Beer soap

[Iveta Pelá]

The recipe says... Add 50g of flat beer to the oils before adding the lye...what is flat beer? Think of it as it is, or boil the alcohol out of it first? And is it better to add beer to the oils like this, or mix it with lye instead of water?

 

[Misschief]

The recipe says... Add 50g of flat beer to the oils before adding the lye...what is flat beer? Think of it as it is, or boil the alcohol out of it first? And is it better to add beer to the oils like this, or mix it with lye instead of water?

Flat means that it has no more bubbles or alcohol. Trust me, you do not want to add the lye directly to the beer without it being flat. It can volcano very quickly. (Ask me how I know)

You can leave it open overnight, or boil it, then cool it. You CAN add the lye to flat beer but you want to do it slowly and it's best if your beer is either frozen or very cold.

 

[Iveta Pelá]

Flat means that it has no more bubbles or alcohol. Trust me, you do not want to add the lye directly to the beer without it being flat. It can volcano very quickly. (Ask me how I know)

You can leave it open overnight, or boil it, then cool it. You CAN add the lye to flat beer but you want to do it slowly and it's best if your beer is either frozen or very cold.

Thank you very much for the explanation. It's a recipe for Pilsen beer soap that inspired me because Pilsen beer is produced here in the Czech Republic. Well, I think I should give it a try.

 

[A-Polly]

This is another way of flattening beer, from Anne L. Watson*, author of Smart Soapmaking:

Carbonation may also be removed by adding a pinch of baking powder, salt, sugar, or almost any other granular substance that you're willing to have in your soap. The liquid will foam up vigorously, then go flat.

Although I've never considered using baking powder (ever!), I've tried both salt and sugar (not at the same time, although I guess you could) and it worked well for me, and was a lot quicker than other methods. There might be a benefit, though, in concentrating the beer properties (flavor? aroma?) by boiling it down, if it will be added to the oils as just a portion of the total liquid. Good luck with your recipe!


*source for the quotation: Creative Soapmaking - October (Beer and Wine Soaps, Experimenting and Developing Recipes)

 

[Iveta Pelá]

This is another way of flattening beer, from Anne L. Watson*, author of Smart Soapmaking:

Although I've never considered using baking powder (ever!), I've tried both salt and sugar (not at the same time, although I guess you could) and it worked well for me, and was a lot quicker than other methods. There might be a benefit, though, in concentrating the beer properties (flavor? aroma?) by boiling it down, if it will be added to the oils as just a portion of the total liquid. Good luck with your recipe!


*source for the quotation: Creative Soapmaking - October (Beer and Wine Soaps, Experimenting and Developing Recipes)

Thank you very much for the useful information and link. I let the beer stand, but next time I will try to use the sugar, or salt if I use a larger amount for the lye solution. And I freeze.