Chloride

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Chloride ion (Cl-) is a mineral naturally present in water and malt. The chloride ion helps accentuate the malt sweetness, the palate fullness of beer, and the roundedness of the flavors.[1] There's a wide range of suggestions for the maximum level of chloride in brewing water, ranging from 80 to 250 mg/L.[1][2][3][4][5] In line with the more recent books, we recommend a maximum chloride level of 250 mg/L for most styles of beer.[5][6] Above that, chloride begins to taste salty. For styles like Gose that intentionally have a salty or mineral flavor, a chloride level up to 400 mg/L may be used.[1] Excessive levels of chloride in the water (over 400 mg/L) can have adverse effects on beer flavor and detract from drinkability.[1][7] Yeast performance can also be negatively affected, especially over 500 mg/L.[1]

Chloride ion should not be confused with chlorine used for disinfection.

Beer chloride content: ?

Potential sources of chloride[edit]

The chloride content in beer comes from the raw ingredients, mainly the water and grist, plus any salts added by the brewer.

  • Brewing water - Tap water typically contains chloride ions, ranging from around 15 to over 500 mg/L.[8][9] While the chloride level in natural fresh water is usually low (around 10 to 25 mg/L), tap water sources have elevated amounts due to the chlorine disinfection treatment and contamination from human activity such as road de-icing.[10][9][11][12] Water from desalinated seawater sources will generally have high chloride levels.[10]
  • Grain -
  • Salt additives - Several different brewing salts can be used to increase water chloride content, such as calcium chloride or sodium chloride.

Effects of chloride[edit]

In the context of brewing beer, chloride ion has several important effects.

  • Improved flavor and palate - At around 50 to 250 mg/L in beer, chloride provides a roundness, fullness, and a sweet quality to the malt character.[1][3][6][7][13][14] The key influence of chloride on beer flavor is somewhat antagonistic to sulfate, producing smoothness and body effects.[6] The ratio of chloride to sulfate helps to regulate the saline/bitter character of beer.[3] The ratio between chloride and sulfate is thought to be important with regard to regulating the palatability of the beer.[7] Excessive levels can give beer a "pasty texture".[7] Note that the cations in beer affect the detection of chloride -- Potassium and magnesium chloride salts are less noticeable in taste than sodium and calcium chloride salts,[10] and beer tends to have very high levels of both potassium and magnesium.
  • Clarification - Over 300 ppm, chloride can have negative effects on beer clarification, body, and colloidal stability.[1] High levels are reported to limit yeast flocculation but to improve beer clarification and colloidal stability.[3]
  • Corrosion - Chloride ion is potentially corrosive to stainless steel.[15] For hot water in prolonged contact with your stainless steel brewing equipment (e.g. a hot liquor tank), ideally the chloride level of the water should be below 50 to 100 mg/L.[15][1][2][4] If any chloride-containing salts will be used, they should be added immediately prior to mash-in in order to avoid prolonged contact. The corrosive effects of chloride disappear once the water becomes wort.[4]

How to adjust the chloride level[edit]

Chloride ion may be added with calcium chloride, sodium chloride, potassium chloride, or magnesium chloride salts. When adjusting chloride levels, also consider the relative level of sulfate. See Water for our guide to adjusting water minerals and mash pH, including more information on the sulfate-to-cloride ratio.

Even though the drinking water standard limit for chloride is 250 mg/L (which coincides with our suggested maximum level), sometimes water sources will contain higher amounts. If the chloride level in your water is too high, purification by reverse osmosis filtration is a good option to remove practically all chloride ions and other minerals so that the water mineral profile can be built from scratch.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ↑ a b c d e f g h Palmer J, Kaminski C. Water: A Comprehensive Guide for Brewers. Brewers Publications; 2013.
  2. ↑ a b Krottenthaler M, Glas K. Brew water. In: Esslinger HM, ed. Handbook of Brewing: Processes, Technology, Markets. Weinheim, Germany: Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA; 2009.
  3. ↑ a b c d Briggs DE, Boulton CA, Brookes PA, Stevens R. Brewing Science and Practice. Woodhead Publishing Limited and CRC Press LLC; 2004.
  4. ↑ a b c Eumann M. Chapter 9: Water in brewing. In: Bamforth CW, ed. Brewing: New Technologies. Woodhead Publishing; 2006:183–207.
  5. ↑ a b Barth R, Farber M. Mastering Brewing Science: Quality and Production. Wiley; 2019:114.
  6. ↑ a b c Taylor DG. Water. In: Stewart GG, Russell I, Anstruther A, eds. Handbook of Brewing. 3rd ed. CRC Press; 2017.
  7. ↑ a b c d Howe S. Raw materials. In: Smart C, ed. The Craft Brewing Handbook. Woodhead Publishing; 2019.
  8. ↑ Platikanov S, Hernández A, González S, Cortina JL, Tauler R, Devesa R. Predicting consumer preferences for mineral composition of bottled and tap water. Talanta. 2017;162:1–9.
  9. ↑ a b Chloride and salinity. Lehigh University website. Accessed online April 2024.
  10. ↑ a b c Burlingame GA, Dietrich AM, Whelton AJ. Understanding the basics of tap water taste. J Am Water Works Assoc. 2007;99(5):100–111.
  11. ↑ Hong Y, Zhu Z, Liao W, Yan Z, Feng C, Xu D. Freshwater water-quality criteria for chloride and guidance for the revision of the water-quality standard in China. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023;20(4):2875.
  12. ↑ Sodium and chloride in drinking water. (Environmental Fact Sheet) New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services. Accessed online April 2024.
  13. ↑ Comrie AA. Brewing liquor—a review. J Inst Brew. 1967;73(4):335–346.
  14. ↑ Montanari L, Mayer H, Marconi O, Fantozzi P. Chapter 34: Minerals in beer. In: Preedy VR, ed. Beer in Health and Disease Prevention. Academic Press; 2009:359–365.
  15. ↑ a b Eumann M, Schildbach S. 125th Anniversary review: Water sources and treatment in brewing. J Inst Brew. 2012;118:12–21.
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