Beer soap reaching trace immediately without a blender!

[sasha_88]

Hello all,

I made a batch of beer soap today and as soon as I was pouring the lye in the oils, the mixture reached trace while stirring with a wooden spoon only... I think this is very strange and never experienced it before - I've made around 20 batches before, including with beer. Do you have any suggestions why this could be? I didn't use the stick blender at all, just stirred well for 5-10 mins and poured in the mold. I soaped at 38 Celsius (100 F). Here is the recipe:

Coconut oil - 25%
EVOO - 30%
Sunflower oil - 14%
Rice bran oil - 10%
Shea butter - 8%
Cocoa butter - 7%
Castor oil - 4%
Beeswax - 2%

Beer - 340g (Stella Artois, no discount)
Lye - 124g

Total batch - 1400g

Do you also think that 5-10 mins stirring is enough to incorporate the batter or should I have used the stick blender?

Thank you in advance!

 

[Obsidian]

Do you always use beeswax? It can speed trace some even at small amounts. More likely though, you didn't get all the alcohol or carbonation removed. If you would have used a blender, you very well might have gotten soap on a stick.

As long as it was stirred together well, it should be fine. Keep a close eye on it for overheating, if there was a bit of alcohol left, it make it heat up and volcano.

 

[sasha_88]

Yes, I always use beeswax at 2%. You're right though, the beer wasn't completely flat, but it was cold and put in ice, I was being very careful. I also put the mold immediately in the fridge.
Should I be concerned if the alcohol is still in there?

 

[cmzaha]

Alcohol will seize soap almost immediately. It is much better to cook off the alcohol and freeze the beer after. Also I find it ups the risk of a volcano, which are very ugly when playing with lye. Wine is especially subject to volcanos, in my experience

 

[sasha_88]

Thank you, I hope the soap is fine to use. I will know for next time.

 

[Obsidian]

Soap should be fine as long as it doesn't do anything weird like volcano. I never freeze my booze but I do boil it flat and reduce it down quite a lot then add that directly to the oils.