Eight incredible beer ice creams, plus more frozen beer treats.
Missoula, Mont.: Charlie Beaton started Big Dipper Ice Cream behind Kettlehouse Brewing back in 1995; now, he regularly unleashes limited-edition batches of Cold Smoke Ice Cream made with wort from the brewery’s Scotch ale.
Denver: Known for adventuresome scoops like brown butter sage, Sweet Action Ice Cream taps Colorado’s wealth of craft brewers for inspiration during the Denver Beer Fest. Boozy ice creams include Brown Ale Chip made with Avery Ellie’s Brown Ale, and Smoked Porter S’mores featuring Great Divide Smoked Baltic Porter.
Allston, Mass.: Sunset Grill & Tap regularly teams with nearby Coop’s MicroCreamery to churn frozen treats with the bar’s 112 craft taps. Next up? Dogfish Head’s Sam Calagione will run his 21%-ABV Worldwide Stout through a Randall filled with coffee beans for beer floats made with the bar’s bourbon-malt-chocolate ice cream.
Washington, D.C.: Pastry chef Mickael Cornu whips up a lightly citrusy Hoegaarden ice cream that’s delicious alone, and sinful on top of a buttery, caramel-drizzled pear-frangipane tart at his Et Voila eatery.
New York City: The flavor creators of Il Laboratorio del Gelato honor Irish tradition in their Guinness gelato, which retains the brew’s classic hearty, toasted hints with that delectable sweetness any good beer sorbet should have.
San Francisco: Amid batches of sweet corn ice cream and Jesus Juice (red wine and Coke) sorbet, Humphry Slocombe chef/owner Jake Godby crafts one-off beer ice creams starring local brews like Magnolia Oysterhead Stout.
New Orleans: La Divina Gelateria owners Carmelo and Katrina Turillo sometimes sell five liters of Turbodog Chocolate Sorbetto, a stellar combin-ation of Abita Turbodog’s rich caramel and toffee malt flavors and creamy Valrhona dark chocolate, in a single day.
Minneapolis: Sebastian Joe’s Ice Cream Café steals hearts with its Surly Bender ice cream, a chocolate- and honey-tinged flavor made from the local brewery’s oatmeal brown ale.
PLUS: Two more frozen treats for beer lovers
Diablo Royale, New York City: What happens when you crack a Tecate, insert a pinch of salt, maybe a few pulverized raspberries or muddled slivers of fresh lime, then place a popsicle stick in the open mouth and freeze it for 24 hours? You get the Hopsicle at Diablo Royale, a frosty, adult version of the Push-Pop that fuels 1980s nostalgia.
Whiskey Soda Lounge, Portland, Ore.: Whiskey Soda Lounge regulars have a new, high-tech brew to pair with chef Andy Ricker’s spicy Thai recipes. WSL’s imported bia wun (“jelly beer”) maker uses a windshield-wiper motor to spin ice and salt inside a plastic, elephant-carved tub. Leave a 22-ounce Singha in the machine for a few minutes, then remove and flip the bottle upside down before opening—the brew inside spews out in slushie-like form.
