Just getting started in the label collecting. Any tips on label removal? What's the best collection books? I've heard the full sticky picture pages work good but would like something where the labels could be taken out if necessary without ruining.
Welcome to the BA site, AWOL. Your question comes up occasionally in this forum. Some details can be found by reading through a search of this forum that I did to find these threads: https://www.beeradvocate.com/community/search/34344927/?q=Labels&o=date&c[title_only]=1&c[node]=42 Basically there are three ways that I have found to do the job: soaking in hot water alone will take some off. soaking in hot water with baking soda, Oxiclean, PBW will take the more difficult labels off, but beware that Oxiclean (and PBW?) can also take the ink off of some labels. if either of the above methods won't work, then heat has to be used to soften the glue. Usually placing one or two bottles at a time in a microwave 30-120 seconds will work, but you will burn your hand and finger tips easily doing this. Use a towel to hold the hot bottle and start peeling slowly from the corner. Have a piece of paper handy onto which you'll place the label because a lot of glue stays on the label when it is removed. Some labels just won't come off.
I just started doing this tonight with a few recent Tree House brews - Juice Machine, Curiosity 34 and Sap. My beer fridge in the garage is the canvas. Wish I'd started this two years ago. With TH, it's super easy - I just peel 'em off the can and stick 'em on the fridge. Will try some bottles with awesome artwork soon.
I've been collecting for years. What I do is email the breweries and ask if they have any labels. Most now ask for a SASE ( self addresses stamp envelope), which is fair enough. Best part is you get fresh labels, nice and nee. I have extra labels that I trade and sell if interested. I also have coasters, caps and stickers. Hope it helps.
Been saving labels myself for a little over a year now and I find that most nowadays peel off pretty easily. For the really stubborn ones I've found a handy little tool called a "Scotty Peeler". Its a really thin and flexible metal scrapper sold on amazon for a few bucks and comes in a two pack. I haven't really decided what I'm going to do with the labels yet so to save them I have been putting them on wax paper and cutting off the excess. This allows me to re-stick them as the wax paper allows you to peel them back off. Would do the fridge collage like most but I don't wanna lose the label once the fridge dies.
minus the tool that is exactly what I am doing and with the same no direction of intent lol my wife just asks why there are beer labels on pieces of parchment around
The exposed duct work in the unfinished part of the basement is covered with beer labels. I hope the next owner likes beer. For labels on cans, if they're a little difficult to peel off, fill the can with hot water and give it a minute or two, should peel right off and have enough glue to stick on something else.
I store my labels in plastic pages in 3 ring binders...much like a baseball card collection is kept safe. Labels come in many sizes and most card shops sell plastic sleeves in multiple sizes. Four to a page works best for today's labels. There are also sizes that fit business cards and whole 8 x 11 flight menus.
