Give Root Beer A Boozy Upgrade With This Creamy Ingredient

On a hot summer's afternoon, there's nothing quite like an ice-cold root beer to help you beat the heat. It's been around for hundreds of years, and indigenous Americans have used a version of it as a medicine and refreshment since before modern records. Nowadays, this sassafras-based soda is a favorite of children and adults alike, especially at burger joints and diners. Root beer also makes an ideal mixer for your next party drink, especially if you're up for trying a truly unique ingredient: bourbon cream.

Root beer may have started as a non-alcoholic cocktail alternative, but that doesn't mean it has to stay that way. You can add rum, vodka, whiskey, and other liquors to it for tasty botanical cocktails, but bourbon cream gives a smooth, vanilla touch that offsets the spicy herbal flavor root beer already has, while creating a soft, warm burn going down. This makes it good for both cold and hot weather, while harkening back to one of the all-time beverage greats, the root beer float.

It won't come as any surprise that this cocktail is inspired by a traditional root beer float. The world of floats doesn't stop with root beer, however, and it didn't start with it either. Initially, in 1874, the first ice cream float ingredients involved various flavored syrups and soda water as a base. It wasn't until the 1890s that "the Black Cow," or root beer float as we know it, came to be. It wasn't long after that when alcohol was added to root beer as a cocktail ingredient. These well-rooted origins and a little creativity are what eventually gave way to what many call a bourbon cream root beer float.

As far as brands go, you have a few options, including Buffalo Trace, Jim Beam, and Paddleford Creek. In the case of Buffalo Trace, the bourbon cream has a vanilla flavor that blends well with the vanilla notes already in many root beer brands. The creaminess mimics that of ice cream, and the ice it's shaken with or poured over gives it that chilly bite. If you want an ice cream float taste with an alcoholic kick and no actual ice cream, this is how to accomplish it.

If you're worried about a complicated recipe, there's no need to stress. For some iterations of this beverage, you only need two ingredients — bourbon cream liqueur and root beer. For the most float-like flavor, select a root beer that has a strong vanilla taste and then add one part liqueur for every two to four parts root beer, depending on preference. Try not to choose a root beer with high acid content, as it may cause the cream to curdle. You can add additional regular bourbon if you want more booziness without more creaminess. Serve the ingredients poured over ice or chilled, stir, and you've got a classic-tasting drink without needing to wash your ice cream scooper.

To elevate things a little, you can change up the components some. Try an alcoholic root beer as a base, or add an actual scoop of vanilla ice cream at the end to make it a proper float. Garnish with whipped cream and a cherry to lend it a malt-shop flair. You can also make sure to give your root beer cocktail that perfect final touch by chilling your glass before serving.