There’s no better time to indulge in ice cream than the month of July. Designated National Ice Cream Month back in 1984 (National Ice Cream Day is the third Sunday of the month), these dog days of summer are ideal for sweet, chilled refreshment.
This year, the craft brew experts at Tavour take things to the next level with five delicious beer floats! The app-based retailer has no shortage of boozy ingredients for these ice cream and craft beer dessert treats – they work with over 600 independent breweries across the country to connect beer lovers with specialty Stouts, IPAs, Sours and other brews they can’t get at their local stores.
There’s something for all ice cream lovers in these float recipes! Ages 21 and up, of course.
*Pro tip – no matter which float you make, try chilling your glass beforehand to make the ice cream melt more gradually!
Barrel Aged Chocolate Stout Float
This beer float is sure to satisfy the cravings of chocoholics! The melty sweetness of chocolate ice cream pairs beautifully with the warming whiskey, coffee, and bittersweet dark chocolate notes of a fine Barrel Aged Stout. For even more mocha complexity, the Tavour team suggests a brew like Oak Aged Coffee Coconut Sasquatch Reserve from 903 Brewers in Texas.
Ingredients
2 scoops of chocolate ice cream
1 can Barrel Aged Stout (16 oz of Oak Aged Coffee Coconut Sasquatch)
*optional toppings – whipped cream, chocolate syrup, coconut shavings.
Preparation
In a tall glass of your choice, add the ice cream first, then carefully pour in the beer. Go slowly to reduce foaming. Keep extra beer on the side to add as needed, or enjoy separately! Top as desired, and you’re good to go!
Berries ‘n Cream Weiss Float
A tangy Fruited Berliner Weiss is a great choice for an ice cream float, as the crisp tartness of the beer and creamy sweetness of the ice cream both balance and complement one another. Beers like Berry Weiss from Missouri’s Crane Brewing offer layers of lush, tangy decadence. And, paired with velvety ice cream, the beer becomes the ultimate berries ‘n cream dessert!
Ingredients
1 scoop vanilla ice cream of your choice
1 scoop strawberry ice cream
1 can of Fruited Berliner Weiss (12 oz of Crane Brewing’s Berry Weiss)
*optional topping – whipped cream and cherry glaze
Preparation
In a tall glass of your choice, add the ice cream first (how you layer the two different flavors is your call). Then, carefully pour in the beer, going slowly to reduce foaming. Top as desired, and keep any remaining beer on the side to add as needed, or enjoy separately!
Milkshake IPA Creamsicle Float
Milkshake IPAs have surged in popularity over the past couple years, and beers like Opaque Thoughts – Orange Creamsicle show why. Montana’s Mountains Walking added lactose, vanilla, and orange to the brew to smooth out its hop bitterness and create soft waves of citrus smoothie flavors. While it’s tasty on its own, you can take it to mouthwatering creamsicle extremes with additions of vanilla ice cream and orange sherbet!
Ingredients
1 scoop of vanilla ice cream
1 scoop of orange sherbet
1 can of citrus-forward Milkshake IPA (16 oz. of Mountains Walking’s Opaque Thoughts)
*Optional toppings – whipped cream, orange zest
Preparation
In a tall glass of your choice, add the sherbet first, then the vanilla ice cream (because the sherbet is denser, having it on the bottom will allow it more time to meld with the beer). Then, carefully pour in the beer, slowly to reduce foaming. Top as desired, and keep extra beer on the side to add as needed, or enjoy by itself. Cheers!
Minty Pastry Stout Float
As dessert connoisseurs know all too well, mint chip ice cream pairs wonderfully with a fudgy slice of cake. But, what about a cake in beer form? Pastry Stouts like Listermann Brewing‘s The Works boast enough sweet-toothed ingredients to make a baker envious. For this impressive, (10% ABV!) rendition, the Ohio brewers loaded up on caramel, chocolate, vanilla, powdered sugar, nuts, sprinkles, and even peanut butter! They also gave the brew a dose of lactose to make it one smooth sipper. Paired with mint chocolate chip ice cream, it’s extra luxurious.
Ingredients
2 scoops of mint chocolate chip ice cream
1 can of Pastry Stout (16 oz. of Listermann Brewing’s The Works)
*Optional toppings – whipped cream, chocolate syrup, cherry
Preparation
In a tall glass of your choice, add the ice cream first, then carefully pour in the beer. Go slowly to reduce foaming. Keep extra beer on the side to add as needed, or sip separately! Top as desired (with the amount of sweet treats in the Pastry Stout, feel free to get creative here) and you’re all set. Enjoy!
Butter Pecan Porter Float
Adventurous palates will love this rich combo! The nutty pecan and butterscotch thickness of the ice cream mixes opulently with a Porter’s natural malt sweetness. But, to really get the royal treatment, opt for a beer like Midnight Hike Porter from Denver’s River North Brewery. This sipper adds new depths of silky dark chocolate!
Ingredients
2 scoops of butter pecan ice cream
1 can/bottle of Porter (375 ml of River North’s Midnight Hike)
*Optional toppings – whipped cream, caramel, crushed nuts
Preparation
In a tall glass of your choice, add the ice cream first, then carefully pour in the beer, slowly to reduce foaming. Keep any remaining beer on the side to add as needed, or savor it by itself! Top as desired, and enjoy!
Looking to explore more beers worthy of elevating your ice cream treats to new heights this summer? Check out the Tavour app for daily roundups of different beer styles from top breweries all over the country.
Terry Bunch
