Have you ever been at a friend’s house or at a bar and saw someone pour salt into their beer? Well, if you aren’t familiar with why someone does this, or what exactly it does to beer, then you are probably confused. Some people have speculated that it makes people feel the effects of being drunk faster, while some will say it is for the flavor.
Does salt in beer make you drunker? No, pouring salt into your beer will not increase your alcohol levels in your beer to make you drunk. It also does not speed up the process of becoming drunk, either.
Despite salt not making people drunker, many people still do it. Today, we’ll be taking a look as to why someone would put salt in their beer, and what exactly it does to the beer itself.
Why Put Salt in Your Beer?
Taste
Even though it doesn’t increase your chances of being drunk, salt in beer does help enhance the flavor of the beer. Similar to how salt works with food, salt can increase the flavor of the beer tremendously.
This is great if you are drinking cheaper beers, as it will help bring more flavor into the drink, rather than a stale, bitter taste, which is often associated with less expensive brews.
Another reason that you may see people putting salt in beer is for the revival of a flat beer. We’ve all left a beer out a time or two for far too long, and it becomes disgustingly flat. Pouring some salt into it will help bring out the flavor and the life of the beer once more.
Also, as I mentioned, salt does a great job of removing bitterness, so it is a great way to counter those bitter brews, no matter the quality.
Extra Foam
Another reason that you will see salt added to beer is to enhance the foam/bubbles of the drink as well. However, although it does increase the beer’s foam, it is rather short-lived. The better the quality of the beer, the more likely it is to last longer and doing this with cheap beers won’t last you very long. If, for some reason, you are wanting to keep that experience going for most of the drink, then you will have one salty mess on your hands after you are done.
Is Salt Used on High-Quality Beer?
Typically, you won’t see salt poured in more expensive beer. This is because many of the higher-quality beers do not need flavor enhancement and/or already have a smooth taste.
However, that isn’t to say salt isn’t used on the higher-quality beers at all. As I mentioned, salt is great for bringing flat beer back to a tasty state, so you may see this done a time or two to make an older drink have its original kick.
The majority of beers being salted though,will typically be cheaper beers, such as Busch, Keystone, and so on.
Don’t Forget Water
It is a well-known fact by now that beer, or any alcohol for that matter, will dehydrate you. Now, mix that in with added salt, and you are really in for a treat. If you plan on having multiple beers with salt added, it is crucial that you keep in mind to keep drinking water.
If you skip out on the precious aqua throughout the night, you may find yourself on the wrong side of one of the worst hangovers you’ve ever had. Adding the salt will only increase the dehydration, but will also make you thirstier.
Becoming thirstier while drinking alcohol will cause you to do one of two things:
· Drink more alcohol to quench your thirst
· Cause you to drink normal drinks such as water
Let’s hope that you are in the latter category of drinking water during this time, but if you are worried that you will be too intoxicated to remember to do so, make sure to have a buddy constantly remind you.
How Much Water Should I Drink?
The water/beer scale is always one that is delicate. Finding the right balance of how much water to drink vs. how much alcohol you are consuming is always a tough task, and often a confusing one.
Personally, I always thought that a good rule of thumb was one glass of water for every three beers, as it seemed to do the trick…at least most of the time.
However, my instincts were certainly wrong, as you should actually consume 16 oz of water for every 12 oz of beer. At first glance, that may seem like quite a lot of liquid, but if you are planning for a long night, then I recommend playing it safe, especially with the mixture of salt added in as well.
What Does Cause You to Get Drunk Faster?
If it isn’t the salt in the drinks, then what does cause people to get inebriated too quickly?
There are many reasons out there that can cause one to get drunk a bit quicker than they intended, if they even wanted to get drunk in the first place. Some of these will speed the process up more than others but each one can be a bit dangerous in their own right.
Avoid High-Percentage Beers
The first obvious choice is to stay away from the beers that have the highest alcohol content to them. The higher the alcohol percentage, the better chances you have of getting drunk a bit too quick.
Some of the beers with the highest alcohol percentages are:
· Flying Dog
· Evil Twin Molotov Cocktail
· Delirium Tremens
· Japanese Green Tea IPA
· 120 Minute IPA
Eat Beforehand
Although this one has some controversy to it, it also has quite a bit of truth. If you want to avoid getting inebriated too fast, make sure that you eat at least a few hours or so before. The food will absorb the alcohol, and the process will be much slower.
However, if you drink on an empty stomach, then the alcohol will get into your system quicker, ultimately getting a person drunk faster. Be wary of this, as this can put you on the fast track to a wicked hangover, and make sure you are hydrating properly as discussed above.
Hard Liquor
If you are truly wanting to avoid getting drunk as quickly as possible, you’ll need to ditch the hard liquor. Not only does liquor contain a much higher alcohol percentage, but it will hit you much faster as well.
Tip: Some craft cocktails will knock you on the floor (Like this trick) after just one so definitely be careful around those hip cocktail lounges people rave about.
Don’t Drink too Fast!
This tip should be obvious but can easily be overlooked, especially in a celebratory atmosphere. The faster you drink, the quicker you’ll become drunk. It isn’t rocket science, but reminding yourself to drink at a slower rate can be harder than you think.
Tip: If you find yourself drinking a little too fast, refer to our tip above about drinking 16oz of water per 12oz of beer. At the very least you’ll be spending a lot of time in the bathroom from all that liquid, thus keeping yourself from over imbibing!
Beware of Disguised Tastes
Last but not least, disguising the taste of a drink can go a long way for a bad hangover in the morning. This doesn’t apply to beer as much, but mixing hard liquor with a drink such as Coke or a fruit juice will take a lot of the edge off, making you think that what you’re drinking isn’t all that potent. Trust me, it is!
Well folks, there you have it, an answer to all those questions floating around in your head as to why these people are putting salt in their beer. I hope this helps you sleep better at night!