When should I add Sake Kasu to soap?

[TeresaAdamsOberg]

Along with my soap making hobby, I dip into other realms including wine making. I decided to jump in and make sake (rice wine) a couple of years ago. The directions told me to carefully keep the lees (sake kasu) - the "dregs" or waste that settles out of all wine after fermentation. So I have a pint of the sake kasu that has been sitting in my refrigerator for a couple of years while I try to find how to incorporate it into soap for my face and hair. Of course I will superfat with some good oils like argon, but when do I add the sake kasu, I am thinking at trace? Does anyone have any experience with it? Would liquid or solid soap be better?

 

[Yooper]

I use wine/beer as the liquid in several of my soaps- but you do want to remove the alcohol first as it can cause the soap to seize. So you can boil the sake first, and use it as part of the liquid.

 

[TeresaAdamsOberg]

I use wine/beer as the liquid in several of my soaps- but you do want to remove the alcohol first as it can cause the soap to seize. So you can boil the sake first, and use it as part of the liquid.

It's not sake (the wine alcohol), it is the residual byproduct of sake making, the alcohol has been removed from it already. At what point do you add such an ingredient? You can buy Sake Kasu soap, so I know it can be incorporated.

 

[Yooper]

You can add it a trace then- I’ve never heard of adding the lees to soap, that sounds interesting. How do you remove alcohol from the lees?

 

[TeresaAdamsOberg]

You can add it a trace then- I’ve never heard of adding the lees to soap, that sounds interesting. How do you remove alcohol from the lees?

Because the lees is the byproduct (leftovers) created as wine ages, it settles to the bottom of the container where the wine is fermenting and aging. You syphon the wine off and all that remains is the "stuff" left over after fermentation. I will try to add it at trace and see what happens. Maybe 3-5% of the recipe?

 

[TeresaAdamsOberg]

I just added 2/3 ounce at trace for a 16 oz batch. It did not discolor or seize the batch, so I have my fingers crossed that it holds, but so far hardening normally. Not yet at a gel phase. I did add Kaolin clay and used kukui, vitamin E, rose hip and argon as my superfat (15%) trying to make this a gentle facial cleansing bar.

 

[toto]

Sake lees is a byproduct, and if yours is refined, then you can use about 25g in one kg of soap, but it is all up to you; with raw sake lees, I steam it first before it is used in my soap as alcohol content would be high and cos your soap to trace very quickly. You can mix it with a bit of oil and mix it in at a trace, but with sake lees, I always add it in first before the lye solution and mix it well with my blender. You do not need to use EO for this cos the scent of the sake will go through, and you will have a faint smell of sake. This is a traditional Japanese soap. I hope this helps you; try different amounts to add, as yours is not a refined product.

 

[Yooper]

Because the lees is the byproduct (leftovers) created as wine ages, it settles to the bottom of the container where the wine is fermenting and aging. You syphon the wine off and all that remains is the "stuff" left over after fermentation. I will try to add it at trace and see what happens. Maybe 3-5% of the recipe?

Yes, I'm a winemaker. I know how to rack wine. I was wondering how you removed alcohol from the lees, as there is still alcohol in there if there is ANY moisture at all.