Pickling Brine Salinity Calculator

How it is calculated

The target salinity is treated as salt as a share of the finished brine, not of the water alone: salt / (water + salt) = s / 100. Solving for the salt gives salt = water × s / (100 − s), and total brine = water + salt. Water and salt are both in grams (1 ml of water is about 1 g), and s is a percentage. Results are shown to two decimals. Water and salinity must be above zero, and salinity may not exceed 26.5 %, roughly the point where water is saturated and cannot dissolve more salt; anything above that gives no result. Because the share is taken of the whole brine, the salt weight is always slightly larger than a plain s % of the water.

Common mistakes

• Multiplying the water by the percentage and stopping there. This tool defines the percentage on the finished brine (water plus salt), so the salt figure is a little higher, and the gap grows as the target rises.
• Entering the water in litres or the salt in spoons. Water is entered in grams here and salt comes out in grams, so weigh it on a scale.
• Typing 0.03 instead of 3. The salinity field takes a percentage, so 3 means 3 %; 0.03 is accepted and gives a brine with almost no salt (0.45 g for 1,500 g of water).
• Entering a salinity above 26.5 %. A brine cannot be stronger than saturation, so no result is shown.
• Comparing results with a recipe that quotes salt as a percentage of water only. Its figures will not match this one for the same nominal percentage.