13,691
edits
Changes
no edit summary
'''Blending''' is the process of pulling samples of various, matured sour beers (and optionally clean beers), measuring out different proportions of each, mixing them together, and tasting the blended samples. The idea is that different sour beers can contribute different flavors, and balance different flavors. Since precise measurements are required, investing in [https://www.google.com/search?q=farhenietplastic+to+celciusbeakers&ietbm=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=tshop&rlssa=org.mozilla:en-US:officialX&clientved=firefox2ahUKEwixsarLrsb0AhVfDjQIHQE-aDiMQ_AUoAXoECAEQAw&channel=sb#safebiw=off2378&rlsbih=org.mozilla:en-US:official1162&channeldpr=sb&tbm=shop&q=plastic+beakers 1 cheap plastic beakers] or a precise scale (0.1 g or better) is necessary. The taste tester should take thorough notes on all aspects of the beer as different proportions of blends are sampled. Note that in the USA, blending beer with wine, mead, or cider (post fermentation blends) is not legal for commercial breweries and may not be legal in other countries as well, although it is legal for homebrewers <ref>[https://www.facebook.com/groups/MilkTheFunk/permalink/1568455919849283/?comment_id=1568622383165970&comment_tracking=%7B%22tn%22%3A%22R0%22%7D Private correspondence with Kyle B-rowsky by Michael Fairbrother shared on MTF. 01/31/2017.]</ref>.
==Practical Tips==
# To lower the acidity of a beer with a blending method, use a beer fermented with Saccharomyces and Brettanomyces (and without Lactic Acid Bacteria). You can also add water to cut down on acidity. A very small amount of non-sour beer will greatly reduce the acidity in a highly sour beer because the pH scale is logarithmic.
# Commercial brewers, especially ones who practice [[Spontaneous Fermentation]], will often select barrels that might be bland on their own but express a desired character such as oaky, or acidic, or thick mouthfeel, or bitter, and will select other beers from individual barrels that have the other flavor components that they are looking for to complete the overall flavor profile of the blend. Using this method, individual beers are often seen as a single flavor element of a complete blend <ref>[http://www.thebrewingnetwork.com/session-jester-king-brewery/ "Jester King Brewery"; Interview with Averie Swanson from Jester King Brewery. Brewing Network Session Podcast. 01/30/2017. ~1:30:00 minutes in.]</ref>.
# A blend might taste different after it has had time to condition and carbonate. Predicting these changes takes experience.
===Blending by Weight===
Blending by weight allows more flexibility in trial blend volumes and with a good scale it allows finer sensitivity in the amount of each beer added to trial blends. In addition, with the appropriate scale final blending may also be carried out with good precision by weight rather than estimating volumes. Small density differences between beers included in the blend can be ignored because the density range between samples is so small (an FG difference of 1.010 from 1.000 introduces a 1% error). See [https://www.facebook.com/groups/MilkTheFunk/1076426165718930/ Dave Janssen's blending spreadsheet] for a tool that will convert blended weights into volumes if you prefer to do the final blending by volume.
On a homebrew system, using a luggage scale is useful for blending by weightweighing out the final blend. Blending can be done in a vessel , preferably one that can be purged of oxygen such as a kegin case there is extra headspace. Weigh the empty keg before hand. Each gallon of beer will weigh around 8.3 pounds (3.76 kilograms). Use the luggage scale (or another type of scale) to weigh out how much beer has been added to the vessel. ===MTF Threads===* [https://www.facebook.com/groups/MilkTheFunk/permalink/2045983758763161/ General tips thread 1] and [https://www.facebook.com/groups/MilkTheFunk/permalink/3463384690356387/ thread 2].* [https://www.facebook.com/groups/MilkTheFunk/permalink/2962557787105749/ MTF members share their tips blending on the homebrew scale.]
==Bière de Coupage==
* [http://www.browneandbitter.com/2016/02/biere-de-coupage-some-background-and.html "Bière de Coupage: Some Background and History," by Amos Browne.]
* [http://www.browneandbitter.com/2016/05/biere-de-coupage-contemporary-versions.html "Bière de Coupage: Contemporary Versions," by Amos Browne.]
* [http://www.browneandbitter.com/2016/05/biere-de-coupage-kettle-sours.html "Bière de Coupage: Kettle Sours", by Amos Browne.]
* [http://www.horscategoriebrewing.com/2018/11/saison-from-1911-finishing-hops-and.html "Saison from 1911 - finishing hops and coupage," by Dave Janssen.]
===Additional Brewing Articles===
* [[Jester_King#Biere_de_Coupage_Process|Jester King Biere de Coupage Process.]]
* [http://www.alesoftheriverwards.com/2015/06/mein-kiwi-exploration-of-flavors.html Ale of the Riverwards article on blending a ''Brettanomyces'' saison with Wallonian saison.]
* [http://funkfactorybrewing.blogspot.com/2018/05/biere-de-coupage.html "Bière de Coupage" by Funk Factory.]
==Online Articles On Blending==
* [http://brouwerij-chugach.com/?p=482 Practical Blending] by Brian Hall.
* [http://www.alesoftheriverwards.com/2014/06/gueuze-blending-101-and-i-am-student.html|Gueuze Blending 101] by Ed Coffey.
* [http://homebrewingfun.blogspot.com/2013/12/lambic-solera-update-17-part-2-three.html Lambic Solera Update #17 Part 2 -- Three Years (Finally!)] by Adam Kielich.
* [http://sourbeerblog.com/ask-dr-lambic-blending-flavor/ Blending Out an Off Flavor] by Matt Miller.