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Beer blending

One beer too strong, another too light: blending makes one that is just right. The tool calculates what the blend will give.

Beers blended *

Result

Fill in the values and run the calculation, or try the example.

This is the calculation Krausi uses. Create an account to save it in a recipe or a brew.

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Why blend beers?

Blending is an old brewer's practice. You mix two brews to rescue the one that drifted, to create an aged beer from several casks, or simply to tame the bitterness of an over-hopped beer with a milder one.

Before mixing 20 litres, it is better to know what you will get: the alcohol content to put on the label, the bitterness, and the gravity, which is used for the priming calculation. A trial in a measuring glass, with the same proportions, confirms the taste.

How is the blend calculated?

Each value of the blend is the average of the beers blended, weighted by their volume:

value of the blend = sum (volume × value) / sum of the volumes

The rule applies to gravity points, alcohol content and IBUs. The total volume is the sum of the volumes.

Worked example

Values entered

  • Beers blended:
    • volume in litres 10, gravity in sg 1.01, alcohol in % abv 5, bitterness in ibu 30
    • volume in litres 10, gravity in sg 1.016, alcohol in % abv 7, bitterness in ibu 50

Result from the tool

Total volume in litres
20 L
Gravity of the blend in SG
1.013
Alcohol of the blend in % ABV
6 %
Bitterness of the blend in IBU
40

What the tool does not do

  • The calculation is linear: perceived bitterness and carbonation do not average out exactly.
  • Blending two beers when one is still fermenting restarts fermentation.
  • It says nothing about taste: always run a trial in a glass before blending.

Frequently asked questions

Can I blend two beers before bottling?

Yes, if both fermentations are finished. Blend in a sanitised bucket, without splashing so as not to oxidise the beer, then prime for the total volume.

How can I soften a beer that is too bitter?

Blend it with a lightly hopped beer. Half a beer at 50 IBU and half a beer at 30 IBU give 40 IBU.

And with the assistant?

Ask Krausi the same question in plain language: he picks this tool, does the calculation and files the result in your project.

What if I blend 10 L of my blonde at 5% and 30 IBU with 10 L of my IPA at 7% and 50 IBU?

You will get 20 L at 6% ABV and 40 IBU, with a gravity of 1.013. I can create the “Blend” brew in your project if you go ahead.

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