Can you add salt to a beer ?

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walther

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I sometimes drink a beer, and have the feeling, this could use a little salt ?
(If you have ever tasted bread/ice/chocolate without salt you know what I mean,...)
Can you add salt to beer, and if so where in the process, and how much would be too much ? (it should not taste of salt)

Cheers,
walther
 
Yes, there is a historical style called Gose that is making a small resurgence that is intentionally brewed with salt. That's the only one I'm familiar with, but I've had a good example of it, and it is delicious.
 
Mineral adjustments to brewing water include salt, but that's done before mashing and fermentation.
 
A big role of salt in cooking is to counteract bitter flavors. It will do the same in a beer. I've thought about adding some to a harshly bitter beer to help smooth it out, but I haven't brewed any harsh beers lately :D A fun test is to lick some salt and then drink some tonic water. The salt will totally mask the quinine and you'll realize just how much sugar is in the typical tonic water.

You could add it at any step, but like with cooking, it is better to add it late in the process. I'd add a tiny bit to a glass, add just enough water to dissolve it, and then pour in the beer. If you don't dissolve it first it will make the beer foam like crazy.
 
Salt is a key element in taste enhancement, so why aren't we doing this with beer? I'm thinking it should be added to the boil. I'm definitely going to try this.
 
I've seen old timers shake a tiny bit of salt into their mug of BMC.

Sometimes my Dad would put a bit of salt in his Schaefer (he was a Brooklyn boy). I know it roused up the CO2 but maybe it also enhanced what little flavor there was.
 
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