Since it was first mentioned in John Steinbeck's Cannery Row, some people just can't seem to shake the idea of a beer milkshake. I know you're skeptical at first. You ask yourself: Will the beer make the milk curdle? No. Is it a dessert. or a pregame drink? Both. Will you get drunk off of it? Well, that depends on who your mixologist is.
You can be creative with how you decide to pair your choice of beer with your choice of ice cream. The logistics of preparing this concoction are easy: Simply mix your ingredients at a ratio of 1 oz of beer to one scoop of ice cream. Add ice, a bit of honey or sugar and place all ingredients in the blender. Blend until smooth. Dark beers such as stouts tend to be great choices. I would suggest pairing a dark beer that has chocolate or molasses undertones with a rich chocolate ice cream. But I also love blending anything from a Guinness, to an IPA or even a Belgian ale like Leffe Blonde with a flavorful vanilla ice cream. If you're nervous about the flavors being too strong, try pairing a light, fruity beer with vanilla frozen yogurt. I've experimented with other options like adding fruit, caramel or odd ice cream flavors into the mix. To be honest, I'd stick with vanilla, chocolate or coffee ice cream. Let the creativity come from how you pair those flavors with various beers.
If you're keen on the idea but aren't an avid beer drinker, then these other options might interest you instead. Try a whiskey milkshake by blending together whiskey, milk, ice, honey and vanilla. Or, for a drink to warm you up on a cold winter's night, use coffee or hot chocolate as your base. Add amaretto, Bailey's Irish Cream, Kahlua, brandy or Tia Maria to the original drink and enjoy.
