Preventing cracks

[Ant]

I made a batch of soap using boiled beer as the disstilled water replacement a few months ago. Besides some streaks in the shower from the dark stout used, its a really nice bar of soap.

Issue was that it did overheat on me and formed a 1 inch deep crack in the center. I used a spicy fo, full beer, and a higher palm oil recipe (if hard oils contribute to cracking?). I did soap higher at 120 with my high palm recipe, so sure that didn't help.

I'd like to recreate it again but don't want that crack again. I liked how smooth it looked since it did gel.

What can I do to keep it from cracking?

 

[shunt2011]

Soap cooler and use a fragrance that behaves. Some spicy ones heat up pretty good. Place it on something raised so air can circulate around it and don’t over insulate it. The Sugars in the beer will make it heat up.

 

[Jillyb]

The beer has quite a bit of sugar as well so that will add to the heat a bit too. Yes cooler will help. I also love a good beer soap must make some more.

 

[Ant]

If I soap cooler, would that cause stearic spots in the higher palm recipe? Don't have it on hand, but has 10.5 oz of palm oil, 1.75 oz of shea butter. Recipe has a total of 35 ozs of oil.

So keep the lid off of the wooden mold? Will put in on a cooling rack.

See my OH gave some guys at his work some soaps and this guy fell in love with the fo. Requested a whole loaf of the soap that was given to him.

 

[shunt2011]

You can just heat your oils until the harder ones are almost melted. Then just stir to finish it. Should be able to soap fairly cool. I would leave the lid off or watch it closely.

 

[Ant]

Okay, will try. I still haven't quite figured out how to prevent those spots. Its cosmetic but it bugs me to no end.

Forgot to mention, but last time I did freeze the beer then mixed the lye into it slowly. Didn't seem to help anything, at least I didn't notice.