What Exactly Is Beer Salt And How Is It Different From The Normal Stuff?

When cooking, many people add salt to improve the flavor of their dish. Turns out, the same logic applies when drinking beer; add a little salt and you'll soon notice that your previously simple brew has become more complex. While , those who regularly salt their glass often use a special type of salt known as beer salt.

Essentially, beer salt is flavored salt that has been designed to complement beer. Similar to many table salt products, beer salts often contain anti-caking agents alongside the sodium chloride itself. These agents are designed to prevent the formation of lumps and ensure the salt remains easy to pour.



While anti-caking agents are found in just about every type of salt, beer salt products also include various flavorings, which regular salt products do not. You can buy anything from lemon-flavored beer salt to . Many other products also boast the flavor of chili and various citrus fruits.

Which beers should you add beer salt to? In the United States, adding salt to beer is a practice usually associated with light beers, especially those from Mexico. The reason for this is simple; salting beer is quite common in Latin America, and the tradition seems to have traveled across the Mexican border to the U.S.

This is especially true in Texas where it is not uncommon to see people adding beer salt to Mexican lagers such as Pacifico Clara, Tecate, Dos Equis, and any other beer that featured in . Beer salt works well in these lighter beers because it amplifies the drink's somewhat muted flavors. When used well, beer salt can bring out a light beer's sweetness and reduce its bitterness while also adding notes from its own flavoring.

As an added bonus, beer salt will also make carbonated beers release their carbon dioxide, causing them to foam. (Of course, beer salt works equally well in American beers of a similar nature.) Due to the presence of citrusy, spicy flavors in most beer salt products, adding them to darker, more complex beer types, such as oyster stout ( , is not advised.

That being said, many breweries are taking matters into their own hands by adding regular salt to their brews towards the end of the production process. For example, Firestone Walker Brewing Company produces a caramel stout that is infused with sea salt. So, while adding beer salt products to dark beer isn't the best idea, you can still enjoy a delicious, salted stout.

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