Potassium
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Potassium (K+) has many functions within the cell, and can represent up to 2% of the dry cell weight of yeast cells, very high for a mineral (most are under 0.1%).[1]
Potassium ions can taste salty at concentrations greater than 500ppm. Wort and beer naturally have high levels of potassium (300-500ppm) contributed by the malt.
Potassium salts may be preferred vs sodium as a means of increasing anion content of beers, since even significant amounts of potassium (e.g. up to 200ppm) probably would not be noticed.[2] However, your mileage may vary.
Ions of K+, like Na+, can taste salty, but only at concentrations greater than 500 mg/L.16,18 The relatively high natural concentration of potassium in beer, some 300–500 mg/L,4,16 principally extracted from malt, is essentially flavor neutral and, as such, additions of KCl (rather than NaCl) may be preferred as a means of increasing the chloride content of beers, in order to influence perceived palate fullness.[3] K+ is derived principally from malt.16 Potassium ions are actively transported into fermenting yeast cells where they neutralize charges on nucleic acids and proteins and contribute to osmoregulation.23
See also
References
- ↑ White C. Yeast nutrients make fermentations better. White Labs. Accessed 2020.
- ↑ Palmer J, Kaminski C. Water: A Comprehensive Guide for Brewers. Brewers Publications; 2013.
- ↑ Taylor DG. Water. In: Stewart GG, Russell I, Anstruther A, eds. Handbook of Brewing. 3rd ed. CRC Press; 2017.