Beer soap - tips and tricks

[Twiggy]

Hi Guys

I’m planning to make beer soap next week. I wondered if you may have any tips and suggestions about it. The smell, oils which works best, what not to do – write all what cross your mind!

I may just add, that I would like to dedicate that soap to gentlemens, add beer – of course and brown clay.

Thank you in advance :mrgreen:

 

[girlishcharm2004]

Make sure to let it go flat and boil the alcohol out of it. I don't like the smell of beer soap. However, I don't like beer...

 

[Twiggy]

Does the soap smells really like a pint of beer? I thought that when you add some EO it would be ok…

 

[summerflyy]

Does the soap smells really like a pint of beer? I thought that when you add some EO it would be ok…

I made a whiskey soap before and left it unscented. Most of the smell didn't make it through but if I put my nose to the soap, there's a faint scent. If you want to have the scent of the beer, you have to bear in mind that the scent may not survive and you're better off using a FO for scent instead.

Ps. Boil off your alcohol. This is very important.

Some soapers like to reduce it to a syrup and add at trace. I just boil off all alcohol and use as water replacement instead.

 

[Twiggy]

I made a whiskey soap before and left it unscented. Most of the smell didn't make it through but if I put my nose to the soap, there's a faint scent. If you want to have the scent of the beer, you have to bear in mind that the scent may not survive and you're better off using a FO for scent instead.

Ps. Boil off your alcohol. This is very important.

I was scared that the beer scent will make it through I wonder what hat kind of scent goes nice with men’s soap? I have some bergamot, indish rosewood, nutmeg EO, maybe I will make something of that I got. New soap is always very exiting!

Some soapers like to reduce it to a syrup and add at trace. I just boil off all alcohol and use as water replacement instead.

Do you freeze the beer to make lye solution? Does is not burn the beer?

 

[summerflyy]

I didn't freeze my whiskey but if you want to freeze your beer to be on the safe side, you can do that too.

 

[cmzaha]

No the scent will not stay. If you are going to use it for your lye water I would freeze it after boiling off the alcohol. I prefer to soap with my 50/50 lye solution and use beer for the balance of my liquid which I add in after I have wisked in my lye solution. I pour the beer slowly in case if still prefers to act naughty.

 

[dalewaite48]

I use Ale for my beer soap. It is actually made right her in G.R. Michigan and is called "Founders "Dirty Bastard" Beer. I let sit out in a shallow dish for a couple of days. It tends to make a dark soap, but that is what I like.

 

[jcandleattic]

If you are making your first beer soap, the suggestion to boil off the alcohol is a good one, however this step is not necessary. You may just have to work faster. However, do let the beer get flat, or there is a very good possiblity of a volcano when adding the lye. Getting it to go flat may take a while. I add about a teaspoon of salt to my day old open beer and then freeze it. This flattens it very well.
I never boil the alcohol out and have never had a seize or volcano.
Oh beer soap batter will heat up too, so I tend to try not to wrap them either.
Good luck. Beer soap is a great soap.

 

[judymoody]

For me, beer soap smells a bit yeasty, like bread. It's not unpleasant but I'd take it into consideration when choosing a scent so it doesn't clash.

 

[seven]

soap cool to prevent overheating. i usually let the beer sit in the fridge for days, even weeks, in an open condition (to let it go flat). then i do a full liquid swap and added my lye to the cold beer. so far, so good, no volcano.

 

[Obsidian]

My beer soap is unscented, its a bit yeasty for a few weeks but it does go away which is good since I hate beer. I boil my beer down to 2-3 ounces and add it at trace. That way I can fit a whole bottle of beer into a 2 lb batch of soap.
When making a two tone soap, I separate off the part I want uncolored, it doesn't get any beer added so it stays creamy. If you use a really dark stout, you won't need to color your soap.

This is the last beer soap I made with a dark IPA. I usually use a chocolate stout as I like the color a bit better.

 

[snappyllama]

What are your thoughts on a 50/50 pumpkin beer/pumpkin puree split? Just add lye to alcohol-diminished frozen beer and use puree at trace?

Sorry if this is a hijack of the thread.

 

[goji_fries]

I made one with Newcastel and honey which smells awesome. Tall bottle, simmered down from 21 oz to 16 oz. Although the alcohol and bubbles will be gone, it will still tend to bubble when adding the lye to it. ADD SLWLY

 

[Obsidian]

Yes, if you mix your lye into beer, do it slowly and ALWAYS in the sink just in case.

 

[Twiggy]

Wow, thank you for all advices!!! Now I have good base to start!

Pls hijack the thread as long as you will mention beer soap