The Mystery of Yeast Blending: Are Two Strains Better Than One?

Good morning. Jimmy Carter passed at 100 years old on December 29th, 2024. He was instrumental for American homebrewing by legalizing it federally in 1978 via H.R. 1337. However, there were hold outs on the state level - Mississippi and Alabama didn’t legalize homebrewing until 2013.

-Brandon Copeland

The Mystery of Yeast Blending: Are Two Strains Better Than One?

Most homebrewers are creatures of habit. We find a yeast strain that works for our go-to styles and stick with it. Chico for clean ales, 1318 for juicy IPAs, a trusty Belgian strain for those occasional dubbels. But every now and then, we stumble on an idea that shakes up our brewing process—like blending yeast strains.

There’s something inherently exciting (or terrifying) about letting two different yeasts ferment a batch together. Will they play nice? Fight for dominance? Unlock flavors that neither strain could achieve alone? Or just end up in an awkward microbial stalemate?

The Case for Blending

Commercial breweries have been playing with yeast blends for years. Think of the signature esters in some farmhouse ales—often a mix of Saccharomyces and Brett. Or the way lager breweries have experimented with multiple strains to dial in attenuation and mouthfeel.

On the homebrew scale, blending yeast can add complexity, help balance out undesirable traits, and even improve fermentation reliability. For example:

• Pairing a high-attenuating strain with a low-attenuating one can prevent a beer from finishing too dry or too sweet.

• Combining a fruity ester bomb with a neutral workhorse can tame extreme flavors while keeping a touch of character.

• A mix of English and American ale yeasts might bridge the gap between clean and expressive, making for a unique take on an IPA.

The Case Against It

But let’s be real—sometimes, simplicity is king. Predictability is a beautiful thing in brewing, and blending introduces variables that can be tough to control. There’s no easy way to know which yeast will dominate, how the balance will shift over time, or whether one strain will stall out halfway through fermentation.

Then there’s the issue of repeatability. If you strike gold with a yeast blend, can you recreate it consistently? Maybe… if you’re pitching fresh packs every time. But if you try to re-pitch the harvested slurry? Good luck guessing what’s actually in there.

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Beer Trivia Question

🍺 Which European monastery is known for brewing a beer that was, for many years, considered the rarest and most sought-after in the world due to its limited production and direct-only sales?

Read to the end to find out if you're right!

Brewgr Recipe of the Week

Waltz of the Flowers DDHIPA

This one grabbed me by it’s name - you can just imagine the aroma this DDH IPA will have. The grains are split with 2-row and flaked oats, and Citra and Zythos are the two hops added at different intervals. I have never used Zythos before but I’ve added it to my list for a future brew!

Credit: PrettyPoochBrewing

Poll Results: Are You Participating in Dry January?

The response for this poll was overwhelmingly “no”, which for a crowd of homebrewers comes as no surprise. I will say, a lot of your responses made me chuckle - I appreciate the creativity in responses. Here were a couple of my favorites:

• “No - Since beer is mostly water I'd get dehydrated if i did...”

• “No - Vodka January”

• “No - Have a couple of beers daily and I'm no quitter.”

However, some people wrote in saying they are giving it a try, with one person writing in that they have already lost 6 pounds in just a few days. It can be a polarizing topic, and to each their own. For me, I am not participating, but for all of those who are, good luck!

And the Answer Is...

🍺 Westvleteren Brewery (Trappist Westvleteren) – This Belgian Trappist brewery, run by monks at the Saint Sixtus Abbey, produces some of the most highly regarded beers in the world, particularly Westvleteren 12. For years, the only way to purchase it was by making a reservation via phone and picking it up in person at the monastery, adding to its mystique.