Cherry Lambic Ice Cream Float

published Jul 22, 2010

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There’s nothing terribly original about pouring beer over ice cream; if nothing else, root beer keeps us reminded of that tradition. I’ve been lazy with my beer and ice cream pairings — who isn’t? — and so it wasn’t until recently when a guest brought over a bottle of super-sweet Framboise Lambic, a raspberry beer of sorts, that I gave some serious thought to pouring boozy brews over ice cream.

So while the dinner guests were mixing their crimson red beer with Prosecco, I fell into a lambic float daydream.

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

Lambic is a Belgian relative of beer, but not exactly a close sibling. It is made in open vats where things are allowed to go wild. The result is a cloudy beer, only mildly carbonated and with a sour taste. Many lambics are brewed with fruit, bringing in sweetness to balance out the sourdough-like flavor.

The most widely available brand of lambic is Lindemans. They make a cherry (Kriek), raspberry (Framboise), apple (Pomme), black currant (Cassis), and peach (Pêche) lambic. All are great over a scoop or two of vanilla (or other) ice cream, but my favorite is the cherry, and that was dessert last night. Perfect for a hot summer evening. I’m sure it’s not bad in cooler seasons either.