From: atkinson@vaxb.acs.unt.edu
Newsgroups: rec.crafts.brewing
Subject: Guinness labels?
Date: 16 Oct 92 22:42:18 GMT
Article-I.D.: vaxb.1992Oct16.164218.1
Organization: University of North Texas


I have just very recently discovered this user group and I see that
there are many a learned and interesting people posting messages
here.  While I will try to keep up with this forum as much as
possible, I do have a tendency, no matter how much I hate this
about myself, to have several days of not linking up with
recreational bulletin boards.  However, I was recently elected as
the Prez of the Denton Fermented Brewers Society (Denton, Texas -
>just north of Dallas) and have been charged with writing a short
article each month for our Newsletter.  So, I thought that this
would be a great place to get ideas to pass on to our members. 
Thanks in advance for your ideas.

Now, to get to the point of why I am posting.  I am curious to
find out whether any one else has observed a similar phenomenon
that I believe that only a home brewer would _ever_ discover. 
Recently, here in Denton, we have been able to purchase six packs
of Guinness Stout pints (16 oz. bottles rather than the much more
common 12 oz. bottles) - (About $8.00 for a six pack of pints.)  In
my opinion, the pints have a slightly different and better flavor
than the 12 oz. bottles, although not as good as draft Guinness. 
What is great about these pint bottles is that they are just about
perfect for home brewing; dark brown, cap easily and hold a whole
pint of profound liquid!  The phenomenon I wonder about is this: 
when I soak the bottles to remove the Guinness labels, the front
label comes off very easily, often falling off by themselves after
about 10 minutes of soaking in warm water.  However, the back label
is stuck about as tight as the pages of a teenage boy's Playboy! 
Even after soaking the bottle for 24 hours, the back label still
requires peeling and scraping.  My experience is with a very
limited sample of about 40 bottles, and I am wondering whether
others have noticed this, or if its just a batch of bottles that
made it to north central Texas.  If it is a wide spread phenomenon,
any suggestions as to why?  Perhaps Guinness would like us to be
able to easily remove the front label to pass them around like
baseball cards?  Or, could it be that the last time the glue hopper
for the rear labels ran out, good ole' Arthur bought a cheaper
glue?

Oh well, its really an unimportant issue, but I am curious....


     -------------------------------------------------------------
     | Sam Atkinson                    Center for Remote Sensing |
     | Director                        University of North Texas |
     |                                 Denton, Texas  76203      |
     |                                                           |
     | Internet: atkinson@vaxb.acs.unt.edu  Brew Long and Prosper|
     -------------------------------------------------------------
-- 

----------------------------------------------------------
Samuel F. Atkinson               atkinson@vaxb.acs.unt.edu
Center for Remote Sensing
University of North Texas        phone: 817-565-2694
Denton, Texas  76203             fax:   817-565-4297
----------------------------------------------------------