Teach Soap

So decided to try a new recipe + new EO today...pretty mega seizing (chunks of soaps as I poured a very thick mess). Made a pretty standard recipe but used beer (flat and boiled off) as half of my water and a new EO that I just bought - gingergrass. Anyone have any experience with gingergrass? Smells awesome but whoa...something definitely went wrong here. What should I expect from this soap when I cut tomorrow? Will it be a big chunky mess? Uggh - wish i decided to try this out on a smaller batch - hate to chuck 8 lbs of soap!

I have not had a problem with Gingergrass in CP soap. What was your recipe and method? At what temp did you combine your oils and lye? If it was chunky when you put it in the mold, there's a chance you could have lye pockets. Wait til tomorrow before cutting (carefully). If it's not usable when you cut it, you can try to rebatch. You can also test for zap tomorrow.

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

The soap batter was fine before i added the EO - nice and smooth and came to trace at a normal amt of time. My recipe was basically 35% OO, 35% Coconut, 25% Palm, 5% Shea. Soaped at 110 degrees.
Guess it had to happen at some point...

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

It may be that although the gingergrass would ordinarily be well behaved, the beer may have pushed it over the edge, as it were.

Anita

yeah that is what i suspect.
Irena - my oils are usually around 105-110...ok to add EO to oils at that temp?

So I just cut into it...no lye pockets, no zap...but the chunks were definitely the EO...some bars have lumps of seepy brown. Fortunately there are only a few so I am hoping to slavage at least some of the batch. The rest I may try to rebatch.

I add my EO's to oils that are about 110 (US) with no problems. I hope this batch is salveagable.

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

Making a tried and true recipe tonight to redeem myself! Need some soapy success...amazing how a semi-failed batch can make me feel bummed all day!!