Why beer soap?

[math ace]

What are the advantages of beer soap?

I've been using a basic recipe (lye and oils) for CP soap. Now, I am contemplating trying some new ingredients. I just ordered some clay and tussah silk.

I am wondering what the Big Deal is about beer soap. For those of you who make beer soap, then please share why you do.

 

[jcandleattic]

Beer soap, because of the sugars, gives better bubbles, and just makes a nice recipe, nicer to the skin. Plus, there's always label appeal.

 

[DeeAnna]

It's fun yet fairly easy to make. Customers/family/friends, guys especially, get a kick out of beer soap. And like JC said, beer improves the lather.

 

[animalcrazy]

I am new to soap making but LOVE the idea of beer soap! Would love a recipe if anyone is willing to share! TYIA!

 

[Relle]

I am new to soap making but LOVE the idea of beer soap! Would love a recipe if anyone is willing to share! TYIA!

You don't need a specific recipe for a beer soap, just substitute the liquid for beer in any recipe.

Also as this is your first post please go to the Introduction thread and tell us a bit about yourself.

 

[shunt2011]

All the above.

 

[math ace]

I do want better bubbles! I am using the soap queen's lots of lather recipe and I don't think it makes enough bubbles.
I know that adding sugars can cause the batter to over heat.
1. What percentage of the water should I try substituting with beer?
2. Does it matter which type of beer I substitute?
3. Is there any reason to be concerned about the beer causing my soap to spoil since it is a food product?
4. Will beer effect my fragrances in any way? Could it cause them to morph?

 

[Dawni]

1. What percentage of the water should I try substituting with beer?
You could do all or part
2. Does it matter which type of beer I substitute?
Nope. Darker beers might give you darker soap though
3. Is there any reason to be concerned about the beer causing my soap to spoil since it is a food product?
Nope.
4. Will beer effect my fragrances in any way? Could it cause them to morph?
If you use FOs I think they'd cover up the beer smell.

Best way to learn is to research and experiment. There's lots of posts around the forum regarding beer in soap. A lot of em touch on procedure as well.

 

[Marilyn Norgart]

I do want better bubbles! I am using the soap queen's lots of lather recipe and I don't think it makes enough bubbles.
I know that adding sugars can cause the batter to over heat.
1. What percentage of the water should I try substituting with beer?
2. Does it matter which type of beer I substitute?
3. Is there any reason to be concerned about the beer causing my soap to spoil since it is a food product?
4. Will beer effect my fragrances in any way? Could it cause them to morph?

I just made my first batch of scented beer soap--I was doing it wrong by just leaving the beer on the counter for 3 days before making soap. so I boiled it a lot before I used it and there was still enough left that I didn't have to use any water. the soap does get color from the beer my dark stouts make a dark soap and a pale ale makes a creamy tan color. the ales are easy enough to color though. I was worried about that too so I never scented mine but the scent covered any beer scent that was left after boiling it. beer does have its own scent but I cant pick out if its a little hoppy or sweet or both but the bubbles are awesome. I hve been wondering if say a michelobe or even a red/white and blue would have less sugar content than the craft beers but I don't know about that stuff--I guess I am going to go google it now

 

[math ace]

These are the types of scents that I like:

Lemon Verbena, Dragon's Blood, Macintosh Apple, Apple Cider, Coffee, Juniper Breeze, cucumber, Cherry Almond, Bayberry, Baby Powder, and White tea and fruit blends

Which of the above scents would you recommend for a beer soap? Which would work with with the residue smell of the beer?

 

[Misschief]

Think about your beer: what descriptors do the makers use? That's a good place to start. Darker beers are often described as having chocolate and/or coffee notes. Lighter beers can have fruity notes. Personally, I'd stay away from scents like cucumber, baby powder and white tea because they're not usually notes you'd find in any kind of beer.

I make a beer soap that I scent with Patchouli and Cedarwood because they come across as masculine. It's been quite popular.

 

[math ace]

@Misschief
Thanks, that was helpful.

Could I use something like gingerale, instead of beer, and still get the benefits of additional bubbles?
I am just thinking that gingerale won't have as strong of a smell as beer does.

 

[Misschief]

@Misschief
Thanks, that was helpful.

Could I use something like gingerale, instead of beer, and still get the benefits of additional bubbles?
I am just thinking that gingerale won't have as strong of a smell as beer does.

TBH, I don't even smell the beer after the soap has cured.

 

[Dawni]

Could I use something like gingerale, instead of beer, and still get the benefits of additional bubbles?

Any liquid with sugars will give you more or less the same "enhancement" of bubbles, like beer.

TBH, I don't even smell the beer after the soap has cured.

Same here. There is a "sweet" kind of smell in the beginning, which I suspect is the sugars cooking lol, since I HP but a few months down there's none left at all.

So to me, you could technically use any scent you want.. Think of scents you associate with beer if you want, or decide if it will be a "manly" smelling soap n use those scents, or go completely opposite and do floral or citrus lol

 

[KiwiMoose]

These are the types of scents that I like:

Lemon Verbena, Dragon's Blood, Macintosh Apple, Apple Cider, Coffee, Juniper Breeze, cucumber, Cherry Almond, Bayberry, Baby Powder, and White tea and fruit blends

Which of the above scents would you recommend for a beer soap? Which would work with with the residue smell of the beer?

I used Cypress and Bayberry and it was fantastic - really complimented the residual beer smell - a reasonably fresh, masculine smell.
The second batch I made with Wild Currant and Sandalwood and that was nice too - a little more fruity than the previous. I added a touch of Pine and lemongrass EOs to that lot.
I have also used ginger beer successfully in CP but have not tested a fully cured bar - just a little offcut after about 3 weeks. It seemed pretty good lather -wise. I scented it with ginger and lime FO with ginger EO and lemon EO.

 

[Loralye]

I do a local Oktoberfest event, and always make beer soap for it. After all, what is Oktoberfest without beer!! One of my favorites is Corona with lime scent, but I don't do that one for Oktoberfest.

 

[Theresa_c64]

I just made my first batch of scented beer soap--I was doing it wrong by just leaving the beer on the counter for 3 days before making soap. so I boiled it a lot before I used it and there was still enough left that I didn't have to use any water. the soap does get color from the beer my dark stouts make a dark soap and a pale ale makes a creamy tan color. the ales are easy enough to color though. I was worried about that too so I never scented mine but the scent covered any beer scent that was left after boiling it. beer does have its own scent but I cant pick out if its a little hoppy or sweet or both but the bubbles are awesome. I hve been wondering if say a michelobe or even a red/white and blue would have less sugar content than the craft beers but I don't know about that stuff--I guess I am going to go google it now

I wonder would'nt boiling beer like that take away the benefits of using it in the first place?

 

[Dawni]

I wonder would'nt boiling beer like that take away the benefits of using it in the first place?

I figure that with the lye, any benefits of the actual beer, other than the sugar, if any, are going to be eaten up anyway. Most use the beer for the sugars, as previously mentioned by several of us, because it boosts bubbles. And label appeal.

 

[DeeAnna]

The lather lover's soap swap found beer works better than just granulated sugar for enhancing lather, so I don't think you can sub soda pop and expect the same results as you would get with beer. I believe Brewer George explained his thoughts on that point a few years back. He's a beer brewer and has learned his beery chemistry.

I find beer soap tends to gel a bit more easily, all other things being equal, so I don't CPOP and I only cover the top lightly to prevent dust from settling. I don't recommend insulating heavily if that's your tendency. For those who dislike letting their soap go into gel, this is one case where you should go with the flow and let the soap gel. Trying to prevent gel in a soap that wants to gel easily is a fool's errand.

To make beer soap, I use whatever soap recipe happens to be my current favorite and simply substitute beer for the water. I use a spicy, warm fragrance such as Nature's Garden Cracklin' Birch that is a unisex-to-male scent.

 

[Marilyn Norgart]

The lather lover's soap swap found beer works better than just granulated sugar for enhancing lather

thanks for sharing that DeeAnna!!!