WGME || Maine Makers

Creating Soap Using Beer: White Pine Bath & Brew

A business creating soap with beer - this morning we have more on the hoppy benefits and the new option she's offering for those with gluten allergies.

It's been a year and a half since we last spoke with Elaine Kenny the brains behind White Pine bath and Brew....

"I'm getting a little more crammed as you can probably tell. I've been expanding a lot physically - growing out of my space a bit. I've also been working with more breweries"

Kinney is keen on getting her beer from production excess and waste which would otherwise go down the drain.

"Things like short fills or beer that's been overstocked and is getting a little old and maybe the flavor isn't as punchy but there's not technically anything wrong with it but they're not allowed to sell it."

Her products still reap the benefits once she boils out the carbonation and alcohol.

"The hops contain amino acids which are really soothing for skin irritation. There's also biotin, pantothenic acid, and just tons of other essential vitamins in brewers yeast."

Customers get those extra vitamins compared to normal bars of soap which typically use water.

"I've also noticed that beer tends to enhance lather and make it a little more luxurious and frothy."

Kinney has recently heard from more gluten-sensitive customers asking if her products are safe, and she also recently went gluten-free.

"I've never had any issues with any of my beer soap - gluten or otherwise. But I definitely get that hesitation, that fear that you're going to, you know, get hurt. So I wanted to offer something new in my lineup that I felt represented those people and gave them that extra sense of security."

She's teaming up with Lucky Pigeon Brewing, a dedicated gluten-free brewery in Biddeford.

"It's very rare to find good gluten-free beer, so I was really excited to reach out to them, and I wanted to start using their beer in my cocoa butter bar which is a fragrance-free bar."

Now she's focused on spreading the word.

"I have had people at each market say, 'Well, I don't necessarily know if I should have this even though I'm not ingesting it.' Then I'm able to tell them, 'I'm gluten-free too; this has worked for me' - granted everyone's so different. But it's usually really exciting because they're like, 'oh, I want to try this now!'

You can find White Pine Bath & Brew at local markets as well as on her website. People who are going gluten-free - they kind of just want to feel included. So many positives in this story, I mean look, she's using the brewery waste, and then also helping to keep you clean. I didn't know that the beer made it more frothy! She can connect with her customers too as we said - she recently went gluten-free!

*White Pine Bath & Brew beer soap is not made in a dedicated gluten-free facility*