Beer Ice Cream
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Beer ice cream? Yep, you heard that right. And we aren’t talking about an ice cream float using beer. This beer ice cream combines the creaminess of the sweet treat and flavor of beer, and trust us, it’s delicious!
Who would have thought that beer and ice cream pair well together? But really, they do! Beer that has sweeter notes or a malt flavor works best for this recipe, as they complement the creamy sweetness of ice cream. This sweet treat will satisfy any craft beer fan in your life, or anyone who simply enjoys a cold, ice cream treat! That said, sorry kids, this one’s for the adults!
This ice cream comes together in 30 minutes, but will need 4 hours total time to cool and freeze. Your best bet is to make it ahead of time and enjoy it during that backyard BBQ or game night.
What type of beer should I use to make ice cream?
The best bet for beer ice cream is a sweet, malty beer. This recipe calls for a “dark, malty beer,” which can be any variety, including stouts, brown, or amber beers. You can use a beer with complementary flavors that would add to your ice cream; for instance, this recipe was tested with a maple-bacon beer, and what’s not to love about that combination!
What’s malt?
Malt is made from barley and gives a taste that’s nutty, almost caramel-like. Sometimes malt can also be described as tasting like coffee or dried dark fruits, like raisins. This is why malty beers work well for this recipe, as they add this rich flavor profile. If you’re unsure of whether the beer you’re using is “malty”, usually malty beers range in color from copper to dark brown.
Key ingredients
- Dark, malty beer: A stout or porter is the perfect beer for this ice cream. Make sure to avoid anything hoppy, like an IPA.
- Whipping cream: This adds body and creaminess to the ice cream. You need the fat content from whipping cream to make a beautiful ice cream – don’t skimp on the fat here.
- Sugar: granulated sugar is best; however, you can use brown sugar to add even more malt flavor here. Brown sugar may slightly darken the ice cream’s color.
- Sea salt: balances the flavors. Don’t use table salt as it will taste overwhelming.
- Toppings: These are optional, but they do add to the fun factor! Crumbled pretzels, a drizzle of chocolate, or peanut butter would be dee-lish!
Do I need an ice cream maker?
The easiest way to make this is in an ice cream maker. But you can make this using the no-churn method. Simply pour the cold custard into a shallow dish and put it into your freezer. Every half hour, take the dish out and use a fork to scrape and mix it around. It won’t be quite as creamy, but it will taste just as good!
Storage
If stored in an airtight container, homemade ice cream will keep for up to one month in the freezer. But the flavor and texture are best if eaten within a week.
Beer Ice Cream Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 ounces dark, malty beer
- 6 large egg yolks
- 2 cups whipping cream
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla
Instructions
- Pour half of the beer into a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and simmer it until the beer reduces by half (to 3 ounces.) Remove it from the heat.12 ounces dark, malty beer
- In a medium-sized saucepan, whisk the egg yolks, whipping cream, sugar, and salt. Turn on the heat to medium-low and cook, whisking frequently, until a custard is formed. You want it at 180 degrees Fahrenheit, or thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.6 large egg yolks, 1 cup sugar, ½ teaspoon sea salt, 2 cups whipping cream
- Remove the pot from the heat and add the reduced beer, the remaining beer, and the vanilla. Stir to combine.1 teaspoon pure vanilla
- Strain the mixture into a clean bowl using a fine mesh strainer. (This will remove any bits of cooked egg.)
- Place the custard into the fridge and allow it to cool completely.
- Process the custard according to the directions given by your ice cream maker’s manufacturer.
- Transfer the ice cream to a glass or metal container (plastic will often break in the freezer) and freeze the ice cream for at least 4 hours.
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
Is there any way to do this without an ice cream maker?
Yes! You can pour the ice cream into a shallow dish and put it in your freezer. Take it out every half hour and scrape it with a fork and mix it around. You’ll need to do this about 4 times. It won’t be quite as creamy but it will be close!
Hi Karen,
It is really good! I would love to hear what you (and your husband) think of it 🙂
I found this post through America’s Test Kitchen. I’ve never heard of beer ice cream before but now that I have I will definitely be making it. Some great photos you have here too.
Hi Matt,
You definitely should try it. It is so good!!
I made beer ice cream last year last time using a Stout. It was awesome. I wonder how it would turn out with a lambic beer.
Hi Artur,
My hunch is that a lambic beer would be too sour for ice cream. But I could be wrong! If you try it I would love to hear how it turns out. Definitely let me know!
Also, you should probably give even more credit to America’s Test Kitchen–I’m not sure what Jason did (give you the beer?), but the recipe is directly from Louise’s post on ATK’s Feed site, almost verbatim.
Hi again!
Jason is one of my closest friends and it was his husband who gave me the beer (and from that the inspiration) to make beer ice cream.
Louise’s post is great (awesome, actually) and did really help me out. I don’t know if you saw the post at ATK’s Feed site featuring this ice cream. They basically feature bloggers that have made and posted their recipes. http://www.americastestkitchenfeed.com/do-it-yourself/2013/05/blogger-spotlight-the-endless-meal-makes-beer-ice-cream/
In an email from Louise yesterday she mentioned that she was going to try making salted caramel ice cream. Let’s both keep our fingers crossed that she shares that recipe 🙂
Nice posting and great beer to make ice cream from–the Rogue has lots of yummy flavors!
One thing I’ll say, though, is the ice cream lasts way more than 5 days if you package it correctly. We put parchment paper directly on the surface of the ice cream, pressing down to seal it and then add another layer of plastic wrap to keep out the air. Stored this way we’ve kept homemade ice cream (including beer and cider versions) for 3-4 months and they were still great.
Hey Mark,
Thank you! And also thank you for mentioning parchment paper. I do the same but forgot to put it in the instructions. Will have to change that now!
I do have to disagree with how long the ice cream will keep. Although it doesn’t go bad (as in rotten or rancid) I do find that the quality, especially the texture, degrades very quickly. It can still be good, but just not quite as good. Maybe I’m just too picky 🙂
i would never turn down trying a new flavor of ice cream. sounds like it would be good.
Me neither! I always figure that you can’t say you don’t like something unless you try it first. While beer ice cream sounds a bit strange it is really good 🙂
Seems like I was really missing a lot!
LOL we’ll you don’t have to miss out anymore!