Blending Beers

[Bobcatbrewing42]

I took a brief seminar from Randy Scorby, a grandmaster judge, and past national homebrew champ. Among other things he talked about blending beers. I've tried it a few times now, mostly playing with kegs of beers that I thought were failures (not contaminated though). Recently I did a red IPA with Kaffir leaf. It was interesting but way too bitter, the Kaffir was too strong and nobody liked it. I tried blending with a German Lager that had a trace of phenol in a glass. I decided that it was better than either of the ingredients so blended them in a keg using a jumper to keep Oxygen out. After a month, I got a dead clear, complex, unidentifiable brew that is good. I may even enter it in the Experimental Beer Cat. It's not for your average Bud lite drinker, but nothing I brew is. Does anyone else have some input about this?

 

[50calshooter]

I use to have a customer in town that kept three or four of my beers on tap. The owners of a brewery down the road would come in and drink my stuff when they got off work. One of the guys was really into blending my beer. Once he really nailed it when he blended my Cherry Boch with my American Wheat. They all swore by it. I tried my Blond Ale with some of my Mango Wheat in it. It was pretty good. Two parts Blonde Bombshell and one part Wango Tango Mango. For the most part blending is not for me. When I brew I shoot for specific flavor profiles and blending just confuses my taste buds.

 

[day_trippr]

I enjoy blending at the tap - aside from the chocolate imperial nitro stout I have five beers to work with. Blending three different neipas is a favorite - Julius/Juicy Bits/Galaxy is one hella busy hop bomb

Cheers!

 

[BruceH]

I do it all the time but the beer comes out of bottles and is blended in the glass. One of my favorites is about 1/3 Dopplebock and 2/3 Pilsner.

I will also blend a too hoppy for my tastes IPA with Pilsner or Lager.

 

[Jag75]

I'm going to try to mix an Ale and Lager . I like the Sam 76 . Just have to decide on what style .

 

[madscientist451]

I blend all the time. Cider/beer blends are pretty common for me, but Ill also use blending to tweak beers that came out too hoppy or have too much fruit character or some similar issues. Sometimes I blend just because I can and I want something different.
I've cheated and used cheap Narragansett lager ($17.99 30-pack) to tone down some citrus beers that were too sour/tangy.
I buy a lot of variety packs and if one of the beers doesn't suit me, I'll put it aside and blend something with it.