diff --git a/packages/essdiffraction/src/ess/beer/mcstas/load.py b/packages/essdiffraction/src/ess/beer/mcstas/load.py
index 68f7e118b..5ab8d918d 100644
--- a/packages/essdiffraction/src/ess/beer/mcstas/load.py
+++ b/packages/essdiffraction/src/ess/beer/mcstas/load.py
@@ -116,7 +116,19 @@ def load_beer_mcstas(
 ) -> sc.DataArray:
     """Load a detector bank from a BEER McStas file."""
     if not isinstance(bank, DetectorBank):
-        raise ValueError('bank must be either DetectorBank.north or DetectorBank.south')
+        raise ValueError(
+            'bank must be ``DetectorBank.north``, '
+            '``DetectorBank.south``, or ``DetectorBank.both``'
+        )
+
+    if bank == DetectorBank.both:
+        return sc.concat(
+            [
+                load_beer_mcstas(filename, bank)
+                for bank in (DetectorBank.south, DetectorBank.north)
+            ],
+            dim='pixel_id',
+        )
 
     filename = Path(filename)
     with mcstastox.Read(filename.parent, filename.name) as data:
diff --git a/packages/essdiffraction/src/ess/beer/types.py b/packages/essdiffraction/src/ess/beer/types.py
index 9880011e3..58e566125 100644
--- a/packages/essdiffraction/src/ess/beer/types.py
+++ b/packages/essdiffraction/src/ess/beer/types.py
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ class StreakClusteredData(sciline.Scope[RunType, sc.DataArray], sc.DataArray):
 class DetectorBank(Enum):
     north = 'north'
     south = 'south'
+    both = 'both'
 
 
 PulseLength = NewType("PulseLength", sc.Variable)
diff --git a/packages/essdiffraction/src/ess/beer/workflow.py b/packages/essdiffraction/src/ess/beer/workflow.py
index 0bc7edc9a..40eb096b3 100644
--- a/packages/essdiffraction/src/ess/beer/workflow.py
+++ b/packages/essdiffraction/src/ess/beer/workflow.py
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
     wavelength_detector,
 )
 from .mcstas import mcstas_providers
-from .types import PulseLength
+from .types import DetectorBank, PulseLength
 
 default_parameters = {
     CalibrationData: None,
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@
         'south_detector': {'y': 200, 'x': 500},
         'north_detector': {'y': 200, 'x': 500},
     },
+    DetectorBank: DetectorBank.both,
 }
 
 
diff --git a/packages/essdiffraction/tests/beer/mcstas_reduction_test.py b/packages/essdiffraction/tests/beer/mcstas_reduction_test.py
index 3b00a8691..6006a6bab 100644
--- a/packages/essdiffraction/tests/beer/mcstas_reduction_test.py
+++ b/packages/essdiffraction/tests/beer/mcstas_reduction_test.py
@@ -154,6 +154,17 @@ def test_can_load_all_detector_generations(fname, bank):
     assert da.bins.size().sum().value > 0
 
 
+def test_load_both_detector_banks():
+    filename = mcstas_few_neutrons_3d_detector_example()
+    north = load_beer_mcstas(filename, DetectorBank.north)
+    south = load_beer_mcstas(filename, DetectorBank.south)
+    both = load_beer_mcstas(filename, DetectorBank.both)
+
+    assert both.bins.size().sum().value == (
+        north.bins.size().sum().value + south.bins.size().sum().value
+    )
+
+
 def test_loaded_mcstas_event_variances_are_squared_weights():
     da = load_beer_mcstas(mcstas_few_neutrons_3d_detector_example(), DetectorBank.north)
     weights = da.bins.constituents['data']