Sodium in Cider

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honkyson

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Hello,

Newbie question coming :p

I am about to make my first hard cider. I have all of the equipment to make it just need to select my cider. I have read that it cannot contain Sodium Benzoate. Is it ok if it contains just Sodium?

One of the best juices i can find contains sodium - 0.01 g
would this damage the cider or it would be ok ?

thanks,

Honkyson
 
that's just the nutritional analysis information required by government, it's not an additive. pretty much everything made by living organisms contains sodium in some form. ferment away!
 
Check the ingredient list, not the nutritional listing. It should not have any type of sorbate either. Apple juice or water should be the first ingredient and it should have no types of added sugars.
 
Sodium is OK in ciders and in fermentations in general. In juice, it will natually be low. If you're using frozen concentrate, then the sodium content of your tap water will be a concern. Sodium is known to cause harshness at elevated levels. Keeping it as low as possible is a good idea and keeping it below 100 ppm is an even stronger recommendation.

Bru'n Water can provide you with a lot of answers, even for ciders.
 
mabrungard said:
Sodium is OK in ciders and in fermentations in general. In juice, it will natually be low. If you're using frozen concentrate, then the sodium content of your tap water will be a concern. Sodium is known to cause harshness at elevated levels. Keeping it as low as possible is a good idea and keeping it below 100 ppm is an even stronger recommendation.

Bru'n Water can provide you with a lot of answers, even for ciders.
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Not sure how practical this advice is. You are saying municipal or even well water has NA PPM at these concentrations? I doubt it. I wouldn't sweat it, if you would drink the water, than it it suitable

I am a well water guy, but my ciders come from apples. My beer is excellent
 
CidahMastah said:
Not sure how practical this advice is. You are saying municipal or even well water has NA PPM at these concentrations? I doubt it. I wouldn't sweat it, if you would drink the water, than it it suitable

I am a well water guy, but my ciders come from apples. My beer is excellent
Click to expand...

There was a time when I would have thought that too. You apparently haven't been to any coastal communities with salt water intrusion problems or the Midwest where even municipal water systems sometimes use ion-exchange softening (NaCl) on their muni water supply. Heck, I also know of places around the country that naturally have high sodium in their water.

My tap water has up to 250 ppm sodium at times of the year since the municipality uses ion-exchange softening. Needless to say, I have a RO system for brewing and drinking water use.

Enjoy!
 
mabrungard said:
There was a time when I would have thought that too. You apparently haven't been to any coastal communities with salt water intrusion problems or the Midwest where even municipal water systems sometimes use ion-exchange softening (NaCl) on their muni water supply. Heck, I also know of places around the country that naturally have high sodium in their water.

My tap water has up to 250 ppm sodium at times of the year since the municipality uses ion-exchange softening. Needless to say, I have a RO system for brewing and drinking water use.

Enjoy!
Click to expand...

My point still stands though, if I would drink it, I would brew well with it. Quite frankly I wouldn't drink your municipal water if it had concentrations like that, or if they soften it, or chlorinate it. Getting the trace minerals from water is important, thus hard water is the way to go IMO. I don't soften my well water or treat it with chemicals.

And no, when I go on vacation it usually isn't the midwest, though I have visited nearly all of the states. I never bring my brew pots along. label me a simpleton
 

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