Brewing Salt Starter Kit

The human tongue is a million-dollar apparatus and is very susceptible to slight chemical changes.

The reason for picking these two reagents is simple. Osteoporosis (deficiency of calcium in bones) in rampant in India esp amongst women. As a result we subtly prefer Calcium carbonate over sodium carbonates in our food.

Malic Acid is naturally found in apples. So cider, fruit beers greatly benefit from these acids when used to regulate pH.

For Calcium, Magnesium & Sulphate salts most recipes mention ppm or grams per liter in ions. Since most salts are available in various degree of hydration, we recommend using the Molar Mass as a reference. The table in the images has the details. But if the salt (Calcium Sulphate) has Molar mass of 246.47, this means that 246.47 grams of salt will introduce 1 Molar weight of Ca++ ions (or 40gm worth of calcium ions). This can be used to calculate the ppm (another common representation of the salt concentration and can be measured by TDS).

For Calcium Chloride, please remember that it is hygroscopic. This means that it will absorb water and turn liquid. Best way to store it is make a solution. eg: take a 100ml empty medicine water. Fill it with salts and then top it with water to make a 100ml solution. Every ml (using a dropper) is equal to 0.25gm of Calcium Chloride.

Three Reasons to Use Brewing Salts!

1. कोस-कोस पर पानी बदले, चार कोस पर वाणी

(the taste of water changes every mile and the dialect changes every 4 miles)

This essentially means that every water body (well, river or stream) has its own unique chemical profile. The rocks, flora, and fauna all introduce subtle changes to the taste and perception of water which we can subconsciously pick up. This is the reason why we don’t like the taste of distilled (or demineralized RO) water. Adding the right proportion of the salts can not only enhance the perception of the taste but might even send you down a memory lane by reminding you of your home, childhood, and other memorable moments.

2. You must be aware that hemoglobin is based on iron (Fe), whereas chlorophyll is based on magnesium (Mg). They are very similar proteins but have remarkably different colors, tastes, and functions. The second reason for these salts is Mashing. Enzymes are proteins that act as catalysts. These proteins are very susceptible to slight changes in pH, Temperatures, and ion concentrations.

3. The yeasts not only metabolize its own compounds and proteins but also performs complex biochemical reactions. The presence of ions and nutritive mediums can nudge it to different directions and allow one to make remarkably different brews from seeming similar starting ingredients.

Dosage

We recommend using a pH meter to measure and alter the acidity levels of your beverage. Calcium carbonate can make it more alkaline and malic acid more acidic.

Most Advanced brewing recipes will mention the ranges of salts to be used in ppm, gm/liter or ion concentration. Use the molar mass and jewelry weighing scale to compute.