About Sugar & Salt Percentages
In cooking and brewing, concentration is typically measured as percentage by weight — meaning the percentage of the total weight that's sugar or salt. For example, a 5% salt brine means 5 grams of salt per 100 grams of total solution.
Ways to Measure Concentration
% by Weight (w/w)
The most accurate method. Percentage of total weight that's dissolved substance. Used in professional baking, brining, and candy making.
Brix (°Bx)
One degree Brix equals 1 gram of sucrose in 100 grams of solution. Used in winemaking, beer brewing, jam making, and fruit juice production. Measured with a refractometer or hydrometer.
Specific Gravity (SG)
Ratio of the density of a liquid to the density of water. Used in homebrewing to measure alcohol potential. Water = 1.000 SG. Sugar increases density.
Common Concentrations
Salt Brines
- 3.5% (mild): Delicate fish, long poultry brines
- 5% (standard): Most common for poultry and pork
- 7% (strong): Quick brines, hearty meats
- 10% (very strong): Very fast brines (30 min-2 hours)
Sugar Syrups
- 20% (light syrup): Fruit drinks, sorbet base
- 30% (simple syrup): Cocktails, iced tea (1:1 ratio)
- 50% (rich syrup): Rich simple syrup (2:1 sugar:water)
- 67% (jam set point): Jelly and jam set point
- 80%+ (hard crack): Hard candy, toffee
Brix in Winemaking & Brewing
- Starting Brix for wine: 22-26 °Bx (dried out grapes can reach 28+)
- Starting Brix for beer: 10-18 °Bx (varies by beer style)
- Jam set point: 65-67 °Bx
- Maple syrup (finished): 66-67 °Bx (66.9% by weight)
How to Measure Brix
Refractometer: A handheld device that measures how light bends through a liquid. Quick and easy — just a drop of liquid needed. Some models have automatic temperature compensation (ATC).
Hydrometer: A glass float that measures density. Requires more liquid (typically a sample jar). Temperature correction is important since density changes with temperature.