Using milk to stick on labels?

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I've never had an odor issue when using milk to stick on labels. I wipe them with a rag after dunking when I put them on so there's very little excess. Just enough to hold it to the bottle.

This trick is one of the most helpful bits of advice from this forum I've ever received. I print out my labels at work (like I'm going to pay for color at home) on 28lb. paper, cut 'em, dunk 'em, and slap 'em on.
 
Also anyone find what paper to use with an inkjet printer so the ink doesn't bleed?

I just did a test batch of labels using milk, the ink ran a bit but I assumed it was because it was fresh printed...is that not the case? Will it run no matter how long I wait?
 
I just did a test batch of labels using milk, the ink ran a bit but I assumed it was because it was fresh printed...is that not the case? Will it run no matter how long I wait?

Don't matter. The ink dries within a minute or two, and unless you use specific "no bleed" paper, it'll bleed when it gets wet.
 
Maybe it was the milk I used or the amount per label but the bottles did smell "ripe" while I was removing them. It wasn't overpowering but definitely in the vain of "there's something stinky in here". I'm just chalking it up to an experience, next time I'll use lowfat.:D
 
I use 2% and it works great I just pour some into a plate and then I slowly let the back of the label touch the milk making sure that it is not to wet. The I stick them on and squeeze out the air. I have never had any problems with smell or anything like that.

To keep the Ink from running use as little milk as possible. It doesn't take that much really. Rotten milk does amazing things in small amounts.
 
Saw this thread and tried it -- works great! I'll never use label stock again.

I used 1% milk, dipped a folded-up paper towel in the milk and "painted" the back of the label. I noticed some of the labels had air pockets between the paper and the glass even after applying the paper perfectly. This morning, I took them out of the fridge and they look flawless -- no bubbles or pockets. Fantastic.

Here's a pic of my label on the bottle
 
This was one of the most easy and helpful hints i have ever found on this forum. Thanks everyone.
 
First let me say I did not look at every reply in this thread. With that said I've just finished labeling my Christmas Ales for the 3rd year. This year I think I may have perfected it. I photocopy the labels at the local office supply store for $.49 per page on paper just shy of card stock. I cut out the labels and I place the labels on a large cutting board and spray them with warm water. This is absorbed by the paper and makes them flexible. I then mist them with a milk/flour solution and place them on the bottles. I wipe across the labels from the center of the label outward with a wet paper towel. Once I have it flat on the bottle I wipe off any milk that has oozed out during the process.

I used to dunk the labels in the milk/flour and let them sit until they got flexible. But that always made a mess on the bottles once they dried and it was tough to scrub off the dried milk. This left essentially no milk on the bottle and looks a lot better.

Here are some of this years batch.

Merry Christmas!

IMG_0716.jpg
 
It works great, if you haven't tried it, just do it... It works great & no smell. I use the color laser print and plate of milk dip method - perfect !
 
One thing to add to this thread for those using milk. Make sure the bottles are room temperature. When I bottled the last two batches at the same time, I noticed that the labels were falling off of the Christmas ale that I labeled straight out of the refrigerator still cold. Not all of them fell off, but some, which saddened me. The pale ale that I labeled at room temperature stuck just fine. Thought I would share that observation.
 
The easiest thing I have found to use is a basting brush...

dripless-basting-brush-09360313791.jpg


I have several draw paper towels ready and usually stick on a label and use a paper towel to press it into the bottle in two directions away from the center.
 
Do you need to refrigerate right away? Or could I label them as I bottle them and let sit for a few months?
 
I made a quick video of how I use this method. It's worked really well for me. I used non-fat milk, and no brush.

http://youtu.be/II37YITuuNU

Great video. I just did my first set and I noticed that there are some wrinkles due to excess milk. Their all dry now so it's shouldn't stink. But I never thought to line up the labels with the seam of the bottle and rolling it on the table is much better then how I did them with the bottles standing up. I'm going to use your technique on the next batch.

Cheers! :mug:
 
Do you need to refrigerate right away? Or could I label them as I bottle them and let sit for a few months?

I don't have the space in my fridge for all the bottles, so I only refrigerate a couple at a time to have ready to drink. The rest just sit in boxes at room temperature without any problems.
 
Great video. I just did my first set and I noticed that there are some wrinkles due to excess milk. Their all dry now so it's shouldn't stink. But I never thought to line up the labels with the seam of the bottle and rolling it on the table is much better then how I did them with the bottles standing up. I'm going to use your technique on the next batch.

Cheers! :mug:

Yeah, just a little contact with the milk will be plenty. I've also noticed that wider labels (ones the wrap further around the bottle) are more prone to wrinkles, so I use even less milk on those. Well, I try to use less milk, but I am usually enjoying a homebrew at the time, and we know how that goes. :drunk:
 
I made a quick video of how I use this method. It's worked really well for me. I used non-fat milk, and no brush.

http://youtu.be/II37YITuuNU

That's a great video!

Unfortunately, the milk labels aren't working out too well for me, they are all falling off, before I put them in the refrigerator or either shortly thereafter.

I put them on them pretty much the same was as Case is doing in his video above, except that I wrap my bottle/label with a paper towel instead of using a paper towel to wipe the label down. That shouldn't make any difference, but my labels are still coming off.

Any ideas?

Thanks,
 
Did you say that you were immediately putting them into the refrigerator or shortly after? I've noticed that when I do that the milk hardens weird and they fall right off. I wipe the outside of the bottles before I stick them with a moistened paper towel to make sure they are super clean. Then after I stick the labels, I leave them out for a couple more days. Straight up like cement on them bottles. The bottles should also be room temp when you go to stick them. I had trouble trying to label beer straight out of the fridge.
 
Did you say that you were immediately putting them into the refrigerator or shortly after? I've noticed that when I do that the milk hardens weird and they fall right off. I wipe the outside of the bottles before I stick them with a moistened paper towel to make sure they are super clean. Then after I stick the labels, I leave them out for a couple more days. Straight up like cement on them bottles. The bottles should also be room temp when you go to stick them. I had trouble trying to label beer straight out of the fridge.

My bad, let me clarify: My cleaned bottles are at room temperature and remain that way for at least several days while either finishing their bottle conditioning or because I'm not ready to drink them and I just leave at room temps.

My labels will either fall off before they get to the frige or shortly after they get there.

What am I doing wrong?
 
Milk is the best glue for bottles. I never use anything else.

On a side note - does anyone else here just HATE Crooked Tree's labels ? Damn things take forever to take off and even then never completely off. Anyone know an easy way to get rid of them ?
 
Easiest label removal I have found is to soak in oxyclean. Takes off labels and all residue.
 
Easiest label removal I have found is to soak in oxyclean. Takes off labels and all residue.

Hm, I'll try oxyclean next time I get Crooked Tree, but I m still skeptical. I think I tried a bunch of different things on those - boiling, boiling in detergent, bleach I think as well, and nothing worked. I mean the actual paper does come off eventually, but the sticky , stretchy residue stays there no matter what. In the end I'd have to scrape it off with a butter knife and/or roll it off the bottle with my fingers. It's like they use construction glue for their labels or something.
 
Believe in the oxyclean it really does work incredibly! I had some bottles that did nothing when boiled, but hot water and oxyclean in sink for a couple hours and all the labels just fell off.
 
I just left a few cases worth of collected bottles in a big cooler with warm water/oxyclean solution overnight. even got rid of painted labels, i just can't remember if that was only 1 night or 2, but my stone bottles came off clean as any of them!
 
Is there something special in the US milk that does it adhesive or does it work with any milk (eg: Swedish milk).
 
I saw the recommendation for oxy clean but all I had was some Borax so I thought I would give it a go (and its cheaper)...not 15 min later after soaking my bottles in Borax and hot water the labels fell right off and if there was residue left over it wiped off super easy with a sponge. Hope this makes the label removing headache a litlle smoother. Hoppie Brewing!
 
jastor said:
Is there something special in the US milk that does it adhesive or does it work with any milk (eg: Swedish milk).

All milk should do this. Milk paint was fairly common until the mid 19th century. Also the only additives to US milk, correct me if I'm wrong, is Vitamin A & D.
 
Milk is the best glue for bottles. I never use anything else.

On a side note - does anyone else here just HATE Crooked Tree's labels ? Damn things take forever to take off and even then never completely off. Anyone know an easy way to get rid of them ?

I know this is a old thread but thought i'd just mentions this tip i pick up from Big Secue on Youtube:

For really REALLY stubbon glue that even OxyClean wont remove try rubbing with olive oil and leaving for a few mins and then scrub with a rough dish sponge.. worked a treat on Hook Norton (UK) bottles that use some strange silver glue.

Eggy
 
Old or not - this is a great thread as new brewers still need a good cost effective way to put labels on - Has anyone who had an issue with just milk sticking to bottles used a combination of Milk and gelatin (knox) - I read somewhere that increased adhesion?

Regarding REMOVAL - I've done a few things but the fastest one stroke removal that seems to work 98% -is putting the bottles into the oven at 200 - 250 for between 5 and 10 minutes then take a corner of the label and it just pulls off usually with the glue - so much faster than soaking in water or oxiclean - not saying you won't every need to go that route but for 98 out of 100 - this will be a time saver :)
 
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