Have you thought about making beer ice cream? On hot days, the combination of ice cream and beer sounds enticing, but beer ice cream is not that common. We’ve chosen to make it ourselves because of this! We have a fantastic, manageable recipe that anyone can use. This can be prepared even if you don’t have an ice cream maker at home or are not a skilled cook.
Easy Recipe For Beer Ice Cream (6 Steps)
Step 1: Gather Ingredients
- 5 egg yolks
- 12 oz of beer (one bottle)
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup milk
- about 1/4 cup sugar
- a pinch of salt (optional)
- a splash of pure vanilla extract(optional)
One beer bottle is required for this recipe. I asked Bricobart directly, and he said that using a dark beer will make the finished product sweeter. In place of a hoppy beer, use a malty beer because malty beers become sweet when cooked, whereas hops in a beer will turn bitter when cooked. Think of a malt shake or a Whopper malt candy; they are all very sweet. When shopping, I strongly advise asking a staff member which beers they would suggest. I went to my neighborhood Whole Foods and purchased this Vanilla Porter on the advice of the employee who told me it was very sweet and perfect for desserts.
You might require more than 1/4 cup of sugar because every beer is different. If I were to add more, I would start with 1/4 cup and work my way up. Vanilla and salt work similarly. Salt and vanilla can definitely improve the flavor of the ice cream, but they aren’t always necessary. When using Vanilla Porter to make ice cream, I didn’t need to add any vanilla extract because the beer already has a vanilla flavor. I would definitely rather use too little than too much, though sugar, salt, and alcohol can prevent freezing. Don’t overdo anything because the main flavor of the ice cream ought to be beer rather than sugary vanilla.
Enough blathering; let’s get going!
Step 2: Making The Custard Base
1. The egg yolks and sugar should first be whipped together until they are a light yellow color. In a saucepan, heat the milk and cream concurrently while occasionally stirring. Take the milk and cream mixture off the heat once you see a thin layer of “skin” forming, as shown in the third image.
2. While simultaneously whisking, add a small amount of the hot milk mixture to the eggs. In order to avoid having scrambled eggs instead of smooth custard, you should spoon in a small amount of the hot milk mixture at a time and continue whisking.
3. Pour back into the saucepan and heat on low once the two mixtures have been combined. If the temperature rises above 185 degrees Fahrenheit, the egg in the mixture runs the risk of separating into small chunks, which will thicken the custard and increase the creaminess of the ice cream. I advise using a cooking thermometer and removing the mixture from the heat when it reaches 180 degrees Fahrenheit. If you don’t have a thermometer, you can tell the custard is finished when it is thick enough to coat a wooden spoon. Congratulations, you just produced custard!
Step 3: Straining And Chilling
1. To remove any egg chunks that may have formed, pass your custard mixture through a sieve. Although not required, this step is highly advised.
2. While completing the subsequent step, put the custard in the refrigerator to chill.
Step 4: Reducing The Beer
1. In a saucepan, pour one bottle of beer, and heat on the lowest heat setting. As a result, there will be less water and alcohol in the beer. However, too much alcohol can prevent the ice cream from freezing, so you still want some to be present in the ice cream. I drank only a little over a cup of beer. Stir in the salt and any vanilla at this time.
2. Stir the reduced beer mixture into the custard base. Put in the refrigerator and chill for at least eight hours. I fully have 24 hours to chill mine.
Step 5: Ice Cream Maker
1. Use your ice cream maker to process the beer custard mixture now. Follow the instructions that come with your machine as each ice cream maker has a different set.
2. Take the mixture out of the machine when it grows larger and starts to resemble ice cream rather than a liquid, spoon it into a container with a lid, and then freeze it for at least five hours. Although it is technically possible, I don’t think it’s worth it because it will be very soft.
Nevertheless, what if I don’t own an ice cream maker?!
However, if you’re using my recipe, you’ll need an ice cream maker to make beer ice cream. However, you can make creamy popsicles by pouring the beer-custard mixture into popsicle molds. I advise purchasing an ice cream maker from Amazon if you are seriously interested in making ice cream. I paid less than $30 for mine.
Step 6: Enjoy!
Enjoy ice cream in a cone after adding a few generous scoops. This ice cream would be a wonderful addition to your upcoming barbecue or simply a treat to enjoy by the pool. If you enjoyed this Instructable please take a second out of your day to vote for me in the Beer Contest!
Tips For Beer Ice Cream
Although this is changing, beer is not typically an ingredient in ice cream.), so use these tips from CraftBeer.com’s guidelines for using beer in ice cream recipes are as follows:
- Whisk the beer for a few minutes to smooth it out. Ice cream’s texture frequently suffers when it is carbonated.
- Refrain from making the beer into a reduction before mixing it with the ice cream. Considering tip #1, it is advised to add the beer exactly as is.
- Use moderate amounts of beer. Additionally, beer’s alcohol content can impact how well ice cream settles, which will ultimately affect the texture. In order to make the ice cream creamier, try adding a little more sugar to the mixture of sugar and cream if you feel that the beer contribution amount is appropriate.
- Make use of premium beer! A recipe is only as good as its ingredients, whether you’re making craft beer at home or buying it from the store.
Which Beer Should I Choose?
The flavor of the finished product will vary depending on the beer you select. For instance, a light beer like lager or pilsner won’t have a particularly strong flavor. Instead, a milder, more subdued flavor. On the other hand, a darker beer like a stout or porter can impart richer, heavier, and more malty flavors to your ice cream. Many stouts and porters have notes of caramel, coffee, and chocolate that are worth taking into account. Similar to this, a pale ale or an IPA will produce a bitterness that can be used to counteract the sweetness.
Conclusion
Are you aware of how simple this recipe is? If you follow the above instructions, you can make a perfect batch of beer ice cream. however, please remember homemade ice cream will keep for about 5 days in your freezer, but It seems to me that eating it within a day or two is ideal. Make sure the beer you use isn’t bitter or too hoppy, as this will make the ice cream taste bitter. choose a maltier, sweeter beer. Enjoy!