for the Beer Soap Experts

[shonnyisley]

I have a long time reader, first time poster. You guys are great!

I have made several batches of beer soap and it is now a household favorite and best seller. I always dread making the soap becuase of the volcano effect when pouring the lye into the beer. Even when starting with a flat, cold beer and pouring the lye ever so slowly while stirring the solution, I had a nearly horrible accident when I was 9 months pregnant I am kinda nervous about it now :cry: . Its like one grain of lye can cause a calm solution to go insane in an instant!

Anyhow...I have been playing with ideas in my head trying to figure out how to make a beer soap with 100% beer, with out ever having to have the beer touch the lye. I thought maybe I can start with the total amout of beer I would use in a 100% beer soap batch, simmer it down to 50% of its volume, set aside and cool to RT. Then take the other 50% of liquid I would need, use water and mix the lye in with that. Then add the Lye-water to the oils and put the beer in at that time. :?

Has anyone tried it like this? Will it work? Will the soap come out just as bubbly and great with out having the lye mixed directly into the beer? I always hate that smell anyway! What do you guys think? Thank you very much!

 

[Beckis19]

I'm not sure, but when cooking with beer if you boil it too long it will get very bitter, and could change the aromatics. Don't know if that happens anyway when the lye is added, but at least for culinary purposes I wouldn't advise it.

 

[shonnyisley]

I'm not sure, but when cooking with beer if you boil it too long it will get very bitter, and could change the aromatics. Don't know if that happens anyway when the lye is added, but at least for culinary purposes I wouldn't advise it.

IT smells horrible after the lye is added...

 

[TessC]

I did something very similar by accident once and it worked quite well. I...um...sort of forgot that the beer was simmering for a while and it ended up reduced to about 1/4 of the original volume. Instead of playing around with adding the lye to the beersyrup, I just deducted the new beer weight from my total water weight and made my lye solution with that much water. Worked out well, no stinky beer-lye funk, and the soap was lovely.

 

[RaeRae]

I let the beer sit open for a week to go flat, then boil it down until it gets to about half the original quantity and put it into the freezer for at least 4 hours.
I then take it outside and mix it out there. I slowly add the lye... I have never had anything go wrong, and no bubbles at all. I use it in place of water.
I have used guinness, carlton draught, red wine & white wine.
Personally I find the beer and wine to smell a bit stronger but not horrible until the lye hits it :!:
The guinness has to be my favourite so far to use.

 

[shonnyisley]

I did something very similar by accident once and it worked quite well. I...um...sort of forgot that the beer was simmering for a while and it ended up reduced to about 1/4 of the original volume. Instead of playing around with adding the lye to the beersyrup, I just deducted the new beer weight from my total water weight and made my lye solution with that much water. Worked out well, no stinky beer-lye funk, and the soap was lovely.

Thank you! I think this is exactly what I am going to do! I was just worried that doing it this way would lessen the very cool lathering effect that beer has! On another note I hate mixing beer with lye. I hate the scary factor and I hate the smell and dark color that it turns the beer. I have done this with wine too....and it was my worst smelling soap ever! I made it 2 months ago and it is still stinky. I havent had stink issues with my beer soaps but I am sooo trying to avoid mixing the beer with the lye. My logic is that if people make milk soaps by adding the milk in later, then I shoudl be able to do the same thing with the beer.

I have some very cool specialty beers waiting for me to turn them into soap. My list includes:
Oatmeal Stout
Milk Stout
Choclate Stout
Mocha Stout
Sierra Nevada IPA
Kashmere Ale
I am excited.

 

[PrairieCraft]

This is something I haven't tried but would like to. Just wondering though what the beer does that makes the soap different?

Like GM makes the soap very creamy and lush looking(haven't used it yet, still curing so idk what it does for the lather).

Does beer or wine change the look and feel of the soap or is it more the novelty of a soap made with beer?

 

[Stakie]

I honestly have never heard of beer soap. Now you are just giving me ideas! I'de like to know the benifits of beer as well. =D

 

[shonnyisley]

This is something I haven't tried but would like to. Just wondering though what the beer does that makes the soap different?

Like GM makes the soap very creamy and lush looking(haven't used it yet, still curing so idk what it does for the lather).

Does beer or wine change the look and feel of the soap or is it more the novelty of a soap made with beer?

I love beer soap. It gives it a nice bubbly long lasting lather and is the best shampoo bar I have ever used! It leaves your hair shiny and clean. I love it for shower, shampoo and shave. The soap comes out light tan.

 

[krissy]

i did a beer soap yesterday for the first time. i simmered a cup of beer until it was down to 2.5 oz then i let it cool and added my lye to it. then i added it to my oils and SB'd to trace then i added 2.5 Coconut milk. I ended up HPing this batch so i could try it out right away. i loved it. it came out purple because i added color to it, the lather is fluffy and generous. it didnt stink to bad and i added some EO's so now it just smells like my EO's. i am loving beer soap now!

 

[shonnyisley]

i did a beer soap yesterday for the first time. i simmered a cup of beer until it was down to 2.5 oz then i let it cool and added my lye to it. then i added it to my oils and SB'd to trace then i added 2.5 Coconut milk. I ended up HPing this batch so i could try it out right away. i loved it. it came out purple because i added color to it, the lather is fluffy and generous. it didnt stink to bad and i added some EO's so now it just smells like my EO's. i am loving beer soap now!

Beer soap is truly addicting! I love how you concentrated the beer so much! Great idea!

 

[Bigmoose]

Beer soaps and shampoo are my #1 line. I can't understand how you are getting the volcano effect when you say the beer is flat. I do cook mine down to 50% and sometimes use it at room temp and other times cold. Never had a problem. I do whip the heck out of it when I am cooking it down, I wonder if that is the difference. And I do agree a beer lye mix smells bad.

Bruce

 

[shonnyisley]

Beer soaps and shampoo are my #1 line. I can't understand how you are getting the volcano effect when you say the beer is flat. I do cook mine down to 50% and sometimes use it at room temp and other times cold. Never had a problem. I do whip the heck out of it when I am cooking it down, I wonder if that is the difference. And I do agree a beer lye mix smells bad.

Bruce

IDK what I am doing wrong either. I even left a beer open for 2 weeks once and got the volcano. Maybe it is because I am not boiling it first.

 

[Hazel]

I've never boiled the beer and I've never had a volcano effect. (Knock on wood - now that I've said this I've probably cursed myself :shock: )

Have you tried pouring the beer into a 2 liter pop bottle and periodically shaking it? I've heard some people do this and it helps the beer to go flat.
I think what you do is every time you open the frig, shake it and then in a short period of time, the beer is flat. I don't know how long it takes because I haven't tried it.

I pour beer into a jar and leave it in the frig until it goes flat. It takes several days but I don't like the idea of leaving on the counter. My concern is that it might develop mold before going flat since it's so hot right now.

 

[Lindy]

I did something very similar by accident once and it worked quite well. I...um...sort of forgot that the beer was simmering for a while and it ended up reduced to about 1/4 of the original volume. Instead of playing around with adding the lye to the beersyrup, I just deducted the new beer weight from my total water weight and made my lye solution with that much water. Worked out well, no stinky beer-lye funk, and the soap was lovely.

That's what I do too - reduce the beer and I have never had a volcano with it.... and btw Bruce is our beer soap expert here....

I also find that beer and lye smell horrid until it has a little time to cure out.

 

[honor435]

I just wondered what beer does for soap? do you still add fo, does it smell like beer?

 

[shonnyisley]

I just wondered what beer does for soap? do you still add fo, does it smell like beer?

The soap does not smell like beer at all. I can speak for everyone but after making beer soap, It became an instant best seller and is my houshold favorite. It lathers great and leaves skin feeling soft and hair super shiny and great! I just love it!

 

[Hazel]

It's popular here, too. I need to make another batch because I've been asked when I'm going to make more. I don't really know if it was the beer or the scent but family members loved it.

 

[Jaaret]

Removing the Alcohol

I've never made beer soap before but this thread has inspired me to try it. In doing a little research I've read a few posts that recommend boiling the beer to remove the alcohol content. I'm sure boiling it down accomplishes that. I may have to try making a batch this weekend.

 

[shonnyisley]

Well I made 6 batches today and I hope they arent a total disaster. I am attempting to CPOP them and I peaked at them in the oven and I see tiny white spots on top...IDK what the heck that is!

I reduced the full amout of liquid for my recipe in beer to 1/2. Then I added some regular water to make the lye water and I added the reduced beer into the oils after the lye water was in before I started stirring.