Soapmaking

[Melana]

Is it wrong that I want to make more like now?

 

[Yooper]

Is it wrong that I want to make more like now?

It's worse than brewing that way, isn't it?

That's why we ended up with lots of soap, but not so much beer.

I've said it before, but if Bob would shower more and drink less, we'd be able to match up our supply/demand issues here.

So, if he showers 6 times per day, and goes to 3 beers per week, we should even out in mid-2016.

A "good" thing is that salt bars don't last nearly as long as a tallow bar, or other traditional bar, so I can make salt bars once a month and get my soap fix by only making 4 salt bars a month.

I pretty much have a lifetime supply of deer tallow bars............................
plus more deer tallow in the freezer. Those bars last forever and ever and ever. I guess that is a good thing for people who would buy soap, since they'd get their $6 worth and more, but for those who want to make soap it sorta sucks.

 

[Melana]

Top decorated.

View attachment 1448201500963.jpg

 

[applescrap]

Please feel free to mail me some of those beautiful soaps so you can make more!

 

[Melana]

Please feel free to mail me some of those beautiful soaps so you can make more!

Maybe I will

 

[CA_Mouse]

I will have to post some pics of our's...

 

[Phunhog]

Does anyone else use their own homebrew for soap?...Didn't read through all 19 pages I have made a few batches now using the cold process and can't believe how easy it is!! To really emphasize the "beer" part I use milled grain or homegrown hops in the mix. Just like brewing I really enjoy the process. Obviously I can't possibly use that much soap so I have started selling mine at local craft fairs and beer festivals.

 

[Yooper]

Does anyone else use their own homebrew for soap?...Didn't read through all 19 pages I have made a few batches now using the cold process and can't believe how easy it is!! To really emphasize the "beer" part I use milled grain or homegrown hops in the mix. Just like brewing I really enjoy the process. Obviously I can't possibly use that much soap so I have started selling mine at local craft fairs and beer festivals.

I don't use grain or hops- the grain is too scratchy and the hops turn brown.

But I do use beer in many of my soaps. And I've steep hops in the water before using, although the hoppy aroma doesn't seem to survive long. I'm thinking that I'll do a hot process soap, and add the steeped hops liquid at the end, to see if that survives better.

 

[Yeroc]

Subscribed. I've gotta do this soon.

 

[Melana]

Subscribed. I've gotta do this soon.

Don't do it. It's a slippery slope.

 

[aeviaanah]

Don't do it. It's a slippery slope.

Haha!

 

[Yooper]

Don't do it. It's a slippery slope.

I laughed and laughed.

I'm sorry. I shouldn't have led you down this path.

Do you want to talk about liquid soap making? how about hot process (I do a lot of hot process now)? Or, making lotions, lotion bars, bath salts, body butters, body scrubs?

I'm sorry to have been a bad influence on you. But c'mon- you have SOAP.

 

[brewerJase]

Anyone make a hop soap?

 

[Phunhog]

I don't use grain or hops- the grain is too scratchy and the hops turn brown.

But I do use beer in many of my soaps. And I've steep hops in the water before using, although the hoppy aroma doesn't seem to survive long. I'm thinking that I'll do a hot process soap, and add the steeped hops liquid at the end, to see if that survives better.

Have you ever used any hop oil? The type that is supposed to replicate dry hopping. Thinking it might work really well in soap making hop aroma.

 

[Yooper]

Have you ever used any hop oil? The type that is supposed to replicate dry hopping. Thinking it might work really well in soap making hop aroma.

No. I read my ingredients, and it states it has alcohol in it. I was afraid my soap would seize, so I didn't use it.

 

[Phunhog]

No. I read my ingredients, and it states it has alcohol in it. I was afraid my soap would seize, so I didn't use it.

Interesting. Do you boil your beer before you use it for soap so that the alcohol cooks off? I have seen some recipes that call for that. I have also seen some recipes say the beer needs to be flat and warm. The recipe I have been using came out of Zymurgy from a few years back. They just call for "beer" and didn't make mention of any special treatment for the beer.

 

[CA_Mouse]

We have used several different beers so far. We boil off the alcohol and have used very dry beers, so that there is very little residual sugar left to interact with the lye.

I think my favorites were a Sour Cherry Chocolate Stout and an Amarillo Pale Ale that we added Wasabi to for a bit of spice aroma. My favorite is 'Not Your Irish Spring' - Cedar and Lavender with Pink Sea Salt.

 

[Yooper]

Interesting. Do you boil your beer before you use it for soap so that the alcohol cooks off? I have seen some recipes that call for that. I have also seen some recipes say the beer needs to be flat and warm. The recipe I have been using came out of Zymurgy from a few years back. They just call for "beer" and didn't make mention of any special treatment for the beer.

Yes, I do boil it to decarbonate it, get the alcohol out, and also to condense it a bit (so I can use more). Then I just let it cool while I get my other things together.

If I use a beer with a higher FG, I take the added sugar into account, but it's not much. Some times 1 use 1 teaspoon of sugar per pound of oils in the batch anyway (makes greater lathering/bubbles) so I'll just leave out other sugars like honey or sugar if I'm using, say, oatmeal stout.

 

[Homercidal]

I laughed and laughed.

I'm sorry. I shouldn't have led you down this path.

Do you want to talk about liquid soap making? how about hot process (I do a lot of hot process now)? Or, making lotions, lotion bars, bath salts, body butters, body scrubs?

I'm sorry to have been a bad influence on you. But c'mon- you have SOAP.

FYI - Kris wants to do more "homemade" gifts this year and get into the festive spirit. She mentioned I might want to make some soaps.

This led to her asking if we can make liquid soaps. I told her you make that and lip balm, laundry soap, etc. So I will be looking up some of those recipes real soon. Hopefully in an hour or so.

 

[Yooper]

FYI - Kris wants to do more "homemade" gifts this year and get into the festive spirit. She mentioned I might want to make some soaps.

This led to her asking if we can make liquid soaps. I told her you make that and lip balm, laundry soap, etc. So I will be looking up some of those recipes real soon. Hopefully in an hour or so.

Liquid soaps can be tougher to do and to do well.

You need KOH instead of sodium hydroxide. Also, due to dilution enough to be fluid, sometimes they are a bit thin. So, to get around that, I found "the glycerine method" which works great, but costs more, since you have to buy glycerine but the drug stores have it. Here's the link:
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0LPCXo2zvE&ab_channel=TheLadyMarah[/ame]

I found that not using glycerine, and just doing traditional liquid soap, I use a mixture of NaOH and KOH, (about 2% of the lye is NaOH, so it holds together with some body better) and then dilute the paste as much as it takes.

Tell Kris about Bath Bombs! Those are the best, and people love them. Oh, sure, it's mainly women and girls- but Quinn loves them too. He calls them "bath fizzies". Last year I did Christmas tree molds that a friend had and they were perfectly sized. For me, I did use some whole hops, because, well, beer.

You drop one in the tub, and it's like a jacuzzi when it fizzes around the tub. I use citric acid and baking soda for the reaction, but that also makes nice soft water for softer skin. A tiny bit of oil (either sweet almond oil or avocado oil) and some essential oils- and a few miniature squirts of water just enough to hold together but not start the reaction- and then set on a rack in a dry place to harden out before storing. http://www.instructables.com/id/How-To-Make-Bath-Bombs/

Bath salts are just epsom salts, and Dead sea salts with some essential oil and again, maybe a wee bit of sweet almond oil (but not enough to make your tub slipper). My daughter loves orange essential oil, so that's what I do for her. Lavender is awesome as well.

The lip balms are super easy.

Oh, boy. I wish I didn't have to work today/this evening- now I want to make lip balm, bath bombs and bath salts!!!!!!!!

 

[Homercidal]

Liquid soaps can be tougher to do and to do well.

You need KOH instead of sodium hydroxide. Also, due to dilution enough to be fluid, sometimes they are a bit thin. So, to get around that, I found "the glycerine method" which works great, but costs more, since you have to buy glycerine but the drug stores have it. Here's the link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0LPCXo2zvE&ab_channel=TheLadyMarah

I found that not using glycerine, and just doing traditional liquid soap, I use a mixture of NaOH and KOH, (about 2% of the lye is NaOH, so it holds together with some body better) and then dilute the paste as much as it takes.

Tell Kris about Bath Bombs! Those are the best, and people love them. Oh, sure, it's mainly women and girls- but Quinn loves them too. He calls them "bath fizzies". Last year I did Christmas tree molds that a friend had and they were perfectly sized. For me, I did use some whole hops, because, well, beer.

You drop one in the tub, and it's like a jacuzzi when it fizzes around the tub. I use citric acid and baking soda for the reaction, but that also makes nice soft water for softer skin. A tiny bit of oil (either sweet almond oil or avocado oil) and some essential oils- and a few miniature squirts of water just enough to hold together but not start the reaction- and then set on a rack in a dry place to harden out before storing. http://www.instructables.com/id/How-To-Make-Bath-Bombs/

Bath salts are just epsom salts, and Dead sea salts with some essential oil and again, maybe a wee bit of sweet almond oil (but not enough to make your tub slipper). My daughter loves orange essential oil, so that's what I do for her. Lavender is awesome as well.

The lip balms are super easy.

Oh, boy. I wish I didn't have to work today/this evening- now I want to make lip balm, bath bombs and bath salts!!!!!!!!

Got some Potassium Hydroxide in my cart now. No problem with the glycerine. I have a small bottle already from when I meant to make transparent soap (might still do that too...)

My young one and her friend are into the bath bombs. They've actually saved up money to buy different ones. I wonder if she'd like making some from scratch. Finding the right scents and colors might be challenging.

We found a friend is selling some "natural-ish" cleaners and health foods, etc. and they sell some essential oils. I might try a couple of those out in soap.

 

[CA_Mouse]

Tell Kris about Bath Bombs! Those are the best, and people love them. Oh, sure, it's mainly women and girls- but Quinn loves them too. He calls them "bath fizzies". Last year I did Christmas tree molds that a friend had and they were perfectly sized. For me, I did use some whole hops, because, well, beer.

The lip balms are super easy.

The bath bombs sound like fun to try. We've been going around and around on doing lip balms. Several female bartenders have said they would buy everything we can make, *IF* I can get my Zebra Stripe IPA flavor into a lip balm...

 

[Melana]

I laughed and laughed.

I'm sorry. I shouldn't have led you down this path.

Do you want to talk about liquid soap making? how about hot process (I do a lot of hot process now)? Or, making lotions, lotion bars, bath salts, body butters, body scrubs?

I'm sorry to have been a bad influence on you. But c'mon- you have SOAP.

Cheese is next.

 

[VApatriot]

I hope you guys aren't really big fans of Tyler Durden are you ? If you're not familiar, watch Fight Club and you'll know what I mean.

 

[thunderwagn]

Making liquid soap is great and you will get spoiled to it! The thinner body works really well in foaming/pump type dispensers. Now, when I go somewhere that has regular "softsoap" I can't believe how thick and nasty it is.

 

[Melana]

Honey oatmeal bars out of the mold and cut

View attachment 1448313095104.jpg

View attachment 1448313105759.jpg

 

[Temptd2]

@Melana - that soap is just gorgeous! Love how the bubble wrap gives it that "honeycomb" look. NICE job.

 

[CA_Mouse]

Okay here are a few of the soaps that we are doing at Raincross Soapworks

Matched set of a Bull Dog - Strawberry Hefeweissen soap for a local brewery called Sons of Liberty Aleworks

Bottom row left to right.
Looks like Rain - Rain Scented soap
Not Your Irish Spring - Cedar and Lavender with Pink Sea Salt
LoveSpell - named for the essence

 

[Melana]

@Melana - that soap is just gorgeous! Love how the bubble wrap gives it that "honeycomb" look. NICE job.

Thank you. I might have to start sending people random bars of soap just to make room for more soap.

 

[Temptd2]

Thank you. I might have to start sending people random bars of soap just to make room for more soap.

My address is..... LOL!!!

I envy your talent there, seriously I do. SOME day I'd like to try it. You and @Yooper are VERY BAD INFLUENCES, amongst others, like @ChefRex and @PassedPawn and many more on this site!