What Beers Can Be Mixed Together

There are plenty of beer cocktails to enjoy, where beer is mixed with different spirits. I guess even a shandy is a beer cocktail. However what about actually mixing two beers together to make a tasty drink. But what beers can be mixed together?

It may sound mad, but this is not a new thing, mixing two beers together goes way back. However with today’s vast choice in beers, does it give us more options?

I cover a few more of the old style beer combinations in ‘Does Light And Bitter Still Exist‘.

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Why Mix Two Beers Together?

That’s a good point, why would anyone want to mix two beers together?

Why mix a perfectly good beer with another beer, it don’t make no sense, or does it?

In my younger days I did drink light and bitter, mainly because you get more for your money. It came out as more than a pint, but didn’t cost as much as a straight pint of bitter.

Others use to drink it to enhance the flavour. Going back many years, bitter was not great, so adding a light ale enhanced it.

It is similar to cocktails, a way of trying and finding combinations that work together and taste good.

Who first thought of putting Gin, Vermouth and Campari together to create a classic Negroni?

Count Camillo Negroni apparently over 100 years ago.

So is it that strange to actually mix two beers together?

Mixing Two Beers Together

The older combinations of mixing beer was a simple affair. Just half of one beer in a pint glass and then add the other beer to fill the glass.

In fact they were known as half and half, easy.

However will that work with the modern craft beers of today?

I think it could work, but not always by using the half and half method. A strong hoppy IPA may dominate over another beer if the half and half combination is used. So it might be a 30/70 mix or a 40/60 mix.

Only experimenting will find the perfect combination.

What I will say is, if you are going to experiment with mixing two beers, then scale it down. Instead of using a pint glass and wasting all that beer if it turns out dreadful. Just use a shot glass so only a small amount of beer goes to waste if it is bad.

It could be a fun thing to do.

What Do Breweries Think Of Mixing Beers Together?

I am sure any brewery would hate the fact that people are mixing their beer with another beer. A lot of work goes into perfecting and brewing a beer, so don’t mess with it.

Having said that, it is not far fetched to think that a brewery might come up with a new beer by combining two others during the brewing process.

Or do they actually take part in beer mixing shenanigans with post brewed beers?

Some might say.

How about a standard lager mixed with a dark lager. Or a ginger pale ale mixed with a black IPA. These have actually been mixed and by breweries too.

You can find out about these at bon appétit in their article mixing beer.

Final Thoughts

I am not sure if mixing beers is everyone’s cup of tea, well its not, its beer. I am not going to spoil my favourite IPA by mixing it with another beer. Mainly because I like it too much. However I could be missing out on discovering a new favourite beer.

I’ll take that chance.

Like I said mixing two beers together is not a new thing. But it is a more exciting prospect with the amount of different beers we can choose from today.

Any two beers can be mixed together, whether they make for a good drink or not is another matter.

I’m on the fence, how about you, do you like to mix two beers together? Share your thoughts below. Is it a good thing or not?