patching...
Welcome back, Patch Blogger!

What Happens When You Mix Your Hometown Beer with Your Hometown Soap?

Maybe you can help name the latest partnership being made in downtown Rochester.

 

Some might call Moon River Soap Company's latest creation "Pure Rochester."

After all, it's made right on East Street — under the watchful eyes of Rochester residents — and its main ingredient is brewed a block away on Water Street at Rochester Mills Beer Company.

Yes, it's Moon River's new beer soap.

"We had a lot of requests for a beer soap in our former location," owner Liz Aprea said. "When we moved here it seemed a given.

"How many people are fortunate enough to have an organic beer place a block away?"

A creamy (unnamed) delight

Rochester Mills Wits organic beer is the beer used in the soap. "It's made with an intoxicating aroma of sweet orange rinds and coriander," Aprea said. "Then we add our own sweet orange and clove essential oil."

Besides the subtle, sweet aroma, beer soap has other benefits.

"The hops soothe irritated skin, the polyphenals offer antibacterial properties and it also contains softening amino acids." Aprea said. "I wasn't sure going in on this one, but I love this soap!" 

The other all-natural ingredients include saponified oils of olive, coconut and organic palm, rosemary extract and vitamin E. 

All those great ingredients combine to produce an exceptional creamy lather and there is no remaining alcohol in the soap.

A 4.5 ounce unwrapped bar is priced at $6. 

Why no wrapping? 

At this time Moon River's beer soap is unnamed. "We our asking our customers what to name the soap," Aprea said.

Feel free to leave your name suggestions in the comments below.

Who remembers Body on Tap?

So without dating myself too much, I will say that I am from a certain generation that experienced the marketing wonder of a Bristol-Myers shampoo called Body on Tap.

Does that ring a bell with anyone?

It was a shampoo made with beer and it did wonderful things to my very straight, very limp hair. 

Alas, its time in the beauty product spotlight came and went and my hair went flat as day-old beer sitting in a warm mug.

So while interviewing Aprea about her "wonderbar" I couldn't wait to get it home to try it on my tresses.

Holy hops!

Yes, it smells great, lathers like a dream and I do believe I could actually hear my sun-saturated, soaked-in-chlorine skin give a sign of relief when hit with the foam of the beer soap.

But it is the condition of my hair — even on these hot, humid days — that makes me truly rejoice. 

Thirty-one years after the demise of Body On Tap, my hair has new life —body, bounce, it's beer-ific! 

 

About this column: What's happening around town? Laura Cassar woke up this morning, stuffed her boys' backpacks, kissed her hunky husband goodbye and asked herself that very question. Here are her best answers. Need more Laura? Follow her on Twitter @AroundTownLaura Related Topics: Around Town and Downtown Rochester
What would you call Rochester's beer soap? Tell us in the comments.

Patricia Kane

6:52 am on Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Why not call it "Suds"? My husband likes 'Brew"...
We first saw the soap during the sidewalk sales and were amazed by it.

Reply

Kristin Bull

7:38 am on Wednesday, July 25, 2012

I like these ideas and your idea, Laura, of "Pure Rochester," too!

Reply
Comment_arrow

Laura Cassar

7:53 am on Wednesday, July 25, 2012

If it was strictly used for shampoo I'd submit "Gee, Your Hair Smells Beer-ific" as a nod to yet another 1970's classic!

Laura Cassar

8:26 am on Wednesday, July 25, 2012

I noticed Rochester Mills posted this story on their Facebook wall and titled it "Beer Before Breakfast" which would also be a clever soap name!

Reply

Janice Rex-Weaver

9:02 am on Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Awesome! A marriage of 2 of my favorite businesses and business owners. Very cool. Love all the names already posted......looking forward to the grand soap unveiling party at the Mills!

Reply

Elizabeth Aprea

12:05 pm on Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Hello Moon Friends,
I love all of the good name ideas. A few of the other names that have been suggested are: "Suds", "Hops Right In", "Rochester Moon Suds", "Coriander Clove".
The soap smells like Autumn to me, it's warm, with a spice note to it. It happens to be my favorite scent to date. I think it's because it is such a unique smell with the hops and coriander.....
I too used "Body on Tap " in the 70's.

Reply
Comment_arrow

Laura Cassar

12:38 pm on Wednesday, July 25, 2012

I like having Rochester in the name since it's two great Rochester companies and it makes it a great, personal gift. But they're all great names!

Sherry

2:15 pm on Wednesday, July 25, 2012

How about "Rochester's Hair of the Dog"? i confess i semi-stole the idea from the person who suggested, "Beer before Breakfast," which is witty and fun. But think about your hair, and the need for beer in the morning...

Reply

Elizabeth Aprea

10:03 am on Thursday, July 26, 2012

Thanks to everyone for stopping in yesterday with your good naming ideas, we had several people asking for "Rochester" to be included in this hometown blend so at this point we are leaning towards "Rochester Suds". Where else can you find a soap with this specific aroma? We are still open to all ideas but we need a wrapper soon:)

Reply

Laura Cassar

7:27 pm on Thursday, July 26, 2012

I really like "Rochester Suds." In addition to the beer reference, it's also a nice nod to how wonderfully foamy the soap is.

Reply

Stephanie Orlando

11:30 am on Monday, August 27, 2012

I love all the suggestions, but I think you should have your name on it also. Rochester's Moon River Suds :)

Reply

Kristin Bull

3:25 pm on Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Moon River did indeed choose 'Rochester Suds' as the name for its Rochester Mills beer soap. We've added a photo of the finished product (wrapper and all)!

Reply

Leave a comment