I’m pretty cheap and when it comes to homebrewing, I’m always looking for ways to save money. One way is to recycle beer bottles after use.
But how do I remove those pesky labels? That glue is stickier than tar!
Today I will show you how to remove beer labels. Many of these methods I learned from the great communities at Reddit (r/homebrewing) and homebrewtalk.com.
Equipment
1. Empty bucket
2. Oxiclean Versatile Stain Remover Free, 3 Pounds (Link goes to Amazon.com)
Step 1:
Grab an empty bucket big enough to place all your bottles in. Make sure to put the bottles in first then cover in warm water. Fill with warm water and Oxyclean solution. I do one scoop per a few gallons. Ideally pour it in underneath the faucet so it mixes well.
Step 2:
Wait anywhere from an hour to overnight. The longer you wait, the less work you need to do.
Step 3:
The labels will slide right off the bottles. There may be residual glue left but a gentle rub (maturity check) will take it right off.
Step 4:
Rinse the bottles inside and out a few times and you’re all set!
This has worked great for me. I will buy a few 22oz bombers and after drinking, I reuse them for my homebrew. It really helps cut down on the bottling time using these instead of 12oz bottles.
What’s your process for reusing bottles?