Lye Beads Floating in "finished" soap

[OWU Soaps]

I make soap in big quantities- 12lbs of oil/batch. I master batch my lye at a light concentration (33% lye) to give me time to work it, but my last two batches stiffened really thick really quickly, the last almost immediately. I used the same lye batch with both. With the first one, after I cut it and let it sit for a couple days I tongue tested it for alkali and got a neutral taste, so I don't think I have any free-floating lye there. The second, after pulling it out of the oven next day (I oven process them all), I noticed beads of what I suspected to be either water or fragrance oil at the top. However, upon investigation I find that these beads are definitely lye (no smell, zapped my tongue pretty good with the most miniscule dap of the residuals on my finger). I fist saw these beads before I put it in the oven when I banged the mold on the floor to try to get out air bubbles from the pretty stiff soap in there, and the beads came to the top. Ultimately, my question is, is there any way to save this batch through hot processing them, which I've never done?

From an outside perspective, I'd say I must have screwed up my measurements and put too much lye in the batch, probably by mixing it to heavily with lye or too lightly with water. I'd like to say there's no way I'd do this, but... Maybe? Or, maybe it saponified unevenly since it traced so quickly, but this seems unlikely since it did trace so quickly with such a light lye concentration. If there is extra lye, then even in hot process I should have to add oil, to get it to saponify, right? How would I determine how much oil to add? Is this batch hopeless?

I'm throwing out the master batched lye either way since these results make me suspicious of it. If anyone's had this experience or has some advice on how this batch might be saved (or is definitely hopeless) I'd really appreciate it.

Attached is my recipe for the bad batch.

 

[basti]

Did the beads look something like this? And are the beads still there?

I had zappy beads on the soap above after I pulled it out of my toaster oven the next day. A few hours later the beads were gone and didn't zap.

As a beginner myself, I'll defer to the experts on this one. But if your soap is anything like mine, it might be okay if it doesn't zap after the beads vanish.

 

[OWU Soaps]

Ooo, now I'm getting my hopes up!

 

[Obsidian]

In the future, when you get zappy beads like that, give it time to reabsorb and zap test in a week or so.
Your soap likey got a little too warm, causing it to weep. It should be fine if you leave it be.

As far as the batter thickening fast, did you use a new FO or oils?

 

[OWU Soaps]

Thanks. It thickened before I added fragrance oils. Really probably just 15 seconds of stick blend/stirring. It turned more yellow than I've seen before. I stirred more after because I didn't want uneven saponification with it hardening so quick, and it looked to me to be the same texture, color, etc. all the way through. I looked through my ingredients and compared them to all the old ones and this is the first one that I've added shea butter, and the shea butter is old too. It's been hidden for probably three years. Think that's my problem?

 

[Obsidian]

Good chance it is, old oil can cause accelaration.

 

[KiwiMoose]

I get these little beads of 'sweat' all the time and yes they do zap in the first day or so. Then after that they go away and don't zap. Don;t throw that batch away - I'm sure it will be fine.

 

[OWU Soaps]

Thanks everyone. I used the same lye batch on a smaller loaf without the old shea butter and it acted normally, so I'm pretty sure it was the shea butter like Obsidian said. A lot of the beads ended up solidifying on the top as little white beads. I tried wiping them off with a damp paper towel but it didn't work well, so I'm thinking I'll end up trimming the top off, unless someone has some better advice.

 

[SSC Oregon]

Time and patience is the best advice. I've had soap look and behave completely different two weeks after making.

Can't wait to hear the update on it

 

[Servant4Christ]

Wow, thank you for posting this! I knew soap could initially be zappy and then be fine a few days later. I also knew that the beads could reabsorb. I learned these things by reading about them here on the forum. But I had no idea shea (or older oils) could accelerate like that!
BTW, @basti that's impressive. You managed to make zappy beads look good with your design!