Obtaining bottles

[MashBag]

Recycling is the answer. Most places well save them for you.
I have also made withdrawal from bottle banks

Labels :
Plastic ones need heat, put a pan on and stand them in it.

Paper ones might just float off. Look at the back of the label. If you can see lines... This is water badges glue. Overnight dual in cold. Bingo.

 

[RoomWithABrew]

Some paper labels have a plastic film, peel that off then soak in hot PBW and the rest peels off with a sharp straight edge such as Stanley knife blade.
Plastic labels warmed in bowl of hot water for a minute or two then peel off in one go.
Final residue if any I use orange solvent and a scotch pad.

 

[MashBag]

What does the PBW bring to the party?

 

[MashBag]

Wd40 gets glue 'snot' off. As does olive oil.

 

[RoomWithABrew]

What does the PBW bring to the party?

Helps to get paper label off better than just water and at same time is part of cleaning my bottles.
WD40 needs detergent to get rid of as oil based, I like to keep petrochemicals and detergents away from my beer process.
But I'm sure it works great to get the glue off, keep using it.

 

[JockyBrewer]

For removing labels and glue I find 'Pink Stuff' cleaning paste and a wire scrubber makes short work of pretty much anything.

 

[MashBag]

Yeah. Forgot to mention stainless scrubbies

 

[Baldylocks Brewery]

I throw away wynchwood bottles as I’ve never successfully cleaned off the glue even with glue remover.
Favourite are Shepherd Neane as the paper labels fall of easy in water and they are dumpy/thick.

 

[Clint]

If the labels don't come off with just hot water they stay put.
Also an update....I've since had 2 bottles in the same batch fail. The bottom looked like it had been cut off!

 

[sifty]

How do you get the labels off ? I soaked mine in warm soapy water but some are murder to remover .

As others have said it varies depending on the label. Instead of using my good PBW sometimes I just use a cheap oxy-type laundry detergent. Fill the sink with hot water and detergent, sink or stand the bottles so the label is covered and leave.
All going well the labels come off, but if not it's a scrape with the back of a butter knife and clean any residue with stainless pot scrub. De-solv-it a citrus based solvent will remove any sort of glue residue from plastic labels...

Then a good clean with PBW and bottle brush in a battery drill, rinse well and drain upside-down till dry. I cover the tops of clean bottles with tin foil and put them in crates, so I know they just need a pre-bottling rinse with starsan...

 

[MashBag]

I cover the tops of clean bottles with tin foil and put them in crates, so I know they just need a pre-bottling rinse with starsan...

Used crown caps make good bottle covers.

 

[matt.]

Wd40 gets glue 'snot' off. As does olive oil.

I use WD40 for our rodent problem.

It doesn't get rid of them, but stops them squeeking....

 

[Clint]

We are a rodent less after chief hunter Butter the Cat left a great big rat outside the door last night!
It was still warm when I bagged and binned it.

 

[RoomWithABrew]

It was still warm when I bagged and binned it.

Glad to hear the weather is improving.

 

[MashBag]

Glad to hear the weather is improving.

 

[old dog new tricks]

I did think about glass but the cost and weight put me off went for PET if you do pay more for the Cooper caps with the seal in them.
Get the premium feel etc but for me knowing when carbonated seals the deal

 

[jeremy Hall]

How do you get the labels off ? I soaked mine in warm soapy water but some are murder to remover .

I was always told never to put soap anywhere near a homebrew bottle as it can affect the head. I only use steriliser. Not sure how true this is. I leave labels on. Makes the bottles less slippery when wet.

 

[d146895x]

Apart from the "Self Adhesive" type labels. I soak my bottles in washing up liquid and Oxyclean (poundshop version unfragranced). They usually float off. Bottles need a good rinse afterwards as the Oxyclean leaves a white residue behind.

 

[MashBag]

Do you need the oxyclean in the first place?

 

[old dog new tricks]

I just reused some wine bottles left them overnight in Miltons in a fermentation bucket half full labels were sodt enough then