Although it’s absolutely possible to purchase brand new empty bottles to hold your beer, many (if not most) of us go down to the bottle shop or liquor store and spring for bottles that already have craft beer in them. Emptied of said craft beer, secondhand bottles can accommodate homebrew just as well as they do commercial ales and lagers. And you get to enjoy some great craft beer in the process.
Removing the label from a bottle of commercial beer, however, can try the patience of even the most even-tempered of Trappist monks. While some bottles might be simple peel-and-rinse affairs, others require more aggressive techniques. Here, then, are a few proven methods for ridding bottles of their former lives’ branding.
Peeling
In some cases, the label will simply peel right off. If this holds true for your favorite craft beer, then congratulations! You have found the Holy Grail of label removal. Most of us aren’t so lucky.