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This Guinness beer ice cream float recipe features gourmet coffee ice cream, a drizzle of chocolate syrup and bubbly stout beer. It’s perfect for St. Patrick’s day or a hot summer day!

A bottle of Guinness stout beer next to two ice cream floats.

I have fond childhood memories of summer days sitting on the back porch sipping on homemade root beer floats.

It was the perfect summertime treat!

Mom always made them with scoops of vanilla ice cream and our favorite root beer.

There was something about the little bubbles of carbonation mixed with the creamy vanilla ice cream.

Now that I’m all grown up, I like the adult version made with porter beers.

We are used to everything Irish.

Our city hosts a St Patrick’s Day parade and the annual Dublin Irish Fest every summer and it attracts over 100,000 visitors from all over.

The music and cultural festival is everything Irish and so much fun all weekend long.

It’s a great excuse to eat and drink all things Irish.

What is a beer float?

A beer float is an ice cream float made with beer instead of root beer or cream soda.

Similar to a soda, when the ice cream and beer interact, it creates a fizz or carbonation on top.

This creamy, dreamy concoction I like to call “Dessert in a Glass.”

This boozy float recipe features gourmet coffee ice cream pairing with bubbly stout beer and a drizzle of chocolate syrup.

Layered Irish stout and coffee ice cream play well together.

Rich dark porter poured over quality ice cream results in a frothy deliciousness.

Like you’re sipping a frozen latte only better.

A Guinness beer ice cream float on a tabletop.

I have added Guinness beer to my pot roasts and have soaked mushrooms in the stout as well.

It really adds a delicious flavor.

So why not add a scoop of ice cream, I thought.

Roasted coffee and layered dark chocolate malt flavors in the beer are accentuated by the sweet creamy ice cream.

The chocolate syrup is the whipped cream on top.

Variations to your ice cream float

Add caramel sauce instead of chocolate.

Add shaved chocolate on top as garnish.

Use chocolate ice cream or vanilla bean ice cream instead of coffee.

Use craft beer instead of brown ales.

Make this a classic root beer float alcohol-free for the kids.

Other concoctions for beer ice cream floats

If you love the idea of a a cool treat made with beer and ice cream, try these winning combinations. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different ice cream flavors. Hit up your local liquor store for your favorite flavor alcoholic beverage.

Blue Moon Belgium white ale and orange sherbet ice cream.
Leinenkugel’s summer shandy and orange sherbet ice cream or limoncello gelato.
Guinness stout and cherry ice cream.
Root beer soda, one shot of Skrewball peanut butter whiskey and peanut butter ice cream.
Your favorite sour beer paired with vanilla or butterscotch ice cream.

Tips for the best floats

To make the best ice cream float whether you use beer or soda, follow these easy tips.

Place a tall glass in the freezer so the float stays cold.
Allow the ice cream to sit on the counter at room temperature for a few minutes before scooping.
Place a scoop of ice cream in the bottom of the glass first before pouring in the beer.
Dip the ice cream scoop in a glass of cold water between scoops for easy release.
Add chocolate shavings or syrup on top.

Two beer ice cream floats on a tabletop.

More desserts for the whole family

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