love this method more every time I finish a bottle. A quick douse in hot water to rinse it out and a little on the label and the label comes right off totally cleanly. No scraping, no soaking, easy as can be, but only when you want it to. I can't imagine a better way to label.

Oh, and great idea with the spray bottle, too. I'll have to try that next time. Does the bottle get gummed up? My fingers got kind of sticky with a brush.

 

[MichaelBrock]

I have done a couple batches with the spray bottle and haven't had any issue with the bottle gumming up or being difficult to clean. When I'm done I put some hottest tap water in the bottle and spray a bit through the nozzle to clean it. I do usually keep it in a bowl of hot water between sprays but i'm not convinced that it's necessary.

 

[Warthaug]

Has anyone done this on plastic bottles? Does it work as well on them as on glass? Plastic is my standard for cottage/camping, but I use glass for gifts & have only tried on glass so far (XMas 6-packs).

Bryan

 

[NuclearRich]

I'm curious if the labels are tacky once they are dry.. or does it feel like a commercial bottle in your hand?

 

[501irishred]

Just like a commercial label. It's awesome! For less than $2.00 at your local grocery store, it is definitely worth your time to try it for yourself. Betcha you'll never look back........

 

[Cromwell]

Yep, not sticky at all. Just bottle and label, magically affixed as if with glue, except it comes off in hot water.

 

[mb82]

I have found if you get some of the Knox on the glass and not where the label is, it rubs right off after it cools.

 

[sidepart]

Awesome...I kind of made some sort've homebrew contribution. Never thought I ever would've posted anything sticky worthy!

Feel free to PM the mods of this particular forum topic if you want this stickied. I'd do it, but that just kind of feels boastful.

 

[diptherunner]

Has anyone tried using this as a sealer for sticky labels? I buy full sheet label paper and make my own, but like many of you, my labels get ugly quick. I wonder if this would be a fix. Also, would it work with an ink jet?

 

[501irishred]

Don't know about using it as a sealer (seems like it would get a little messy just trying to apply it in that way), but I haven't had a problem using it with ink jet printers just as an adhesive...

 

[Gixxer]

I just used it and so far it rocks!!!! Yea Yea I know 6.9 ABV isn't an imperial, but I just left it after I printed them.

 

[nonameisgood]

Has anyone done this on plastic bottles? Does it work as well on them as on glass? Plastic is my standard for cottage/camping, but I use glass for gifts & have only tried on glass so far (XMas 6-packs).

Bryan

I put labels on 20 PET bottles last night. I used a foam paint brush to wet the bottle and then applied the dry labels to that coating. They stuck well. But, today, I grabbed one from the fridge to check the label and it immediately fell off. I put another labeled bottle that was on the counter under cold water and it, too, fell right off.

I will try again today with a label that is damp with the gelatin solution and see if maybe that will work, but I doubt it, since the labels did soak thru last night after being applied to the bottle. I think the PET is just too dense on the surface, which is why the bottlers use a hot glue of sorts.

I will try mucilage and rubber cement today also.

 

[sidepart]

Maybe try making your mixture a little thicker to see if it works better on plastic. I haven't tried it on plastic but I feel like there could be some differences. Mainly, glass doesn't bend at all. I wonder if a simple squeeze of the plastic just dislodges all of the hardened gelatin.

Otherwise this has happened with glass bottles when the gelatin mixture is too thin, or the water used to make the gelatin mixture wasn't near boiling.

 

[Warthaug]

I put labels on 20 PET bottles last night. I used a foam paint brush to wet the bottle and then applied the dry labels to that coating. They stuck well. But, today, I grabbed one from the fridge to check the label and it immediately fell off. I put another labeled bottle that was on the counter under cold water and it, too, fell right off.

I will try again today with a label that is damp with the gelatin solution and see if maybe that will work, but I doubt it, since the labels did soak thru last night after being applied to the bottle. I think the PET is just too dense on the surface, which is why the bottlers use a hot glue of sorts.

I will try mucilage and rubber cement today also.

Dammit! I had the same issue with milk. I think the issue is milk/gelatin are rigid once dried, so they don't handle flexible bottles well.

Bryan

 

[nonameisgood]

Last night, I mixed a batch using just enough boiling water. This morning the labels slide off easily. The remainder of the gelation was allowed to set up in the container and was its normal gelatinous self. I'm pretty sure the gelatin us a no go for PET bottles.

 

[Brewcrew02]

I'm pretty sure this is THE BEST way to label glass bottles. Coolest Shizzy EVAR! THANKS BE TO THE OP!!!!!! :rockin: :rockin::rockin::rockin::rockin:

EDIT: Here ya go...

Beer label using gelatin

 

[sidepart]

I'm pretty sure this is THE BEST way to label glass bottles. Coolest Shizzy EVAR! THANKS BE TO THE OP!!!!!! :rockin: :rockin::rockin::rockin::rockin:

EDIT: Here ya go...

Beer label using gelatin

Nice! And here I am still placing the bottles into boiling water! I added your video to the OP.

I have to be honest, I probably wouldn't label beers if this process didn't exist.

Last night, I mixed a batch using just enough boiling water. This morning the labels slide off easily. The remainder of the gelation was allowed to set up in the container and was its normal gelatinous self. I'm pretty sure the gelatin us a no go for PET bottles.

That's really disappointing to hear, thanks for your efforts on testing this out. I'm sorry that it wasn't successful for PET. I updated the OP to reflect this.

 

[BadgerBrigade]

Last night, I mixed a batch using just enough boiling water. This morning the labels slide off easily. The remainder of the gelation was allowed to set up in the container and was its normal gelatinous self. I'm pretty sure the gelatin us a no go for PET bottles.

What about lightly hair drying the tacky label after it set up overnight on the PET

 

[Pastorken]

Excellent thread! I've been using this method for the last few batches and have had great results. The ink from my ink jet printer still runs a little when they get wet, but they stay on in the cold and come right off when I soak them in a sink of hot water.
I got a little backed up in my labeling and just got done labeling 6 cases (I know, stupid!) and with just ONE packet of Knox. Every time it started to get thick I'd pop it in the microwave for about 20 seconds and it went back to liquid. Took about 90 minutes to do all of it including about 5 minutes drying time in between cases.
Thanks again for the tip!

 

[sidepart]

Just a note, if people do want this thread stickied, just shoot a message to the mod. I feel like it's bad form to do it myself.

 

[passedpawn]

Just a note, if people do want this thread stickied, just shoot a message to the mod. I feel like it's bad form to do it myself.

No need. I've been watching. Added to the project locator in DIY. https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/project-locator-69953/

I haven't tried it myself (quit bottling a while ago), but I'll give it a go in place of my old milk trick.