Beer Soap

[BrewerGeorge]

To those who are saying they can't tell the difference with the cheapest beer, let me make a confession: In spite of the fact that the goal of using beer in soap is what got me into soaping in the first place, I no longer use beer in any soaps. I understand those who do for label appeal, but as I do not sell I find that I can get the same results with a splash of milk and table sugar while avoiding all the boil/freeze process hassles of beer. The only exception is the dark roasty character from stouts or porters.

 

[KristaY]

I used a cider in my first "beer" soap. Yes, apple cider isnt beer but the idea is the same. I read that I could just let it go flat in the fridge for a few days. It volcanoed when I added the lye. Thankfully it was in a VERY tall container and in the sink! I did not get any spillage but man, that was scary!

I boil all of my alcohols now. Wine, beer, cider, ect. to drive off the alcohol. Beers and ciders fizz quite a bit when you first apply heat. That goes back to what BG was saying about the dissolved CO2.

The only lye volcano I've had was when I used a hard cider. I thought I had simmered it enough but NOOOO! It was up and over the container in a blink. Scared the crap out of me then irritated me to no end during the clean up. This one had a higher ABV than I usually use (maybe 10%?) so I assume that was the problem in not allowing it to simmer long enough. Now I stick with approx 5% ABV and use it for about 80% of my lye water.

 

[galaxyMLP]

Krista, that sounds like it was no fun! Mine was the typical 5% but it was very sweet. I know that had a lot to do with it. I simmer my liquids now down to about 1/4th to 1/8th the original volume. I don't usually make my lye water in it. I'll add it to the oils usually or at trace.

 

[lsg]

I forgot to say that I do freeze the beer, flat in a ziplock bag, after letting it go flat in the refrigerator.

 

[BattleGnome]

I must say, though, that I think that beer is wasted on soap. The bourbon and vanilla character won't make it into the finished soap and the 11% alcohol is just going to be wasted into the air. Considering it's price, I humbly suggest that you make your first attempt with a more pedestrian, lower alcohol, cheaper stout or porter.

I wholeheartedly agree with you about the price vs qualities that would make it to the finished soap but I'm partly going for label appeal (dragon themed).

Thank you for the advice/mention of carbonic acid in one of your other posts. I didnt know carbonic acid would be a consideration to lye potency. (I didnt really think about what caused the carbonation, just that it was there)

 

[BattleGnome]

Hey BattleGnome, I like to use Nevermore from the same brewery! Are you from Michigan as well?

I went to college in Holland but have since settled in the UP

 

[Saponista]

I reduced the beer to a syrup the first time I tried and it made the soap really soft and sticky. Now I just leave it open overnight and use it without concentrating it down.