We've asked you how you like your ice cream floats, and we've confessed our own love for beer floats. And now we've found perhaps the perfect beer for a thick, rich, chocolatey beer float; it's nearly as creamy as the ice cream!
Beer Float! With Hoppin' Frog Oatmeal-Imperial Stout
The beer has a big name: B.O.R.I.S. The Crusher Oatmeal-Imperial Stout (where B.O.R.I.S. stands for "Bodacious Oatmeal Russian Imperial Stout"). It's a chocolatey, rich, incredibly smooth dark stout with caramel and chocolate overtones, a mellow toastiness underneath, and a long hoppy finish that balances out sweet ice cream with a pleasantly bitter bite.
Now, I can't take any credit for this pairing; I was introduced to it by Constance, the beer and wine specialist at a great neighborhood market near where I live. The Hills Market teamed up with local favorite Snowville Creamery for an ice cream social with fresh-made ice cream and great beers. We tried floats with three different beers: an orange blossom ale, a raspberry framboise lambic, and then this hearty chocolate brew. All three were inspired pairings, but the Hoppin' Frog pairing nearly made my husband's eyes roll back in his head. So of course we had to try it at home again immediately.
Hoppin' Frog is a great little brewery in Akron, Ohio, and their beers are slowly gaining a wider distribution. To find them near you, check out their website:
• Hoppin' Frog - Available throughout the Midwest and some parts of New York, Rhode Island, and the Carolinas.
Highly recommended! It's such a rich beer, too, that one bottle should get you through at least four or five floats. Delicious frosty, creamy, coolness for these warm evenings.
Do you like beer floats? What's your favorite beer to pair with ice cream?
Related: The Thirsty Reader: A Guinness Milkshake
(Images: Faith Durand)
Tags
Dessert, Sweets, Beverages, Beer, ice cream, Hoppin' Frog, ice cream float, oatmeal stout, stoutRelated Links
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I use vanilla porter for my beer floats. Currently I've been using Breckenridge Brewing Vanilla Porter. I also tend to use my own homemade bourbon ice cream...yes bourbon, as in whiskey, not as in Bourbon Vanilla Beans.
view barturtle's profile
This sounds amazing, and I live in Cleveland! How have I not discovered this already?
view JENK968's profile
lambics make amazing floats. kriek, framboise and peche are all great!
view Amandica's profile
That's too funny. A few weeks ago I was teasing a friend who said it was so hot out she didn't know whether to have a beer or some ice cream – I told her to make a beer float and have both. And afterwards, thinking about it seriously, it didn't sound like such a bad idea. I theorized that a good rich stout with strong coffee ice cream would be pretty fine. I guess I'm just going to have to try it!
view GG Mora's profile
I was just in Portland OR over memorial day weekend and my good friend to me to a place called Pix and had a beer float with Rouge Chocolate Stout and Pix's house made mocha ice cream. It was AMAZING!
view redbeard's profile
we just discovered Guinness Milkshakes. no big deal, right? and then i read this post and realized...we can make our own, DUH!
so i'm thinking of trying it with some local brews--in Austin, that means the 512 Pecan Porter Stout, or maybe the Independence Bootlegger Brown.
everyone should try it. beer and ice cream. helloooo, weekend!
view amber77's profile
I live in Akron and we love these beers! (separately the Hills Market is also great, used to live in Columbus). I can't wait to try this float recipe. Thanks for sharing!
view sprinklewithsalt's profile
Stout shakes are something. 1 pint of stout, 1 or 2 scoops of good quality (high fat) ice cream (e.g. Bryers), and 1 tablespoon of malt vinegar. Buzz in a blender. Yum!
view Bushidoka's profile
There was a stout milkshake that was AMAZING at Hot Chocolate in Chicago and I've been trying to recreate it ever since, thanks for the tip!
view Staar84's profile
Lazy Magnolia Southern Pecan Nut Brown Ale makes the best floats you could ask for. I favor it over plain vanilla ice cream, but some folks I know like it with Blue Bell Pecan Pralines and Cream. The Lazy Magnolia brewery is small...in Hancock County, Mississippi...not too far from Stennis Space Center. All their products are fabulous...Southern Gold, Reb Ale, Jefferson Stout...but nothing beats Southern Pecan for a float.
view 39520expat's profile