Making some soap today!

[Yooper]

I have even more hobbies now. I'm making an oatmeal/honey soap today- 7 pounds of it!

I am thinking about holding out a little bit of it and not adding the oatmeal and adding some crushed hops (fresh from my bines) to a small bit just to see how it is. I've read that adding green leafy things will turn into brown hardened bits, though, so I'm not eager to try too much. Maybe just a tiny, tiny bit. Like one bar.

 

[wildwest450]

Don't you already have hops coming out of your pores?


_

 

[Bithead]

I have a bar of hand-made soap (Duross & LLangel) that was a gift. It's "Hop Devil" and they say it was "inspired by Victory Brewing". Smells wonderful. It's described as "citrus and pine notes from natural hops blend with caramel notes of toasted malt".

 

[Yooper]

I ended up keeping just enough for one small round bar of soap, and didn't add any fragrance to it. I crushed up about 10 hops cones from my hallertauer bine, and mixed it in. It smells great, but I think it will fade a lot.

 

[Revvy]

Hmmm, I wonder if the butane process mentioned in another thread would produce a hop oil that could be usable in soap making. I don't know if the thread was locked or not since the process evidently has been usually used with hop's more famous cousin, and the thread became contentions. But Having out of curiosity googled the process a learned more than I ever wanted to know about "cousin" having not touched the stuff in over 20 years when I puked on the Motown Funk Brother's and Marcus Belgrave.

But the process sounds interesting when applied to hops.

 

[Yooper]

Hmmm, I wonder if the butane process mentioned in another thread would produce a hop oil that could be usable in soap making. I don't know if the thread was locked or not since the process evidently has been usually used with hop's more famous cousin, and the thread became contentions. But Having out of curiosity googled the process a learned more than I ever wanted to know about "cousin" having not touched the stuff in over 20 years when I puked on the Motown Funk Brother's and Marcus Belgrave.

But the process sounds interesting when applied to hops.

I thought of the hops extract that I got from hopsdirect. But I think it's got an alcohol-based extraction, and you can't use alcohol in soapmaking (as it'll keep it from working). Does that butane process end up with alcohol-free extract?

 

[Revvy]

I thought of the hops extract that I got from hopsdirect. But I think it's got an alcohol-based extraction, and you can't use alcohol in soapmaking (as it'll keep it from working). Does that butane process end up with alcohol-free extract?

I'm not sure. You might want to ask in that thread, if it hasn't been locked.

 

[remilard]

You could use the c02 extracted hop resin (HopShot at Northern Brewer), they sell it in Amarillo now. It is much cheaper than hop oil and I don't think the extra resins would hurt anything (no more than using actual hops would of course).

 

[SwampassJ]

Send me a few pounds in case the hurricane knocks out our power and safe water.

 

[TxBrew]

I have a good friend that used to make me anise soap. I love it and miss it.

 

[Yooper]

I scented this batch with an orange essential oil, and a very small hint of cinnamon. I wanted it to not be too "guy-ish" or "girly" scented, just clean. I didn't scent my last goat's milk/oatmeal soap at all, and I actually like the unscented soap a lot. This batch will be very lightly scented in the end- more with just a hint of citrusy aroma than actual orange scent.

I'm already thinking of my next project- shampoo bars. I like the idea of a natural shampoo that works. (Have you read a shampoo bottle's ingredient list?)

I've seen that some guys like shaving soaps, so I was also considering a shaving soap as well.

 

[bottlebomber]

I thought of the hops extract that I got from hopsdirect. But I think it's got an alcohol-based extraction, and you can't use alcohol in soapmaking (as it'll keep it from working). Does that butane process end up with alcohol-free extract?

Sounds like fun! Ummm *cough* I don't know about the thread on here, but in a previous life I had some experience with this extraction process. There will be virtually no residue from the butane. I used the liquid butane refills with the nozzle on them, and you would basically just need a 1 quart canning jar with a small hole drilled through the bottom of the glass, and a screen screwed over the opening using the screw ring. Then you would just fire a can (or maybe 2) of the butane through the small hole, letting the solution come out of the screen side (which would be pointed down) into a glass or SS bowl. The butane will come out in liquid form, and it will boil off at room temp within an hour leaving a relatively thick tar. However I can't really recommend this method as it is potentially very dangerous (you wouldn't want to be smoking or cooking with open flame around) And possibly illegal. But that's how its done.

 

[android]

nice yoop, sounds like you're hooked on the soap now! i'm interested to hear how that hop soap turns out.

also curious to know how you end up liking the shampoo bars, i've never tried those, but have definitely been tempted to.

i've been trying all summer to come up with a good shaving soap and haven't quite gotten there yet. there's a bunch of good threads on shaving soap in the soapmakingforum.com.

 

[Homercidal]

Making a Castille soap is on my short list of new hobbies to try my hand at. I do prefer the bar soap to the liquid detergent that everyone sells nowadays. I just have to finish a few things around the house, like the ball joints on my friend's daughter's car, and I think I should probably brew that KBS clone before they year gets any older.

I understand the soapmaking process can take a little time when you are fist starting out. I really just need to get a good container to let it set up in at this point.

I also wanted to build a wooden tray with hinged sides for making it easy to remove the soap and cut bars in. Maybe after the first batch to see what it's like.

 

[android]

homer, just make sure you invest in a cheap stick blender, it makes the soap making process go WAY faster.

 

[Yooper]

homer, just make sure you invest in a cheap stick blender, it makes the soap making process go WAY faster.

This! The first time I made soap, I stirred for 45 minutes without reaching trace!

With a stick blender, it's about 5 minutes.

I made a very small (three bar sized) batch of shampoo bar soap last evening, and it is supposed to take longer to harden due to the emollient oils.

Homer, did I give you any soap when you were in my brewery? My soap drawer is in the brewery. I only had a castille with shea butter and an oatmeal/goat's milk soap in there, but they were nicely cured and both are very mild.

The bigger batch of soap worked perfectly in the box my new netbook came in! I just lined it with a kitchen garbage bag and it was the perfect size.

The shampoo bar soap is in a loaf pan, lined with freezer paper. Nothing fancy, and the bars aren't the prettiest bars, but it works!

 

[Shooter]

I hot bowl of soup sounds really good right now. I like the idea of that oatmeal, hop soup, but am not big on goat's milk. I might fire up the stock pot and...what's that? Soap?!? What the..?!?! Oh, SOAP!!!

Nevermind.

I too like soap, gets me clean!

 

[IrregularPulse]

Wife and I were just talking about making soap two nights ago, but realized we don't use bar soap. Anyone make liquid shower soap?

 

[Homercidal]

This! The first time I made soap, I stirred for 45 minutes without reaching trace!

With a stick blender, it's about 5 minutes.

I made a very small (three bar sized) batch of shampoo bar soap last evening, and it is supposed to take longer to harden due to the emollient oils.

Homer, did I give you any soap when you were in my brewery? My soap drawer is in the brewery. I only had a castille with shea butter and an oatmeal/goat's milk soap in there, but they were nicely cured and both are very mild.

The bigger batch of soap worked perfectly in the box my new netbook came in! I just lined it with a kitchen garbage bag and it was the perfect size.

The shampoo bar soap is in a loaf pan, lined with freezer paper. Nothing fancy, and the bars aren't the prettiest bars, but it works!

No, but we were in a hurry to get back and brew. I meant to ask you more about soap while we were there, but really there wasn't enough time to hang out and do our beer as it was.

I have one of those stick blenders. I suppose I *could* use it for soap. I sometimes use it for cooking, but rarely. What about a mixer? I have a few of those...

I haven't got any fragrance yet. I am thinking about a nice Centennial.

 

[TxBrew]

I scented this batch with an orange essential oil, and a very small hint of cinnamon. I wanted it to not be too "guy-ish" or "girly" scented, just clean. I didn't scent my last goat's milk/oatmeal soap at all, and I actually like the unscented soap a lot. This batch will be very lightly scented in the end- more with just a hint of citrusy aroma than actual orange scent.

I'm already thinking of my next project- shampoo bars. I like the idea of a natural shampoo that works. (Have you read a shampoo bottle's ingredient list?)

I've seen that some guys like shaving soaps, so I was also considering a shaving soap as well.

I would like a shampoo bar, especially for travel.

 

[Joker]

I have recently become interested in making soap and look forward to making my first attempt soon.

 

[BigDaddyBeard]

Anyone care to share any of your soap recipes? Was looking into making some and on a whim looked into HBT. I figure it would be better for my kids so any advice or recipes would be much appreciated.

 

[jnr1005]

Wondering how everyones "hop" scents turn out? I have searched and searched web sites, and it seems a lot of people have issues with getting the scent to stay. Thinking about trying those co2 extracts in my soap, but curious if anyone ever has?