If you’ve ever wondered why people add salt to their beer, you’re in for a treat! We’re about to talk about the oldest recorded recipe in history here, so please read on.
Beer, which dates back to prehistoric times, is one of the world’s oldest and most widely used alcoholic beverages manufactured by humans. It is still a popular beverage that is commonly used to bring together family and friends. A beer is required for a variety of events, including weddings and weekly family picnics. This beverage has a distinct flavor as well as a large variety of types with small flavor differences.
The practice of adding salt to beer derives from a variety of beliefs, all of which appear to have served a function at one point or another. But before we get there, allow us to take you to a quick history of beer.
Beer from the Ancient World
Both the English and Spanish words for beer come from Latin and mean “to drink,” but the Spanish word for beer, cerveza, comes from Latin and means “beer.”
Despite this, beer brewing has been going on for thousands of years before the Romans even came to the area. The Sumerians of Mesopotamia are credited with inventing beer some 10,000 years ago, while the Chinese brew a variation of the beverage. As early as 3500 BC, the first documented evidence of beer brewing was unearthed at Godin Tepe in modern-day Iran, while evidence from Sumerian sites suggests an even earlier date. In spite of this, it is widely accepted that beer was first brewed approximately 4000 BC.
A lighter and more popular version of the original beer was created in Egypt after trade brought beer-making to the country. As a result, beer never gained the same popularity among the Greeks and Romans, who favored wine and viewed it as “barbarian” in nature. When it came to hating Germans, they were among the many “barbarians” they loathed. They were the ones who discovered brewing and gave birth to beer.
Early Beer Brewing
The Ancient Chinese invented beer some 7000 years ago (known as kui). Beer, as we know it now, originated in Europe, although Mesopotamia was the first place to drink the brew. According to some experts, the fermentation of bread grains led to the discovery of beer, but other scholars contend that beer predates bread as a staple and was designed as an intoxicant on purpose.
It’s no secret that beer was popular in Mesopotamia.
Beer was popular in ancient Mesopotamia, and the Sumerians called beer a gift from the gods. Ninkasi priestesses and other women of the day brewed beer in their homes regularly. A receipt from the ancient city of Ur reveals the commercialization of beer production by 2050 BCE. Beer was extensively used in barter, not for sale, and all inhabitants received a daily allotment.
Ancient Egyptian Brewing
Beer is crucial in Hathor’s birth myth. She guards the birthing house and is the goddess of childbirth. Initially, as in Mesopotamia, women brewed beer at home. Originally, beer was thick and porridge-like. The world’s first alcohol tax cost Queen Cleopatra VII more friends than fighting Rome (although she claimed the tax was to deter public drunkenness).
Beer in Ancient Greece and Rome.
The Greeks and Romans saw beer as a low-class barbarian beverage and preferred powerful wine. Excavators have discovered evidence of large-scale beer manufacturing after Marcus Aurelius founded Regensburg in 179 CE. Beginning in Germany, beer production spread across Europe, overcoming the higher classes’ belief that beer was only for barbarians.
Beer culture in Northern Europe
As in Mesopotamia and Egypt, women brewed their own beer to complement their daily meals. Founded in Kulmbach in the year 1349, the Kulmbacher Monchshof Kloster still produces its famed Schwartzbier. Like ancient Sumerian literature, beer was considered a divine liquid that bestowed health, happiness, and peace on its drinkers in the Finnic sagas.
Introduction of Hops
Around 1000 AD, hops were utilized in the brewing process for the first time. This resulted in the beer we know and love today as a result of making it less bitter.
Brews made with hops were popular throughout Europe.
First Commercial Breweries
For the first time, breweries that have newly opened
In the 13th century, commercial brewing began in Germany, England, and Austria. Soon, the world as a whole began to follow suit. You were aware that we were planning a trip back to Germany in the near future.
As early as 800 BCE, the Germans were brewing beer, which they called ol (short for “ale”).
Beer jugs found in a grave at Kulmbach in northern Bavaria’s Kasendorf village, some of which still showed signs of beer, were uncovered.
It wasn’t long before the German brewers had established themselves as Europe’s gold standard for beer. Compared to the competition, this brewery’s beer was of the greatest quality, since it was served extremely cold and tasted better.
The Renaissance Period
A time period known as Renaissance
In English, the term “Renaissance” implies “rebirth.” During the Renaissance period, beer production had its “Renaissance.”
The Reinheitsgebot of Germany was promulgated in 1516. (Beer Purity Law).
The Modern Ages
In North America’s colonies, the Modern Era Breweries emerged one after the other. The first brewery in the New World was located in New Amsterdam (which will later become New York City). Each of the founding fathers made their own brews, as did Thomas Jefferson. He even came up with a recipe for brewing his own beer.
In the nineteenth century, beer was largely regarded as the most popular alcoholic beverage in the globe. It is during this era when the most major innovations in beer manufacturing, including using yeast for fermentation, are introduced to the world.
In 1810, the first Munich Oktoberfest was held. When it comes to wedding parties, alcohol was a common theme.
When Prince Ludwig of Bavaria married Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen on October 17, 1810, he became King Ludwig I. Everybody in the city was invited to a large horse race at the city gates.
Even now, more than two centuries after its inception, it remains the world’s most popular beer festival. Beer aficionados from all over the world travel to Munich each year to experience the best of German brews.
Louis Pasteur discovered that yeast creates fermentation, as was previously stated. For the sake of reproducible beer batches, his findings on the influence of yeast on fermentation control were a game changer.
Breweries and beer exploded over the world because of new technologies of bottling and refrigeration that were developed. The United States alone had 3200 breweries by the end of the nineteenth century.
The Prohibition
Prohibition
A new era of the Middle Ages has arrived. The only way to peer into the shadows was to have a cool drink in your hand.
Neal Dow, a lawyer in Portland, Maine, drafted the first prohibition law, known as the Maine Law, in 1851. The new rule prohibited the production or sale of any type of alcohol in the state.
It was only a matter of time until the rest of the country followed suit.
Having a drink was suddenly a crime in the United States in 1920, when prohibition was enacted. Bootleggers and organized crime groups benefited enormously from this.
Despite its repeal in 1933, Prohibition’s impacts may still be felt. Among the 3,200 breweries only 160 remained open after Prohibition.
Why People Put Salt in Beer?
Salt is used in a variety of ways to enhance the flavor of beer. There are more people who have this inclination in hot climes. Electrolytes and minerals are lost from the bodies of people who live in hot climates because they sweat so much. Beverages containing salted water are a great way to rehydrate and maintain fluid balance.
For others, salt serves a different purpose for their beer
People Believes that Salt Enhances the Flavor of Beer
When prohibition ended in the 1930s, salt was used as a flavoring agent in beer. A severe economic downturn was gripping the world at the time, and America was particularly hard hit. When it came to finding new ways to brew their brews, beer brewers had to be resourceful while also keeping an eye out for methods that were prohibitively expensive.
To save money while boosting flavor, they first added rice and corn to the beer. They quickly discovered, however, that this strategy was ineffective and that beer is not purchased primarily for its flavor. It was because of this that some began to add fruit and lime to their beer. One of the brewers chose to include salt in the beer, since they assumed that salt was used to enhance the flavor of food. In order to keep the cost of beer production cheap while maintaining the quality of the beer, they employed this technique.
It Aids Muscle Cramps
Salt is a popular method of swallowing beer among persons who participate in strenuous physical activity.
Consider the case of construction workers. Every day, regardless of the weather, they spend the entire day outdoors. They build homes in both extreme heat and freezing cold. Regardless the matter and the time of year, construction workers put in long hours. Cement sacks, iron fittings, and other large materials are constantly following them. This means that they sweat a lot, lose a lot of fluids, and become dehydrated when they work out.
Adding salt to the beer can help prevent muscle cramps, which are also caused by dehydration. This suggests that you will drink more water to rehydrate rather than sweating and losing body fluids while working, as salt both maintains and increases thirst.
Reduced Urinary Urgency- Beer with Table Salt
I frequently know how to cuddle up next to my grandfather in front of the television and watch his favorite shows with him. I’ve noticed that he always has a beer nearby that he salts. I approached him the other day, and he stated that table salt, in his opinion, reduces the desire to urinate. As a result, I decided to conduct some research to see if my grandfather’s habit was due to a legitimate medical reason. I discovered a medical paper that supports his theory but does not state that the reduced need to urinate is due to a combination of beer and salt but is solely due to the body’s increased salt intake. According to the study, increasing or decreasing salt intake resulted in an increase or decrease in urine osmolyte excretion. The salt-induced changes, however, were followed by antiparallel changes in urinary free water excretion.
Putting Salt to Beer Reduces Bloating
Surely, your grandmother used to add a pinch of salt to your juice as a child to neutralize the soda and soothe your throat. A similar logic can be found in the addition of salt to beer. Salt is added to beer to speed up the process of carbonation reduction, resulting in a beer with fewer air bubbles. Because there are fewer air bubbles in beer, your body will take in less air, making you feel less bloated. While our grandparents may not have had the medical training to form such habits, they are still true and help the body deal with subsequent fluid consumption and its consequences.
Salt in Beer Helps Aid Hangover
There is a possibility that some people believe that by putting salt in their beer, they are avoiding the ill-effects of overindulgence. As a result, excessive alcohol consumption depletes the body of water and lowers sodium levels. Is it possible to reduce the effects of drinking by adding sodium chloride to the water?
According to some, salting your beer helps prevent dehydration. They cite examples of people who work in hot locations and frequently take salt tablets.
It makes sense to rehydrate and replenish salt and water lost via sweating in hot weather. If your sodium levels fall too low, you may suffer from cramps and other uncomfortable effects.
Putting Salt to Your Beer Gets You Drunk Quicker
Alcohol may be absorbed more quickly if you have high levels of salt in your blood. Due to the fact that it widens your duodenal sphincter, the opening at the bottom of your tummy. Since more alcohol is ingested, it travels more swiftly through the digestive tract and enters the bloodstream more quickly.
As a result, some people recommend avoiding salty alcoholic beverages. If you read this, it’s possible that you’ll get more intoxicated faster. However, you may also suffer from a more severe hangover.
The problem is that we haven’t been able to find out how much sodium you’d need to drink in order for this to happen. The saltiness of your beer could be improved by adding a pinch of salt to it. It’s impossible to say for sure.
Salt Increases Foam and Reduces Gas in Beer
Bubble production is increased while gas consumption is decreased by the addition of this ingredient.
When it comes to beer, salt only adds bubbles. You may get a big foamy head on your drink by adding a pinch of salt. They won’t improve the taste of your beer. Actually, it will probably taste bland. Bubbles are formed as a result of a reaction between salt and carbon dioxide in the liquid.
It’s best to stick with beers that naturally have a thicker head. Salt isn’t necessary because high malts can do this without it. Flat drinks are a thing of the past.
Adding salt to your beer, on the other hand, causes the drink to foam, allowing you to consume less gas. If you’re paying attention, that implies you’ll produce less gas in the future!
As long as you don’t mind sipping on stale beer, this is a viable option. However, there are better methods for reducing the gassy aftertaste of your beverage.
Before pouring your beer into the glass, ensure sure it is clean and chilled. Pouring at a 45-degree angle can also be helpful. As the beer hits the side of the glass, some of the carbon dioxides will be expelled. Since it will never go to your stomach, you won’t get any benefit out of it.
With this pouring technique, you’ll get a good head as well. As a result, the flavor and aroma of your beer will be preserved.
It Makes You Drink More
Those who salt their beer down their pints are more likely to consume a larger amount of it, according to certain studies. If your goal is to consume as much alcohol as possible, this could be an appealing option – we’re not saying it’s wrong (much). What happened to the results?
As a way for lowering stomach gas, it might be thought of as You’re flattening the beer by adding salt, which is exactly what you should be doing. Making beer flatter helps you to drink more of it in one sitting.
After all, who knows what the future holds. Why not simply switch to a different sort of alcohol for individuals who are only interested in increasing their alcohol consumption and aren’t concerned with the flavor? Hard liquor has substantially more alcohol than beer, making it a better choice for drinking after a meal. This implies that you can consume it exactly as the distiller intended, without the addition of salt or other flavoring.
It’s a Family Tradition
The phrase “My grandfather did that” is frequently heard when someone inquires about the source of their salt in their beer.
The reasons for Grandpa’s addition of a pinch of salt are forgotten in the mists of time. Families are the ones that prevent people like that from skipping the salt in their beverage.
Grandpa, of course, had a good reason for doing so. If this was a practical way to deal with boring beer in the past, it is possible that it is still so today. Some people claim that it also improves the flavor of the food.
Following a change in license restrictions, brewers were no longer able to use salt in the production of their beverages. Beer contains sodium, which causes drinkers to become thirsty in the same way that salty food does in a pub. As a result of the increase in beer consumption, the revenues of brewers increased as well.
Because of the shift in the brewing procedure, some people who had become accustomed to drinking salty beer may have found the flavor to be lacking. The addition of salt would have been a straightforward solution.
Beer Salts
If you’re thinking about adding salt to your beer, keep in mind that not all salts are made equal.
The one unassailable impact of salting is that it will change the flavor of your beverage to some extent. In fact, you can purchase salts that are specifically designed to enhance the flavor of underwhelming beer.
Beer salt is coarser in texture than regular table salt. Beer aficionados in Central and South America use it on a daily basis to enhance the flavor of their brews.
Some beer salts are little more than coarse salts. Alternatively, other components might be used to create a certain flavor character in some cases. Lemon and lime are popular choices because they impart a tart sour flavor to the beer.
It’s comparable to the idea of putting a lemon or lime slice in a glass of beer to make it taste better. The fruit slice is a complementary appetizer when you order a Mexican beer in various parts of the United States.
Would You Add Salt to Your Beer?
The various and different reasons individuals provide for salting their beer, which we hope you found interesting, have been summarized here. Moreover, we hope it has persuaded you that there are better ways to achieve any goal than the ones you currently follow!
Drinking good beer does not necessitate interfering with its flavor. If you want a greater head, try using more malts in your recipe. And, if you’re concerned about gas leaks, you should modify your pouring approach.
The one exception is the famous “balancing the beer glass with the aid of salt” routine that everyone knows and loves. It’s a silly party trick that everyone will enjoy. Just make sure you earn enough money to be able to purchase yourself another beer – and don’t forget to keep the salt out of it!
Conclusion
It may sound strange in today’s world, but we cannot deny that when salt and beer are combined, certain chemical and biological processes occur in the body. We addressed the reasons why people add salt to their beer, and we illustrated that such actions aren’t trivial. That being said, it’s possible to do this as a way of honoring our elders, who did the same thing as their fathers and grandfathers before them. Other reasons include preventing cramps and dehydration in those who engage in strenuous physical activity, reducing the need to urinate (especially in older grandparents who are content to watch football while drinking beer), and relieving bloating caused by the presence of air bubbles in the beer, which can cause bloating.
Whatever the reason may be that people add salt to their beer, it is also a known fact that beer is a more nutrient-dense beverage than other alcoholic beverages. While much is made of the antioxidant content of wine, beer contains just as much. Not to mention that having a beer by yourself or with a company would also mean a great time simply relaxing.
Cheers!
