How to Make Beer Soap
What is beer soap? Quite simply, it is soap that is made with beer as the liquid instead of water. However, let me say that if you have not made beer soap before, you should be fully prepared. It is not for the faint of heart because you will have to work quickly. You should have quite a few successful batches of cold-processed soap under your belt before attempting this process. In fact, I am not even providing a recipe, only a method. Ok, that’s my disclaimer. You can’t say I didn’t warn you!
After that disclaimer, now let me share WHY you might want to make beer soap. For me, it’s a great marketing hook. I often hear at the market – “Wow! Look at that! Beer soap!” Besides that, beer is also supposed to be a great conditioner for your skin.
Are you ready to get started now? First, you will need to prepare the beer and the oils a full day ahead. Using your regular soap recipe, start by pouring the beer (use at least a 40% lye solution – do NOT discount the liquid) into a plastic pitcher (do NOT use pyrex or glass) and letting it get flat. Really flat. If you have carbon dioxide bubbles, you will have lye bubbles which is really not safe. I do this in the morning, so that by evening I can put the pitcher in the refrigerator to get cold overnight. I also melt all my solid oils and butters and combine them with the liquid oils in my soap pot. Then they can cool down to room temperature overnight. You want to do everything you can to slow down saponification.
The next day you can make soap. Here is my flat beer in the plastic pitcher just waiting for the lye to be added:
Now I add my lye EVER SO SLOWLY into the beer. Notice that I am wearing rubber gloves. Always wear your safety gear!!
It will turn a lighter yellowish color and start to stink pretty bad. That’s why I always make my lye solution under the fan under my microwave WHICH VENTS OUTSIDE. I also learned to cover the back of my stove with a towel. It seems that little bits of lye have eaten away some of the enamel finish. Oops. Back to the lye solution. If you pour the lye too quickly, the beer will heat up and cause a volcano. Ask me how I know! Fortunately, it was contained on my glass stovetop…
As the beer continues to heat up, it will turn back to a darker brown.
Once I have all the lye incorporated, I usually put the pitcher(s) in my sink with cold water and ice to speed up the cooling process. I’ve noticed that with a regular lye and water solution, the stink will eventually go away when all the lye has been fully incorporated. Not so much with the beer. In fact, the plastic pitcher will probably carry the smell even after you run it through the dishwasher too. So don’t think you can use it for lemonade when you’re finished making soap. NOT that you would use your lye pitcher for lemonade anyway!!
When the temperature of the lye solution reaches about 85-90 degrees, you’re ready to make soap. I do use my stick blender for this soap, but you really wouldn’t have to. It will set up just fine with a spoon. I just like the smoothness of soap that’s been blended with the electric blender. Not to mention the adrenaline rush of trying to get the soap made before it becomes a brick in your soap pot…
After about two seconds of stick blending, I add a little bit of wheat bran to this batch.
After stirring the wheat bran with my spoon, I add my essential oil blend. I like to stick blend this too just to be sure it’s all mixed in. Just for a few seconds though. Once it starts to thicken, it will set up fast.
Time to pour!
You can see that by the time I have it completely poured, it is really getting thick. I have a few seconds to smooth the top with my spoon, put plastic wrap over it, and cover it with a towel.
I usually cut this soap the next day. Sometimes I have to wait two. It requires a full 4-6 weeks to cure. And it really does NOT smell like beer when it’s all done. In fact, even by the time I cut it, all I can smell is the essential oil blend. Here’s my finished product:
Many thanks to my darling daughter (who will soon be eight) for taking pictures while I made this soap. I couldn’t have done it without her!
And if you like Patchouli Beer Bars, they are available at Greatcakessoapworks.com.























July 8th, 2009 at 4:10 am
Look at that! Those pictures are beautiful, and wow, beer soap.
Your daughter did a fantastic job too of taking pictures.
I always love looking at your soap pictures, they are quite amazing!
For some reason, I am getting a kick out of your ice cubes with the little holes in them, LOL
I remember as a kid when we would have ice like that, (not sure where it came from though), I would put them on my finger and think it was the greatest thing!
Have a great day!
Maryann´s last blog post ..Lets get dirty, lets get raw!
July 8th, 2009 at 5:43 am
Thanks, Maryann! I thought she did a great job too!
We actually have an ice machine that we keep in the basement – hubby’s idea – since the icemaker in our fridge died. It makes those fun ice cubes.
July 8th, 2009 at 10:52 am
WOW!! That looks so good – I will definitely be giving this a try, but thanks for the warnings, at least I know to be prepared and be careful! Do you mind me asking how big the batch was here?? It’s just that it looks a lot bigger than I’ve progressed to yet!
Thank u!!
Kriss
July 8th, 2009 at 11:51 am
I made two batches – one after the other – each was about 80 ounces of oils. (That’s why you see two pitchers of lye solution in the sink.) Feel free to use your regular sized recipe!
December 26th, 2009 at 11:09 pm
Do you know if you can add flat beer to Melt and Pour Soap bases?
January 12th, 2010 at 9:52 pm
This was an excellent tutorial. I was wondering if I can substitute oatmeal instead of the wheat bran? Your daughter did an excellent job taking pictures. You should be really proud of her.
Sheila
January 12th, 2010 at 10:06 pm
Sheila – You can definitely substitute oatmeal! Just make sure it is the old-fashioned, regular oats – NOT the quick oats. I’ve ruined a batch of soap using the quick oats when I first got started!
February 5th, 2010 at 1:33 pm
Thank you so much for this!!! I am currently making my first batch of beer soap for a St. Patrick’s Day contest with some other soapers. I am soooo glad I listened and put it in a plastic pitcher. I was pouring slowly and all the sudden it did the volcano thing. Fortunately it stopped right at the top of the pitcher and settled back down again but my heart was racing and I was freaking out that I might have a chemical spill on my hands. The pitcher saved it. Phew!! I can’t wait to see how this turns out.
February 5th, 2010 at 1:39 pm
Whew! I’m so glad a disaster was averted! Congratulations on your first batch of beer soap! Hope you win the contest!
June 24th, 2010 at 7:03 pm
Ok, so I KNOW I’ve read this post before, but I’m finally getting around to making beer soap! Yay! I knew there was something special that I needed to do with the beer prior…glad I came back to read it. And holy cow Amy! That is the BIGGEST log mold I think I’ve ever seen! lol
July 15th, 2010 at 4:26 pm
YOur daughter did a perfect job with the pics! I will start my soap making (not with beer first, LOL) soon. I’ve gotten into meade and love it!
July 15th, 2010 at 4:36 pm
Why, thank you, Lady Darcien! You appear to be quite the seamstress as well – what a beautiful shop you have. Best wishes on the soapmaking – it truly is a fun thing to do!