# Pumpkin Lager FO



## thunderwagn (Sep 26, 2014)

I'm wondering if anyone has used the Pumpkin Lager fo from Brambleberry?  I thought it sounded great when i ordered it and feedback seemed positive, however I'm a bit concerned about accelerated trace. I'm hoping to use it in some pumpkin salt bars so the cards may be a bit stacked against me 
I'm still poking at the recipe a bit, but base will be fairly typical.  80% co 5% castor 15% oo. 80% salt 17% superfat. There abouts anyways. My family typically likes a good heavy scent, so in the past (lol, both times) I've used about 1.2 oz per pound fo for salt bars.  
Hope this is in the right forum ☺


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## samirish (Sep 26, 2014)

I have used it.  My soap behaved fine, no accerleration but it did discolor to a chocolate color (color change was expected so no big deal). The pumpkin lager fo smells really good out of the bottle.  It smells okay in the soap but morphs slightly in the finished soap and takes on a kind of chocolate scent.  I wont be reordering this fo as I have other pumpkin fragrances that do not morph at all in the finished soap.


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## thunderwagn (Sep 26, 2014)

samirish said:


> I have used it.  My soap behaved fine, no accerleration but it did discolor to a chocolate color (color change was expected so no big deal). The pumpkin lager fo smells really good out of the bottle.  It smells okay in the soap but morphs slightly in the finished soap and takes on a kind of chocolate scent.  I wont be reordering this fo as I have other pumpkin fragrances that do not morph at all in the finished soap.



I anticipated the color change which is fine, but a bit disappointed in the scent morphing to chocolate. Do you have a recommendation for a better pumpkin :shh:


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## shunt2011 (Sep 26, 2014)

The Pumpkin Walnut Biscotti from Nature's Garden is really awesome.  Smells like pumpkin pie.  I also like the Pumpkin Apple Butter but that has more apple than pumpkin.


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## newbie (Sep 27, 2014)

Sweet Pumpkin from Daystar is probably the most pumpkin FO I've come across, meaning that it's more about the pumpkin than about spices and bakery.

Depending on what you are planning for design, the Pumpkin Lager may be manageable, regarding acceleration. Their recommendation for usage is really low, 0.12 ounces per pound of oils. YOu can use a bit of extra water if you're concerned. I see from their reviews that people don't mention the chocolate morph so it's worth trying yourself. People can smell different things so to you, it may not smell chocolatey at all. It may of course, but it may not. I have it sitting here, waiting for me to use as well, so your post I think has prompted a batch from me!


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## newbie (Sep 27, 2014)

Okay, I just made it, although it is not a salt bar. I used over the 0.12 ppo- used about 0.4 ounces for 22 ounces of oils (I made a 28 ounce batch but pulled about 9 ounces of batter off before scenting.) It was very manageable. I also added a few drops of Honey Beeswax which also accelerates. I had ample time to work, but I did add the FO just after emulsification and hand stirred from there. I think you will have no problems making your salt bar with it unless you use 1.2 oz ppo- you may have a seize given their rec's!


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## thunderwagn (Sep 28, 2014)

newbie said:


> Okay, I just made it, although it is not a salt bar. I used over the 0.12 ppo- used about 0.4 ounces for 22 ounces of oils (I made a 28 ounce batch but pulled about 9 ounces of batter off before scenting.) It was very manageable. I also added a few drops of Honey Beeswax which also accelerates. I had ample time to work, but I did add the FO just after emulsification and hand stirred from there. I think you will have no problems making your salt bar with it unless you use 1.2 oz ppo- you may have a seize given their rec's!



Wow! Great to know  thank you for the tips and a response of your experience. I'll adjust my scent values a bit. Really looking forward to getting these bars done


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## newbie (Sep 29, 2014)

I added those few drops of Honey Beeswax (they say it does strange color things) and my soap was a kelp green when I cut it. It's still kind of a strange greenish brown. The Pumpkin Lager discolors dark brown so I have no idea what I will get in the end. I do wish the scent was a touch stronger but I didn't want to push past their recommendations too far. I think it smells pretty pumpkin-y and not very heavy on the spice, which is my preference. Not getting chocolate at this point, at least to my nose.


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## goji_fries (Sep 29, 2014)

Something to add another layer of scent may be actual pumkin lager or Newcastle (used it before). A little honey with this helps too.


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## dixiedragon (Sep 29, 2014)

I really like this FO. I added a bit of Moroccan red clay and beta carotene so it's got a bit of an orange hue that goes with the scent.

To my nose, it doesn't smell like chocolate. Mine is about a year old, and the soap still smells good. It's got notes of pumpkin, spice and hops and I like it. IMO, a lot of pumpkin pie FOs have a sickly-sweetness about them, and this doesn't.


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## goji_fries (Sep 29, 2014)

dixiedragon said:


> I really like this FO. I added a bit of Moroccan red clay and beta carotene so it's got a bit of an orange hue that goes with the scent.
> 
> To my nose, it doesn't smell like chocolate. Mine is about a year old, and the soap still smells good. It's got notes of pumpkin, spice and hops and I like it. IMO, a lot of pumpkin pie FOs have a sickly-sweetness about them, and this doesn't.



you ever tried a little Carotino oil in soaps?


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## dixiedragon (Sep 30, 2014)

goji_fries said:


> you ever tried a little Carotino oil in soaps?


 
I haven't tried that. I had to google it to see what it was! I've heard of red palm, but I'm a lard soaper so I don't keep palm around.


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## newbie (Sep 30, 2014)

Thunder, did you make your salt bars yet? How did they come out?


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## Val-11 (Sep 30, 2014)

dixiedragon said:


> I really like this FO. I added a bit of Moroccan red clay and beta carotene so it's got a bit of an orange hue that goes with the scent.
> 
> To my nose, it doesn't smell like chocolate. Mine is about a year old, and the soap still smells good. It's got notes of pumpkin, spice and hops and I like it. IMO, a lot of pumpkin pie FOs have a sickly-sweetness about them, and this doesn't.



I agree with you dixiedragon. I had no chocolate smell from BB's Pumpkin Lager. It smells just like you said with the pumpkin and spices although I don't smell the beer in mine. It's not an overly sweet smell either. Everyone who has smelled it likes it and wants a bar after it has cured. It's at 5 weeks now so one more week to go! Yayyyy!!!!:smile:


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## thunderwagn (Oct 1, 2014)

newbie said:


> Thunder, did you make your salt bars yet? How did they come out?



I have not. I'm hoping Saturday will be the day.


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## whiskandbowl (Oct 2, 2014)

I don't get a ton of pumpkin from this FO. Warm spice and a bit of beer, with hints of pumpkin. But it doesn't scream PUMPKIN to me, more like "beer pie"

It's really nice though, I'm excited to soap it


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## newbie (Oct 4, 2014)

Is that OOB? THat's so funny, I don't smell beer at all. Good thing too because I detest beer. We all have such different noses. I sometimes wonder if anyone smells the exact same thing, in their brain, if you know what I mean.


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## bbr (Nov 15, 2014)

I'm hijacking this thread.

I LOVE this FO- it smells great and everyone I give this soap to adores it as well. I don't get notes of chocolate in it at all.  What I do get is a lot of cinnamon, nutmeg and other holiday spices. I don't really smell a lot of pumpkin or beer though. 

What I have an issue with is how quickly it accelerates my batches (2 batches so far-cold process).  What I'm thinking is that it might be one of two elements.

1. It's a beer soap.  Maybe the sugars- or the alcohol for that matter- in the soap are reacting with the FO.
2. I might be using too much Fo at .5 oz ppo.

I'm not entirely inexperienced with beer soaping- I make a apple ale soap that always turns out great.  But I just made two batches back to back- 1 with the pumpkin lager and the other with a mix of two Crafter's Choice Vanilla FO's.  While the Vanilla beer soap didn't seize nearly as quickly as the PL, it became difficult to work with in the mold. 

Does vanilla cause acceleration in soaps with either high sugar or alcohol content? 

By the way- I made my first PL batch in Late Aug- scent has morphed a bit- but into something nicer than the out of the bottle, overpowering smell.


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