beer soap smells off

[Marilyn Norgart]

I opened up one of my beer soaps and am horrified at how it smells--I did not scent them--they smell sour. any ideas why this happened? I let them cure for over 6 weeks and shrunk wrapped them

 

[BattleGnome]

What was your recipe, how did you prep your beer, how long did you wait before you wrapped the bars?

I have a feeling you fished one of your steps but can’t be sure with only a scent description.

 

[KiwiMoose]

I think the beer soaps do smell a bit - Ive used FOs in mine to mask the smell somewhat. It takes about 8 weeks of cure before the beer smell dissipates enough for the FO to shine through.

 

[Marilyn Norgart]

What was your recipe, how did you prep your beer, how long did you wait before you wrapped the bars?

I have a feeling you fished one of your steps but can’t be sure with only a scent description.

I waited well over 6 weeks to wrap, I left the beer out on the counter for 3 days and whisked rapidly every time I walked by (a lot). added to the lye. and I am not sure what you are saying in the last sentence--sorry. I use lard, coconut oil and safflower oil

I think the beer soaps do smell a bit - Ive used FOs in mine to mask the smell somewhat. It takes about 8 weeks of cure before the beer smell dissipates enough for the FO to shine through.

I did take one of each that I made and cut them in half and its only the first one I made (which had a real long --probably 9 weeks-cure time before wrapping). I agree they do have their own smell and I really like the smell. but the smell has changed. I am planning on scenting some--should have the scent for them tomorrow. good to know that it takes longer to get the FO scent to shine .

 

[amd]

I left the beer out on the counter for 3 days

I don't like to leave beer open to go flat because it will collect wild yeasts - which can cause the beer to go "off" (if you've ever cleaned up the day after a party you might notice the smell). My suspicion is that your beer collected some yeasts that made the scent go off.

 

[jcandleattic]

I don't like to leave beer open to go flat because it will collect wild yeasts - which can cause the beer to go "off" (if you've ever cleaned up the day after a party you might notice the smell). My suspicion is that your beer collected some yeasts that made the scent go off.

yep, this is why I just add about a teaspoon of salt to my beer, stir until it stops foaming and then put it in the fridge overnight to cool before I soap. Have never had a weird smell, (or any smell) from the beer. Of course, I just use cheap beer. I'm not going to waste a good stout or craft beer in a soap when I can drink it instead.

 

[DeeAnna]

I hate to suggest this, but could the off smell be from rancidity (DOS)? The soap is in the realm of just old enough that it could show rancidity, if that's going to happen.

 

[Nanette]

How about boiling the beer to get rid of alcohol?

 

[Marilyn Norgart]

I don't like to leave beer open

thank you--I will stop doing this and follow your guy's advice

I hate to suggest this, but could the off smell be from rancidity (DOS)? The soap is in the realm of just old enough that it could show rancidity, if that's going to happen.

I would think it could be rancid from the beer thanks

 

[shunt2011]

I'm one that boils it down to a syrup. Then add it to my soaps. I have just boiled it for 10-15 minutes as well and had no problems.

 

[Marilyn Norgart]

if you've ever cleaned up the day after a party you might notice the smell).

its been awhile but that is the smell

I'm one that boils it down to a syrup. Then add it to my soaps. I have just boiled it for 10-15 minutes as well and had no problems.

do you add it to your oils then?

 

[jcandleattic]

How about boiling the beer to get rid of alcohol?

I'm one that boils it down to a syrup. Then add it to my soaps. I have just boiled it for 10-15 minutes as well and had no problems.

I'm one who doesn't boil the alcohol out of my beer. I'm essentially a lazy soaper and I just don't want to take the extra steps to boil my beer to a syrup, especially when, for me at least, it's an unnecessary step.
My batter gets a bit thicker, but nothing unmanageable by not boiling the alcohol out of the beer, so I don't find it's a needed step for me to do.

 

[DeeAnna]

I'm on the flip side of the "boil or no-boil" coin, but not so much to drive off some of the alcohol as to simply reduce the volume.

I reduce it to about 1/2 the starting volume. That way I can use my 50% NaOH solution AND pack a whole bottle 'o beer into the batch as well.

Well, a whole bottle minus a swig or two if it's beer I like to drink.

 

[amd]

its been awhile but that is the smell

It smells like... old, musty beer, identifiable as beer but not beer you want to drink... ? LOL.

Is this your first unscented beer soap? It may just be the way beer soap smells too - just like milk soaps will have a certain smell. Some people notice it, some people don't. I'm one of the ones who can. I found out recently that there is a huge difference in GM soap smell when using pasteurized or unpasteurized milk and that's why some makers GM soaps stink to me and some don't. Maybe the beer soap is the same way for you? The wild yeast theory was the first that popped into my head though as my husband (a beer brewer) advised me to not flatten my beer that way.

 

[Marilyn Norgart]

Is this your first unscented beer soap?

I have made 5 batches unscented. thankfully small batches and I really like the smell of it. This is not how it smelled earlier. its smells really yeasty and kinda sour. I am so glad I asked about it here!!! lesson learned--I have some scents that you told me about coming tomorrow and I am going to try it again without leaving it out on the counter and add some FO also. thanks for your advice--I appreciate it
edited to add--the beer that smells off is a beer that my son left when he moved and it had stuff floating in it. he said the craft beers don't keep like regular beers is that correct and could the beer being old have caused this?? the other ones don't smell off and they were from beer I bought from the store and used right away

 

[amd]

I am going to try it again without leaving it out on the counter

I think @jcandleattic method is good advice.

the beer that smells off is a beer that my son left when he moved and it had stuff floating in it. he said the craft beers don't keep like regular beers is that correct and could the beer being old have caused this?? the other ones don't smell off and they were from beer I bought from the store and used right away

It depends on what you mean by "craft beer". Made by a home brewer? How old was it? A homebrew will depend on how good of a brewer and what his/her brewing method was. A purchased craft brewery is a bit more reliable, and most will age well. We recently cracked open a 5+ year old bottle that had been stored on top of a fridge and it was fantastic! (New Glarus Brewing) More than likely the floaties were probably yeast, depending on the brewer - some filter some don't.

 

[Marilyn Norgart]

It depends on what you mean by "craft beer".

no it was bought in a store. I think I am going to try it both ways to see which one I like better--love all the different ideas!!

 

[BattleGnome]

I waited well over 6 weeks to wrap, I left the beer out on the counter for 3 days and whisked rapidly every time I walked by (a lot). added to the lye. and I am not sure what you are saying in the last sentence--sorry. I use lard, coconut oil and safflower oil

My post was supposed to say “finished a step early” but I think I thought faster than I was typing.

It sounds like you’ve figured out what your issues could have been, I don’t have much to say that others haven’t mentioned already.

 

[KDP]

I open mine and let it sit on the counter for a day, covered with cheese cloth with a rubber band...then pop it in the fridge for 2 more days. I've not had a problem with it smelling " off ".