Why do some people put salt into their beers?

Answer 1

Putting salt in beer stems from a few philosophies - all of which seem to have had a purpose at one time or another. An old wives' tale said that putting a sprinkle of salt in your beer would stave off cramping during hard work. Dehydration can cause cramping of the muscles, because of the depletion of minerals in the body. Adding salt to the beer would make the worker thirsty, and thus he would drink more beer to relieve the dehydration.

Others add salt to beer for flavor purposes; post-prohibition (1933) beer had turned into somewhat of an ugly being. Breweries had to cut costs and started to use cheaper ingredients like rice and corn, which made for a nearly flavorless beer. These beers are still around, though most people have become accustomed to flavorless beer and so have no need for the salt. Many South and Central American beer drinkers will add salt, and sometimes hot sauce and/or lemon, for flavor, or to mask off flavor in beer.

The last reason we found, which also makes no sense, was to add salt to beer to knock the carbonation out. Why not just pour the beer out hard or swirl it a couple times?

Really and truly, there is no reason to add salt to your beer (unless you are 80-something and traditions die hard with you). Nowadays, adding salt to your beer is a complete oddity, something of the past. Save the salt for a good steak, and leave the beer alone!

Answer 2

I was a bartender for many years and I saw ALOT of people do that. I tried it to see what diffrence it made. It seems to take away some of the bitter taste and makes the beer taste sort of flat. Alot of people put salt and tomato juice in a glass and top it off with beer too. Yuck! (that supposedly helps to cure hangovers)

It can't be great for a persons blood pressure.(salt)

Answer 3

Salt of Sodium reactes with the alcohol in the beer and cause it to turn into gas. This gas in turn puts foam or head into the beer.

Answer 4

I don't drink beer, but I used to know someone who put salt on their soda to cut the foam.

Answer 5

It makes the beer foam, creating a nice head, my grandfather ALWAYS salted his beer, for that reason.

Answer 6

the bubbles in the beer is to much for some people, so they ruin a nice ice cold beer and just drink it without all the carbonation

Answer 7

If the beer was too drab (plain tasting), I'd put a little salt and lime to it.

Answer 8

it depends on what type of beer it is. but it makes it taste better.

Answer 9

I like in only in my coronas ummm gives it a great flavor.

Answer 10

just to enjoy beer....