Beer Bath Benefits, Ingredient by Ingredient

Have you ever heard of a beer bath? It might sound wild, but this spa treatment isn't a tub of warmed-up beer from a keg. It’s warm water steeped with the same hops and malted barley brewers use, plus a seasonal blend of herbs to help you relax. There’s no beer, yeast, or alcohol in the bath itself. 

Every ingredient in that blend is there for a reason. Learn what goes into the tub at Oakwell Beer Spa, how each ingredient affects your skin and your mood, and what you can expect during a beer bath.

What’s In a Beer Bath?

A beer bath is a soothing tub of warm water infused with hops, barley, and seasonal herbs. It’s a spa treatment, rather than a tub of fermented beer, and it doesn’t contain any yeast.

Oakwell has an in-house herbalist who puts together our beer bath blends. While the herbalist rotates the blend seasonally, the base never changes. Our beer baths always include hops and malted barley, which are the backbone of beer’s signature flavor. 

However, you won’t find these ingredients in any of our herbal beer baths:

• No actual beer: None of our herbal infusions contain alcohol. If you want to enjoy a beer while you soak, you’re free to explore Oakwell’s self-pour taproom. 
• No alcohol: The alcohol goes in your glass, not your bath. We also offer plenty of non-alcoholic drinks in the taproom, so alcohol is completely optional. 
• No yeast: Yeast is the catalyst that turns malt into beer. We never put it in our baths, so nothing ferments. 

If you want to avoid barley, Oakwell also offers a gluten-free beer bath mix that replaces the barley with millet. Just let your Beer Therapist know about your preference when you arrive. 

Depending on when you visit, your beer-infused herbal blend may also contain: 

• Lavender
• Calendula
• Chamomile
• Peppermint 

We steep this herbal mix in a large tea bag, creating a mineral-rich bath that's incredibly relaxing. The blend steeps as the tub fills, turning the water into a giant herbal beer tea you soak in through your skin. It’s warm, but never above 100°F, so the beer bath is more of a gentle soak that’s close to your body temperature. 

The Beer Bath Benefits of Hops

Hops are the flowers of the hop plant, which give beer its bitter bite and its earthy, floral aroma. They’re rich in antioxidants and have a long history outside the brewhouse. In fact, people used to stuff dried hops into pillows to help them fall asleep. Today, hop extracts are still popular in natural deodorants or skincare products because of their antibacterial properties. 

When you’re soaking at Oakwell, you’ll probably notice the earthy notes of hops first. Hops add a calm, herbal note that grounds you and helps you relax. If you love the hoppy side of a pint, plan a beer soak around Oktoberfest to indulge in all things hops.

The Beer Bath Benefits of Malted Barley

Barley is a natural grain that brewers use to give beer its warm, bready note. It’s rich in beta-glucans, which are the same kind of fiber that makes oat baths soothing, along with B vitamins and minerals. It’s no wonder that beauty companies add barley extracts to moisturizers and masks. Malted barley is barley that’s been sprouted and dried, which gives it a richer, toasted flavor. 

When you soak in a malted barley infusion at Oakwell, you’ll notice the water has a silky feel—that’s the beta-glucans at work. You’ll also notice the warm, malted scent coming from the bath. It’s the same malt you’d taste on a brewery crawl, but absorbing slowly through your skin as you soak.

The Beer Bath Benefits of Seasonal Herbs

Oakwell’s in-house herbalist changes up our infusions by month and season. Depending on when you visit, you can choose between different herbal blends. 

Each ingredient has a different property and creates a slightly different soaking experience. When you check in for your private suite reservation, your Beer Therapist will present the available herbal infusions. Follow your nose to pick your favorite. 

While ingredients change, these are some of the most common additions you’ll find in Oakwell’s herbal blends. 

Lavender

Lavender is a classic, relaxing aroma that we all know and love. People use it to wind down before bed, so you’ll find it in pillow sprays, bath salts, lotions, and much more. 

At Oakwell, we add lavender to our blends to soften the earthy scent of the hops. It doesn’t hurt that the smell is amazing, either!

Calendula

Calendula is a type of marigold, and its bright orange petals have been used for centuries to soothe dry and irritated skin. You’ll find it in balms, baby creams, and lotions for sensitive skin. Our herbalist adds calendula to the beer bath as a skin-soothing element.

Chamomile

Chamomile is gentle in a cup of tea and gentle on skin. It’s a familiar ingredient in products for sensitive and easily irritated skin, and its soft, apple-like aroma makes the bath feel more like a cup of tea than a pint.

Peppermint

Peppermint contains menthol, which is a natural compound with a cool, fresh scent. We use it sparingly, but it adds a bright note to the blend, keeping the soak from feeling too heavy or earthy.

Warm Water Also Benefits Your Body

As much as we’d love to credit our herbal beer bath blend with its relaxing benefits, warm water also plays a role. 

Oakwell’s tubs are programmed to stay close to your body temperature so they feel soothing, not hot. The infusion also creates tiny bubbles while you soak, which feels like a pleasant massage in the warm water. 

As you float, the water takes pressure off your joints while tight, tired muscles loosen. That’s why a soak feels so good after a hard workout or a day on the slopes.

Together, warm water and aromatic herbs help you release tension and breathe deeply. Leave your phone in your bag to get a break from screens and lap up all of the benefits of a beer bath.

How a Beer Bath Feels and Smells

The water feels silky because of the barley and herbs, but it never feels sticky. The aroma is earthy and herbal, with hops and a hint of warm bread up front, and lavender, chamomile, or peppermint depending on this month’s infusion.

Don’t worry: when you get out of the bath, you won’t smell like beer. Our guests say that they smell lightly herbal after a soak. But if you would prefer it, you can rinse off in the rain shower in your suite for a fresh start, too. 

Because the blend changes every month, a visit next season won’t be quite the same as this one. If you’re comparing soaks, our guide on beer spa vs wine bath vs sauna will give you a good idea of how each experience differs. 

If you have a known allergy to any of these herbs, or to ragweed and daisies (chamomile and calendula are in the same family), tell the team when you book, and check who should skip or shorten heat treatments if you have a health condition.

How to Take a Beer Bath at Home

Sure, you could buy hops, barley, and a bag of dried herbs and steep them in your tub. But our herbalist knows the proportions, changes the blend with the season, and can adjust it for you if an herb doesn’t agree with you. Getting it right at home takes some trial and error, and you’d be the one scrubbing the tub afterward. Honestly, it’s easier to let us brew your beer bath for you.

If you still want a beer bath at home, choose Oakwell Cosmetics. The Herbal Beer Bath Tea is a ready-made tea bag of hops, malted barley, and eucalyptus. Hang it under the spout while the tub fills, then soak for at least 20 minutes, cold drink in hand. For extra relaxation, add a quarter cup of Calming Beer Bath Salts. 

An at-home beer bath kit is a great treat for yourself, but it’s also a smart self-care gift for anyone in your life who could use a little relaxation. 

You can try Oakwell Cosmetics before you buy, too. We stock all private spa suites with Oakwell Cosmetics body care products, so sample them to your heart’s content.

Leave the Brewing to Us

Earthy hops, warm malted barley, and a seasonal handful of herbs give every beer bath its own character. Add warm water and a little time to yourself, and you’ve got a pretty good reason to clear your calendar.

Bring your nose for a good herbal blend and leave the rest to Oakwell. Book your spa day, pick your infusion, and settle in for a soak. We’ll even handle the tub cleanup.

Experience the benefits of a beer bath: Book your spa day at Oakwell now.