Removing Bottle Labels?

[BitterBulldog]

First time brewer here,

About a week off Bottling my virgin brew & i'd like to remove the labels from the bottles i've been collecting.

Is there any way to do it without having to soak & re-clean them? because i have rinsed them after finishing & was just going to use the Morgan's Sanitize before bottling.

I'm not that fussy about the label being on there but a clean bottle will give it that old home brew feel


cheers

Anxious BitterBulldog

 

[Hogan]

Hi BB - Don't think there is any way to get around removing labels without first soaking in hot water. When the label comes off use a bit of Eucalyptus oil to remove the backing glue.

Cheers, Hoges.

 

[BitterBulldog]

Cheers, Hoges

may as well get a start on it now.

So after soaking in hot water & removing glue with euc oil, i will have to pink stain soak them right?

Hi BB - Don't think there is any way to get around removing labels without first soaking in hot water. When the label comes off use a bit of Eucalyptus oil to remove the backing glue.

Cheers, Hoges.

 

[ollave]

Is there any way to do it without having to soak & re-clean them? because i have rinsed them after finishing & was just going to use the Morgan's Sanitize before bottling.

Nope. :angry:

Re-cleaning shouldn't be a big job though. For labels that come off really easily, the bottle just needs a bit of a soak followed by a wipe (outside) and rinse (inside) and you're ready to sanitise.

Many labels leave behind some glue residue: this can take a a little to a lot of scrubbing to remove; I found a "non-scratch" (i.e. plastic) kitchen scourer, warm water, and detergent sufficient for these. (Plus elbow grease.)

If your bottles are Bullmer's cider bottles, think about keeping the labels. They took a paint scraper with a razor blade and were absolutely no fun at all. Pity, as the cider's nice and the bottles (once the label is gone!) are excellent.

Ollave (guess who's a new home brewer ...)

 

[BitterBulldog]

well just peeled off a few coopers labels with ease!

so will only need the oil for the remaining minor glue on those

& luckily the majority of them are coopers

the guinness stout bottles not so friendly...

 

[clean brewer]

Give em a soak in Napisan and Water, brings em up sparkling easily...

:icon_cheers: CB

 

[samhighley]

I soak mine in sodium percarbonate (ie. Coopers Sanitiser) and the oxygenating power of the cleaner literally lifts the labels right off. I then just give them a quick scrub with a plastic non-scratch scourer (ie. Selleys Wash-Up-Wiz) and they're all done.

 

[samhighley]

If i'm looking to get paper labels (ie. Avery) off my homebrew bottles, I paint a little bit of Orange Power oil on them with a brush, leave them for 10 minutes or so, and the labels come straight off, glue and all. Brilliant.



It's critical to leave the labels dry and intact before you do this though.

 

[reVoxAHB]

I'd always used about 1/2 cup of bleach in a 20L bucket of water. Worked well for me.

reVox

 

[BitterBulldog]

thanks for all the tips guys :beerbang:

 

[Brewer_010]

Soak in napisan and hot water for 10 minutes, labels slip off easily with very little work

European bottle labels seem to be the easiest to remove, Aussie ones stick like shit to a blanket for some reason (life in an eski maybe?)

 

[Bribie G]

Various bottlers seem to use different glues. I have a big collection of Bavaria bottles and just put them in a bucket of water three at a time, leave overnight, the labels just float off and I scrub the gluey stuff off with a stainless steel kitchen scrubber and they come up perfect. Of course I buy them in 3 at a time because Liquorland have a 3 for $11 deal so I have to drink them 3 at a time

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Diluted sugar soap

and for the stubborn ones , especially those with foil, use mild caustic soda and soak....gets rid of anything

 

[clean brewer]

Soak in napisan and hot water for 10 minutes, labels slip off easily with very little work

European bottle labels seem to be the easiest to remove, Aussie ones stick like shit to a blanket for some reason (life in an eski maybe?)

Bundaberg Ginger Beer bottles are a major Biatch to remove... Good bottles though..

 

[Pollux]

I soak mine in a solution of water with bleach and dishwashing liquid, leave them for about a week in the tub on the balcony.....

Then the labels basically fall off, a quick once over with a scourer takes care of any glue, then a good rinse and leave them to dry, then on bottling day a shot of iodophor.

 

[cdbrown]

I always give my bottles a soak in hot water and napisan for atleast overnight if there's labels on them, but if they've been cleaned already but not used for quite a while, just a soak for an hour or so. Rinse with cold water, swishing some around a few times in the bottle. Drain and then when needed spray with starsan.

 

[BitterBulldog]

Ok, I'm going to label a few bottles. What glue is best?

 

[smollocks]

Use milk: http://bellsbeer.wordpress.com/2008/02/02/...t-1-appearance/

 

[petesbrew]

+1 for milk. Get a basting brush, pour some milk into a cup, and get to work painting and sticking. Once dry they stay on pretty well, and are removed easily after a wash.

or those clear pvc glue sticks you get at $2 shops.
I'd advise against using glue or stickers on PET bottles. Mine are permanently marked after using some sticker paper.

 

[BitterBulldog]

Wow, milk huh!
Too easy.... Oh wait, any preference on full cream, lite, skim, organic, lactose free, soy, rice, cocnut or breast?