🍺 Why I Started Making Soap (And What Beer Had to Do With It)

By Lisa Carroll – Founder, The Upcycled Soap Company

When people ask me how I got into soapmaking, I usually say, “Well… it started with a Border Collie and a beer.”

And while that sounds like the setup for a joke, it’s the absolute truth.

🐾 A Broken Leg and a Big Idea

It all started with my dog, Bailey. My beautiful, goofy Border Collie broke his leg—and the vet bill was huge. At the time, I was emotionally drained, spiritually fried, and financially on the edge. I’d bounced between jobs that never quite felt right, and I was desperate for something—anything—that felt like it had purpose.

I knew I had to do something to cover the costs. But I also knew I didn’t want to go back to doing something that made me feel small and miserable.

📚 The Cookbook, the Beer, and the Spark

While flipping through an old Tooheys New cookbook (a bit of a time capsule from Aussie kitchens past), I found a recipe for beer soap. Something clicked. I’d always loved science and cooking—soapmaking felt like both, but without the temptation to eat the results.

So I gave it a go. I made a batch using that Tooheys recipe. It turned out surprisingly well! But I didn’t sell it. That first batch wasn’t meant for that—it was just me, experimenting. Getting a feel for the process. Seeing if this wild idea might go somewhere.

Spoiler alert: it did.

🧼 From Melt & Pour Meltdown to a Mission

After my first try, I went full rabbit hole mode—down into the depths of YouTube and TikTok tutorials. I bought myself a Melt and Pour soap kit to “keep it simple” and test things out.

It was… a disaster.

The colours ran. The scents were off. I probably microwaved something I shouldn't have. But I loved it. Every slippery, wonky, messy part of it. Something about it felt right. I felt right.

So I kept going.

🍻 When the Beer Got Real

Eventually, I decided to try again with beer—but this time, from scratch and with a mission.

I reached out to Reece at Four Hearts Brewing here in Ipswich and explained my idea: to upcycle beer that was past its best into handmade soap. He handed me two four-packs and his email, saying, “Bring me some samples.”

That moment was the beginning of The Upcycled Soap Company.

♻️ From Leftovers to Legacy

Today, I work with breweries, cafés, and local businesses to rescue their surplus and transform it into something practical and beautiful—soap, shampoo bars, household cleaners, and more. We’ve used over-fermented beer, coffee grounds, fruit peels, and other rediscovered resources to create products that prove: waste isn’t waste—it’s just waiting for a second chance.

My very first beer soap wasn’t perfect. But it opened a door to something bigger than me.

💚 This Is Why I Do It

This company wasn’t built in a boardroom. It was built in the kitchen, with a beer bottle in one hand and a spatula in the other. It was built on long nights, kitchen disasters, YouTube tutorials, and the love of a dog who needed me to show up.

That first batch? It paid for Bailey’s care. The batches after that? They became my purpose.

If you’re reading this wondering whether your quirky, slightly chaotic passion project might become something more—this is your sign.

You don’t have to fit the mould to make something beautiful.
You just have to start.

With bubbles and beer,
Lisa Carroll
Founder, The Upcycled Soap Company