Brine Calculator
Exact salt concentration for any brine — pickling, fermentation, poultry brining, and de-icing. Percent always means by weight of the total solution.
Make a brine of exact strength
What strength is my mix?
Fermentation brine presets
De-icing brine: freezing point & salt needed
Freezing points are estimated from published NaCl brine freezing data. The 23.3% eutectic mix freezes at -21.1 C (-6.0 F); stronger mixes do not freeze lower.
Quick reference: salt per 1 liter of water
| Target % | Salt per 1 L water | Salt per 1 US gal water |
|---|---|---|
| 1% | 10.1 g | 38.2 g |
| 2% | 20.4 g | 77.3 g |
| 2.5% | 25.6 g | 97.1 g |
| 3% | 30.9 g | 117.1 g |
| 3.5% | 36.3 g | 137.3 g |
| 5% | 52.6 g | 199.2 g |
| 6% | 63.8 g | 241.6 g |
| 8% | 87.0 g | 329.2 g |
| 10% | 111.1 g | 420.6 g |
| 15% | 176.5 g | 668.0 g |
| 20% | 250.0 g | 946.4 g |
| 23.3% | 303.8 g | 1149.9 g |
| 26.4% | 358.7 g | 1357.8 g |
Exact values: salt = water × % / (100 − %). Not the "% of water" shortcut.
Scope: this calculator covers plain salt (NaCl) brine concentration for food and de-icing.
For meat curing with Prague Powder #1 and USDA nitrite limits, use our Bacon Curing Calculator.
For saltwater pool salt dosing, use our Pool Salt Calculator.
For aquarium and reef salinity (ppt, specific gravity), use our Aquarium Salinity Converter.
Frequently asked questions
How much salt do I need for a 2% brine?
For 1 liter (1000 g) of water, a true 2% by weight brine needs 20.4 g of salt, because percent means salt divided by the total weight of salt plus water. The popular shortcut of 20 g per liter is actually 1.96% by weight, which is close enough for most ferments but not exact. Enter your target in the Make Brine tab for the exact weight.
Is 80 grams of salt in 1 liter of water an 8% brine?
No. 80 g of salt in 1000 g of water is 7.41% by weight (80 / 1080), not 8%. The salt weight counts toward the total, so a true 8% brine needs 87.0 g of salt per liter of water. This is the most common brine math mistake, and the Analyze tab shows both numbers so you can check a recipe.
What is the strongest brine I can make with table salt?
At 20 C, water dissolves at most about 359 g of sodium chloride per kilogram of water, which is a saturated brine of about 26.4% by weight. Adding more salt past that point just leaves undissolved crystals at the bottom. For de-icing, the practical maximum is 23.3%, the eutectic concentration, which gives the lowest freezing point of -21.1 C (-6.0 F). Stronger than 23.3% does not lower the freezing point any further.
How much salt do I need for 100 liters of de-icing brine at 23.3%?
You need 30.38 kg of salt for 100 liters of water at the 23.3% eutectic concentration, the mix that stays liquid down to -21.1 C. That is the concentration highway crews target for anti-icing brine, because adding more salt past 23.3% does not lower the freezing point.
How do I make a 6% poultry brine for 1 gallon of water?
One US gallon of water weighs 3785 g, so a 6% brine needs 241.62 g of salt. That is the classic strength for brining chicken or turkey before roasting. Do not brine poultry that is labeled pre-salted or enhanced, and keep the bird refrigerated the whole time.
How much salt for a 2.5% kimchi brine with 4 quarts of water?
Four US quarts of water weigh about 3785 g, so a 2.5% brine needs 97.1 g of salt. Pick a ferment in the Fermentation tab and it fills in the standard percentage for you: sauerkraut 2%, kimchi 2.5%, dill pickles 3.5%, firm vegetables 3%, olives about 9%.
What is the molarity of a 10% brine?
About 1.83 mol/L. A 10% by weight brine has an estimated density of 1.072 g/mL, so one liter of solution contains about 107.2 g of NaCl, and 107.2 / 58.44 = 1.83 mol/L. The Analyze tab shows molarity for any mix you enter.
Can I measure salt in tablespoons instead of weighing it?
Only roughly. One teaspoon of fine pickling salt weighs about 6 g and one tablespoon about 18 g, but kosher salt varies a lot: Morton kosher is about 7.2 g per teaspoon while Diamond Crystal is about 4.8 g. For fermentation, always weigh your salt on a kitchen scale; a 1% error in salt changes the ferment. Iodized table salt and salt with anti-caking agents are best avoided for ferments.
What is the difference between this brine calculator and a meat curing calculator?
This tool calculates plain sodium chloride brine concentration by weight for pickling, fermentation, poultry brining, and de-icing. Meat curing with Prague Powder #1 involves sodium nitrite and strict USDA ingoing limits (120 ppm for immersion bacon, 200 ppm for dry-cured), which is a different calculation entirely. For that, use our Bacon Curing Calculator.
Can I use this brine calculator for my saltwater pool or aquarium?
For dosing salt into a saltwater pool (target ppm, bags, salt cell sizing), use our Pool Salt Calculator, which is built around manufacturer ranges. For aquarium and reef salinity in ppt, specific gravity, and mS/cm with temperature correction, use our Aquarium Salinity Converter. This page covers culinary and de-icing brine only.
Estimates only: density and molarity use a linear density approximation; freezing points interpolate published brine freezing data. Always weigh salt for fermentation and curing.
Free tool by NRTechStudio