Introducing: The beer float.
I’ve often thought of making these, but wondered what beer to use…a lager would be a bit odd, I think, but of course, chocolately beers seem to lend themselves very well to desserts.
Thankfully, our friends at Abita Brewing in Mandeville, Louisiana make an AMAZING dark brown ale called Turbodog. This has been one of my favorite beers ever since I took my first sip, sitting on a patio chair at the Bulldog on Magazine Street. Thick & hearty but super-smooth and well balanced, it has a slight “chocolate-toffee” flavor that I love.
But the idea of the “beer float” is not entirely unique—a quick Google shows that I’m not the first to venture on to that strange unfamiliar territory. So how do we take this foamy concoction and make it memorable?
By using one of the most amazing frozen refreshments ever created in the state of Missouri.
I speak of course, of Andy’s Frozen Custard.
Andy’s has locations scattered across the Midwest, centralized here in Springfield, Missouri. Frozen custard was born in a different part of the Midwest (up in Milwaukee), though if you ask locals, Andy’s has perfected it. Of course, we have Culver’s here too, and a few other frozen custard offshoots, along with the plethora of self-serve fro-yo places that are so trendy right now. And most days, I’m more than happy to satisfy my sweet tooth with some cheesecake flavored froyo covered in half the contents of the toppings bar. But when it comes to decadence, Andy’s is where I go.
Frozen custard differs from ice cream in that it contains at least 10% milkfat & 1.4% egg yolk, which contribute to its rich flavor and smooth texture.
But enough yammering. On to the float!
Ingredients: (makes two floats)
8 oz frozen custard
1 bottle Abita Turbodog
2 pint glasses
2 straws
Directions:
Divide the frozen custard between the two glasses. Then evenly divide the beer into the two glasses. It’ll foam, a LOT, so give it a while to “de-foam” before you resume pouring, lest your cup runneth over.
Once the beer is evenly divided, use the straw to mix the custard & the beer a bit, then sip away!
Verdict? Mixed reviews. The Turbodog isn’t quite chocolately enough to make this taste like a shake, but when mixed with a good glob of custard, it had a really wonderful flavor. The foam…not so much. Kinda bitter.
But this experiment has me contemplating some other flavor combinations, like:
- Young’s Double Chocolate Stout & coconut ice cream (would it taste like a Mounds bar?)
- Mother’s Winter Grind & vanilla (an AMAZING coffee stout—this would surely taste like an iced coffee)
- Blue Moon & Orange Sherbet
- Wild Blue & Lemon Sorbet (what’s better than lemon & blueberries?)
- Abita Strawberry Lager & Lime or Lemon Sorbet (I’m thinking it might be like a Strawberry Limeade from Sonic)
- Corona & lime sorbet
That last one I’ll actually be trying out in a few weeks. Some friends are hosting a “trashy” Cinco de Mayo party, and really…what could be trashier than beer floats?
NutriFacts (per float) for the TurboDog Float:
Calories: 286
Grams Fat: 10g
Sat. Fat: 6g
Carbs: 21g
Sugar: 17g
Protein: 4g
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