{
  "id": "brine",
  "version": "dded9cdc39d1",
  "status": "published",
  "name": "Brine Calculator",
  "question": "How much salt for my brine?",
  "summary": "Works out the salt for a brine of a given strength from the amount of water, as a percent of the water weight or of the whole brine weight, in grams and ounces.",
  "category": "food",
  "subcategory": "cooking",
  "url": "https://www.acalculator.org/food/brine-calculator",
  "markdown": "https://www.acalculator.org/food/brine-calculator.md",
  "kind": "function",
  "method": "Of water: salt = water × % ÷ 100. Of brine: salt = water × % ÷ (100 − %). Volumes of water weigh 1 g per mL.",
  "assumptions": [
    "Water typed as a volume weighs 1 g per mL (1 kg per liter); real water at 20 °C weighs about 0.998 g per mL, 0.2% less.",
    "The salt is weighed. Salts differ in grain size, so a cup or spoon of one salt does not weigh the same as of another.",
    "US gallons, quarts and cups are liquid measures: 1 gal = 3.785411784 L, 1 qt = 946.352946 mL, 1 cup = 236.5882365 mL."
  ],
  "inputs": {
    "$schema": "https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema",
    "type": "object",
    "properties": {
      "w": {
        "title": "Water",
        "description": "How much water the brine uses.",
        "type": "number",
        "minimum": 0.01,
        "maximum": 1000000
      },
      "u": {
        "title": "Water unit",
        "description": "The unit of the water amount. Volumes are weighed at 1 g per mL.",
        "type": "string",
        "enum": [
          "L",
          "mL",
          "gal",
          "qt",
          "cup",
          "kg",
          "g",
          "lb",
          "oz"
        ]
      },
      "p": {
        "title": "Brine strength (%)",
        "description": "The salt percent you want.",
        "type": "number",
        "minimum": 0.1,
        "maximum": 50
      },
      "of": {
        "title": "Percent of",
        "description": "Whether the percent is of the water weight, or of the whole brine (water plus salt).",
        "type": "string",
        "enum": [
          "water",
          "total"
        ]
      }
    }
  },
  "outputs": {
    "saltG": {
      "label": "Salt (g)",
      "description": "The salt to dissolve, in grams.",
      "format": "number"
    },
    "saltOz": {
      "label": "Salt (oz)",
      "description": "The salt in ounces (1 oz = 28.349523125 g).",
      "format": "number"
    },
    "waterG": {
      "label": "Water (g)",
      "description": "The water weight in grams.",
      "format": "number"
    },
    "brineG": {
      "label": "Brine (g)",
      "description": "Water plus salt, in grams.",
      "format": "number"
    },
    "ofWater": {
      "label": "Salt as % of water",
      "description": "Salt ÷ water weight × 100.",
      "format": "number"
    },
    "ofBrine": {
      "label": "Salt as % of brine",
      "description": "Salt ÷ (water + salt) × 100.",
      "format": "number"
    }
  },
  "defaultAnswer": {
    "inputs": {
      "w": 1,
      "u": "L",
      "p": 5,
      "of": "water"
    },
    "outputs": {
      "saltG": 50,
      "saltOz": 1.7636980974790206,
      "waterG": 1000,
      "brineG": 1050,
      "ofWater": 5,
      "ofBrine": 4.761904761904762
    },
    "text": "Dissolve 50 g of salt (1.76 oz) in 1,000 g of water."
  },
  "examples": [
    {
      "given": {
        "w": 1,
        "u": "L",
        "p": 5,
        "of": "water"
      },
      "expect": {
        "saltG": 50,
        "saltOz": 1.7636980974790206,
        "waterG": 1000,
        "brineG": 1050,
        "ofWater": 5,
        "ofBrine": 4.761904761904762
      },
      "source": "hand calculation in content.mdx: 1,000 g × 5 ÷ 100 = 50 g; 50 ÷ 1,050 = 4.76%; Python 3: Fraction"
    },
    {
      "given": {
        "w": 1,
        "u": "gal",
        "p": 3.5,
        "of": "total"
      },
      "expect": {
        "saltG": 137.29472791709844,
        "saltOz": 4.842929008425727,
        "waterG": 3785.411784,
        "ofWater": 3.626943005181347,
        "ofBrine": 3.5
      },
      "source": "hand calculation in content.mdx: 3,785.411784 × 3.5 ÷ 96.5 = 137.29 g; Python 3: Fraction; NIST Handbook 44 (2024), Appendix C (1 gal = 231 in³ = 4 qt = 16 cups), https://www.nist.gov/document/nist-hb-44-2024-appendix-c-general-tables-units-measurement; NIST SP 811, Appendix B.8 (1 in = 0.0254 m, 1 lb = 0.45359237 kg exactly), https://www.nist.gov/pml/special-publication-811"
    },
    {
      "given": {
        "w": 2,
        "u": "lb",
        "p": 2,
        "of": "water"
      },
      "expect": {
        "saltG": 18.1436948,
        "saltOz": 0.64,
        "waterG": 907.18474
      },
      "source": "hand calculation in content.mdx: 2 lb = 907.18474 g; × 2% = 18.1436948 g = 0.64 oz; NIST Handbook 44 (2024), Appendix C (1 gal = 231 in³ = 4 qt = 16 cups), https://www.nist.gov/document/nist-hb-44-2024-appendix-c-general-tables-units-measurement; NIST SP 811, Appendix B.8 (1 in = 0.0254 m, 1 lb = 0.45359237 kg exactly), https://www.nist.gov/pml/special-publication-811"
    },
    {
      "given": {
        "w": 4,
        "u": "cup",
        "p": 10,
        "of": "total"
      },
      "expect": {
        "saltG": 105.15032733333334,
        "waterG": 946.352946,
        "brineG": 1051.5032733333333,
        "ofWater": 11.11111111111111
      },
      "source": "hand calculation in content.mdx: 4 cups = 946.352946 g; × 10 ÷ 90 = 105.15 g; Python 3: Fraction; NIST Handbook 44 (2024), Appendix C (1 gal = 231 in³ = 4 qt = 16 cups), https://www.nist.gov/document/nist-hb-44-2024-appendix-c-general-tables-units-measurement; NIST SP 811, Appendix B.8 (1 in = 0.0254 m, 1 lb = 0.45359237 kg exactly), https://www.nist.gov/pml/special-publication-811"
    }
  ],
  "sources": [
    "National Center for Home Food Preservation, Fermented dill pickles and Sauerkraut (canning or pickling salt; salt and water per gallon and per quart of brine). https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/ferment/recipes/dill-pickles/ and https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/ferment/recipes/sauerkraut/ (retrieved 2026-10-19)",
    "NIST Handbook 44 (2024), Appendix C, General Tables of Units of Measurement (1 gallon = 231 cubic inches = 4 quarts = 16 cups). https://www.nist.gov/document/nist-hb-44-2024-appendix-c-general-tables-units-measurement (retrieved 2026-10-19)",
    "NIST Special Publication 811 (2008), Appendix B.8: 1 in = 0.0254 m and 1 lb = 0.45359237 kg exactly. https://www.nist.gov/pml/special-publication-811 (retrieved 2026-10-19)"
  ],
  "related": [
    "cups-to-grams"
  ],
  "changelog": []
}