hist-brewing: NaCl additives

[isenhour at uiuc.edu]

I think hydrometers showed up somewhere in the mid 1700's
(not sure I think I heard this from Greg Noonan).


Al writes:
 
 Someone posted to not use iodized salt.  I have used it in brewing
 without problems.

I don't use consumer table salt because it usually contains an
anti-caking agent, usually calcium silicate. When I add salt I just
want to add salt although adding misc. chemicals may not have an
obvious effect.  The reagent grade salt I have has a warning label
"not for human consumption"!.  Besides Kosher or canning salt is way
cheap and I use it for brining smoked foods in general.  The folklore
of the old food preserving brine authorities reccomend against
consumer grade salt but I dont know why.  

I think (sorry chem texts frozen <literally> in storage) that iodide
is a form of iodine that is usually a salt or ester form of say
hydroiodic acid.  However I would think that considering the amount of
iodine needed to act as a sanitizer and the amount of iodine needed
for metabolic requirements there is not a biokill dose of iodine in a
brewing treatment.  Depends on how much of a purist you are.

cheers,
john
217-328-0295                       Master Brewers Association of America
isenhour at uiuc.edu                   American Society of Brewing Chemists
University of Illinois/Urbana           Beer Judge Certification Program
Fermentation Science Instructor            Institute for Brewing Studies


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