removing bottle labels

It didn't matter which label the bottles had, they were all interchangeable, and sorted only by color. So, Pabst, Bud, Schlitz, Schaefer, etc., brown empties all were put in which ever brewer's empty case was open at the time under the bar. Ditto for green and clear. Bars weren't too crazy about Miller High Life (clear, "select" style) or Rolling Rock (painted labels - but some probably wound up in the "green" case and vice versa).

​

Even the reusable deposit cases would sometimes be shipped back to the "wrong" brewery- anyone touring a brewery in that era often saw many different brand bottles and cases in the bottle washing department. Here at a closed Falstaff brewery you can see a case of Yuengling Lord Chesterfield green bottles mixed in on a pallet of Ballantine Ale empties. In another shot, pallets with Bud and Miller Lite empties, as well.

Besides "aesthetics" mentioned by UCLA, I imagine that the neck labels also served the same purpose as the decorated, logo-ed crown- so the bartender and customer could ID a bottle that was refrigerated in a "wet" cooler, where the main bottle labels would often come off. Some bars simply kept bottles in crushed ice, with only the crown or entire neck visible. Lots of ads in that era warned drinkers to always ask to the see the crown to make sure they were getting the correct brand when served a labeless "wet" bottle. (Heck, there was a bar by me that STILL stored their bottled beer in giant ice filled troughs up until it changed hands a few years ago).

I remember in that era, that only the cheaper brands tended to have no neck labels. A few years after Falstaff took over the Ballantine brands, the neck labels disappeared off all their deposit bottles and my first thought at seeing those "naked" (topless?) bottles was "Uh-oh, Falstaff imust be in trouble and trying to save pennies...".

 

I tried your method and it's the best method by far - no color fading, and the baking soda loosens the glue in less than an hour - label comes right off without any damage. Washing soda was too strong - it ruined many labels. Baking soda is mild - perfect for removing labels that you want to keep.

 

has anyone tried any of these methods on Bruery labels? Im guessing Im S.O.L. when it comes to removing those

 

Bruery labels come off easily if you have patience and peel them off slowly. The best way to get them started is to use a razor blade at the edges until you've lifted enough of the sticker to get a nice grip with your fingers - then pull evenly without tearing the sticker. The same goes for most other stickers labels (Cigar City, Jolly Pumpkin, Hoppin Frog, Dark Horse, Clown Shoes, etc) but some stickers (like Russian River) are a real pain in the ass to remove, and require a lot of razor blade work.

Also, for what it's worth, I use the Oxyclean and extremely hot water method. Someone in this thread mentioned difficulty removing Great Lakes labels, but they come off easily for me in under a couple minutes. The hotter the water the better, so I recommend getting a pair of gloves. I like this reusable pair - which are not only comfortable, protect against boiling water, and last forever, but they also make me feel like I'm in an episode of Breaking Bad.

 

Oxy and hot water for paper labels.
Hair dryer and razor for sticker labels.
Done!

 

Fill the bottle with hot/boiling water from a kettle... let them sit for 5 minutes or so and carefully peel them off and stick them to paper (I use card stock)... I have bunches of Bruery labels and am pretty sure I have never lost one using this method.

Go buy a razor paint scraper for a few bucks and it makes things a lot easier with practice.... DON'T CUT YOURSELF!!

 

J

Just tried this-worked perfectly. Thanks!

 

I'm in the Hot water + Oxy camp.

This has worked for both paper AND sticker labels for me. I just removed a bunch of dark horse sticker labels and they came off easy enough. I will say though that once my water started cooling down... I noticed one came off stubbornly and I didn't get back to it because I didn't need it anymore, lol.

But yeah, HOT water + Oxy + 30-60mins and you're set. By 30 mins, I had labels floating on top of the water in my bucket.

 

I've had oxy take ink off of some labels, so there is a risk of using too much of it. What amount of oxy do you use per how much hot water?

 

I'm not sure if anyone else has mentioned this for Bruery labels, but I simply throw them in the microwave for about 1 minute, grab them with an ovglove, and peel them off. They'll be sticky, so slap them on a sheet of printing paper or card stock if you're saving them for a label collection. This method works EVERY TIME with Bruery labels.

If you're trying to save other labels, you'll have to distinguish between the label type/quality and application method. A lot of times submerging in hot water itself works perfectly for paper labels (i.e., Boulevard), sometimes Oxy needs to be added for some paper labels (i.e., Great Lakes), sometimes a razor needs to be added after soaking, and sometimes (a lot of times) the microwave method works with glossy (I'm not sure the composition) labels.

Additionally, some labels (i.e., Jackie O's) are a pain in the ass to remove no matter what. I have tried every method with them, and they stretch like hell no matter what (even with a razor). The best option I've found is to use the microwave method, peel them off, and then blow-dry them on high heat to retain shape integrity before slapping on card stock.

After you start collecting for a while you'll be able to tell what label needs what method, but I'd recommend experimenting with ones that you can get regularly or have duplicates of. I've been collecting, storing, and displaying labels for years and have THOUSANDS in tact from the methods I've mentioned above. Hopefully something here will help you with your collection!

 

I dont know if its because the bottle is old, but my 2 Turtle Doves label didnt want to peel off with the razor. Gonna have to try your microwave method i think