first custom soap request

[houseofwool]

I mentioned to a friend last weekend that I had made a soap with beer as the liquid and she was so excited. It turns out her husband brews his own beer and she wants me to make soap using his beer! Today she dropped off a bottle of beer and I will make it up for her this weekend. So much fun!

 

[BankerJohn]

good luck... I make my own beer and tried beer soap. I had instant saponification which some call siezure. Hope your batch goes better than mine did.

 

[houseofwool]

The batch I did last weekend seems to be going pretty well. this time I was very patient as I waited for it to harden enough to slide it out of the column mold. I finally was able to unmold on day 8 after pouring! But, I did not discount the liquid at all because I wanted to slow trace down. I will say that the bubbles from the trimmings are delectable!

 

[Badger]

Sounds great... something I have yet to get around to... I think part of me is nervous about something that is going to cause my soap to heat up more then it already does...

 

[jeremmy]

How fun! We do the same with my husbands beer. There is something cool about knowing it is home brewed..

 

[lizflowers42]

You will love it! It stinks when you mix your lye but its not unbearable if you do it outside. Also I recommend freezing your beer first!

 

[houseofwool]

Yep, I found out the stink in nearly unbearable when I made the first batch.

 

[christinak]

I made my first batch of beer soap and I used Guiness. It didn't smell at all but I did not mix it with my lye, I added it at trace. It heated up quick but other than that it was ok. Next time, I will make sure my oils and lye are wayyyyy cooler before I mix them.

 

[judymoody]

I love beer soap!

I used to boil it, reduce it, freeze it, etc. Now I just bring it to a boil, let it sit, and use it the next day. If you wait for your beer/lye mixture to cool down thoroughly before you add it to your oils, your soap will not overheat. Stink, yes. Overheat, no.

A home brewer friend gives me his beer that he deems "undrinkable." It is not, however "unsoapable."

 

[Miz Jenny]

Does the "stink" last? Hubby brews his own chocolate porter and I'd like to use it. Can I add f.o. to it?

 

[lizflowers42]

Does the "stink" last? Hubby brews his own chocolate porter and I'd like to use it. Can I add f.o. to it?

Nope, you are left with a mellow hoppy scent-however I am not sure with porters because they are less hobby in nature than something like an IPA or Ale.

I'm so jealous that your hubs brews chocolate porters! I love porters and stouts, and chocolate is always a great flavor component for these!

 

[Miz Jenny]

I'm so jealous that your hubs brews chocolate porters! I love porters and stouts, and chocolate is always a great flavor component for these!

You should taste my XL chocolate stout cupcakes, warm with a dollop of creme fraiche.

 

[houseofwool]

I would agree with Liz that the heinous beer smell faded within a day or two and I am left with a pale tan creamy soap that has a mild hoppy yeasty scent. It doesn't appeal to me, but it isn't unpleasant.

 

[mel z]

Congratulations! I think the recipients will love it, hop smell or not.

I had fun making one, calling it a man soap, lol. Had no issue. Just let the beer go flat in the fridge and used it for the h20. The best part is, someone asked you to make them a soap, a specific one at that, you had fun doing it, and they will have fun using it and talking about it!

 

[Yooper]

Does the "stink" last? Hubby brews his own chocolate porter and I'd like to use it. Can I add f.o. to it?

The beer smell doesn't survive, although it stinks pretty bad when you make it!

I've been brewing for years, and I make lots of different kinds of beer. Beer soap is great- the color can be dark brown coffee colored (from using stout) to light tan (using a light lager). The bubbles (probably from the residual sugar in the beer) are so nice!

My favorite soaps right now are tallow and beer- homebrewed beer and hand rendered tallow from either venison or grass-fed beef.

I cook the beer until it's reduced in half- that means it gets rid of the carbonation and the alcohol- and use with water in mixing the lye. It's never seized or even traced super fast, and I've been very pleased with those soaps.

 

[Miz Jenny]

Well, this is on my list of soaps to make! "Honey, can I have some beer?" "Dear, you don't like my beer." "Yeah, well..."

 

[houseofwool]

yooper, if you gel it does the color darken? The bottle I was given is a pretty dark beer and I would really like for it to darken up a bit more without adding additional colorants to it.