Whiskey Soap? How to?

[Obsidian]

Here is a link to whiskey soap from lovinsoaps. Is it a good idea to follow this?

https://www.lovinsoap.com/2015/12/bourbon-whiskey-vanilla-bean-cold-process-soap/

I wouldn't. Even a small amount of alcohol can cause seizing, overheating or a volcano.

You really do need to cook off the alcohol, it doesn't take long to simmer the alcohol down to a concentrated syrup you can add at trace.

 

[Soapzoom]

Unless you are going for label appeal, there is no sense in wasting good whiskey on soap.

And while the alcohol may smell good going into the soap, you're not going to have any scent coming out. You'd probably want to look up the 'notes' in your alcohol and then find a FO or combination thereof to give a similar scent.

And then there is the alcohol itself to deal with. Alcohol and CP soap doesn't mix very well because of the alcohol itself and high sugar content which can cause volcanoes and seizing. Beer (in the US) has an alcohol content of 4% to 6% by volume, wine has an alcohol content of 12%, hard liquor has a much higher content...between 40% and 70%. Check you label. Anyhoo...knowing the alcohol content tells you how much you're going to have to reduce you liquid to burn off the alcohol or how much more you going to have to add for xx amount. Let's say I want to use an ounce of Pendleton Whisky (only for someone I really, really, really like)...at 40% alcohol content, I would need to boil two ounces of whisky. Why the extra amount? Steam.

All of the above, except for the first line and how much I would have to like someone to use good whisky is based solely on research. There are tons of YT videos and some very humorous accounts of using alcohol in soap available on the webs.

I have access to some good quality whiskey which will come as gift... but I’m just looking for a perfect foolproof recipe...but I guess when it comes to hard liquor in CP soapmaking it is a big gamble. Maybe I’ll just go for beer then. Thank you so much for your response.

I wouldn't. Even a small amount of alcohol can cause seizing, overheating or a volcano.

You really do need to cook off the alcohol, it doesn't take long to simmer the alcohol down to a concentrated syrup you can add at trace.

I’m reading a lot of warnings against using whiskey. I think I’ll go for beer and wine. Thank you.

 

[amd]

I think the method described in the article you linked will work.
Also consider boiling the whiskey - not necessarily to a reduction as suggested in the older posts on this thread, but just enough to get a good quantity of alcohol burned off. A good boil for 10 minutes will remove approximately 70% of the alcohol (boiling for longer only decreases it marginally after that initial 10 minutes, and you can't boil it down to 0% alcohol unfortunately) which may help reduce some of the issues seen (seizing) with a full strength whiskey. It may only accelerate rather than seize. I would try it with a cheap whiskey in a small batch and save the good stuff for "thinking deep thoughts". There was a soapmaker who does soaps for a distillery local to her, but I can't remember her name now. I used to follow her on Instagram, but she may not be making soap anymore, thinking of it I haven't seen her in awhile.

 

[Soapzoom]

I think the method described in the article you linked will work.
Also consider boiling the whiskey - not necessarily to a reduction as suggested in the older posts on this thread, but just enough to get a good quantity of alcohol burned off. A good boil for 10 minutes will remove approximately 70% of the alcohol (boiling for longer only decreases it marginally after that initial 10 minutes, and you can't boil it down to 0% alcohol unfortunately) which may help reduce some of the issues seen (seizing) with a full strength whiskey. It may only accelerate rather than seize. I would try it with a cheap whiskey in a small batch and save the good stuff for "thinking deep thoughts". There was a soapmaker who does soaps for a distillery local to her, but I can't remember her name now. I used to follow her on Instagram, but she may not be making soap anymore, thinking of it I haven't seen her in awhile.

Thank you for your response amd. For a 500g batch how much whiskey you suggest I use..?

 

[amd]

For a 500g batch how much whiskey you suggest I use..?

I would stick on the low end of 1/2 oz after boil - I think if I remember from the Lovin Soap recipe that was approx 1000g oils and they used 1 oz "raw" whiskey.

 

[Soapzoom]

I would stick on the low end of 1/2 oz after boil - I think if I remember from the Lovin Soap recipe that was approx 1000g oils and they used 1 oz "raw" whiskey.

Ok, so to my 500g batch I’ll put in 14 grams of whiskey. I won’t put it raw, i’ll boil it for over 10 mins. Thank you, amd.

 

[Soapzoom]

I would stick on the low end of 1/2 oz after boil - I think if I remember from the Lovin Soap recipe that was approx 1000g oils and they used 1 oz "raw" whiskey.

So just an update: I gave the whiskey soap a go. The batter thickened fast after the whiskey add. Usually my other soaps are firm within a few hours, but this soap is still soft.

 

[CatahoulaBubble]

You can use it as an additive but it's going to seize quickly so you have to mix it to a very light trace and then add the whiskey at the very last minute, stir it in by hand and be prepared to pour it right away because you have about 30 seconds before it turns to cement. lol

It's really a waste of alcohol because the scent doesn't carry over.

 

[Soapzoom]

You can use it as an additive but it's going to seize quickly so you have to mix it to a very light trace and then add the whiskey at the very last minute, stir it in by hand and be prepared to pour it right away because you have about 30 seconds before it turns to cement. lol

It's really a waste of alcohol because the scent doesn't carry over.

Pic attached, decorated with barley on top and some flour to give it a pastry look. It’s for two of my pastry loving spiritual brothers who are connoisseurs of very expensive whiskey. It’s a surprise for them. Added the whiskey after a good boil so batter thickened but didn’t cement thankfully.

 

[CatahoulaBubble]

Pic attached, decorated with barley on top and some flour to give it a pastry look. It’s for two of my pastry loving spiritual brothers who are connoisseurs of very expensive whiskey. It’s a surprise for them. ❤ Added the whiskey after a good boil so batter thickened but didn’t cement thankfully. ☺

You put actual flour on the top?

 

[Soapzoom]

You put actual flour on the top?

Yeah.. not recommended..?

 

[Georgia13]

I have made batches of whiskey soaps-made mistake in the first batch, like the others said above the soap was accelerating so quickly after I added whiskey. I used fresh whiskey, straight out of the bottle, did not boil or anything like that, about 2 tbsp per 48 oz of soap (one loaf) and I always soap at room temperature (both oil and lye liquid were around 80 degrees when I mix them. ) And I used fragrance oil that always behaves in the cold process soaps. Try to eliminate as many surprises as possible. Here is what happened-so the first time, I added whisky (fresh) at light trace and used the immersion blender to mix, (that was a big no no....) the soap started tracing really fast and I had to scoop it out of the mold. The soap still turned out good. It had a pretty distinctive whisky scent for months-not so strong that makes you don't want to smell them again. After that first fail, I did one thing different which is to mix the whisky (still fresh) in the soap by hand, everything else is the same. Because my soap batter is almost liquid, it is not hard to mix in the whiskey and it DID NOT accelerate.

 

[user 58006]

So did it turn out ?

 

[Relle]

So did it turn out ?

Not sure to whom you are addressing this post to, but the thread is over 13 yrs old and most of these people haven't been around in a while, if it's the person above your post they haven't been here in well over 2 yrs.