According to Michael Jackson, Newcastle’s brewers blend two different beers to produce their brown ale. One portion is brewed to a very high gravity so that fermentation creates extremely estery (fruity) notes they cannot achieve at normal beer gravities. That beer is then blended with a low-gravity “amber” beer to produce their standard at an original gravity of 1.045.
I’ll listen to it while brewing today. After all. I’m all about the Brown ale at this point. When I get my recipes nailed down and getting close with my latest I might try some blending.
For decades the British have blended their brown ales to achieve desired flavors that can’t ordinarily be accomplished without blending. Blending has been done throughout brewing history in Europe and other areas. I am convinced by blending one can enhance flavors of older beers and mitigate green flavors in younger beers to ultimately acheive the best of both worlds.
I recently made a bock and blended it with a pilsner just for haha’s and was amazed at the outcome. Absolutely great flavors when blended together.
Eleven day old Pale Ale and 6 week old Brown Ale 50/50. I can see that it’s a marriage of sorts. Fruity young PA complements the intense dark Crystal and Chocolate grains of the BA. Tastes and smells pretty good . Not every blend will be optimal. There has to be an intent.