The Best Beer To Kick Back With While Enjoying A Bowl Of Vanilla Ice Cream

Step aside meat and veggies –- we're about to dive into the two best food groups in existence: beer and ice cream. Okay, so they aren't "food groups," but that small detail doesn't make them any less enticing. And if you get the pairing just right, they're great together. Humble vanilla is one ice cream flavor that pairs perfectly with a Guinness, but could vanilla be taken to new heights with a different beer? Because of the gravity of this topic, we spoke with two beer experts to get to the bottom of this.

Rich Buceta, the creative director and owner of Singlecut, leaned into the classic combination of chocolate and vanilla when proposing the best beer to unite with vanilla ice cream. "[Something like] our ERIC MORE COWBELL CHOCOLATE MILK STOUT is a natural pairing," he said. "It has a thick/creamy texture and is brewed with real cacao and vanilla beans, so it's a great combination."

Chris Cusack, the owner of Betelgeuse Betelgeuse, had a few suggestions. He doubled down on milk stouts, saying they "amplify the creaminess and bring chocolate, coffee notes and lactose sweetness." Cusack also mentioned barrel-aged beers and roasty porters could add some depth of flavor without making the experience overly sweet. However, his last recommendation truly stood out as a go-to. "Belgian Quadrupels," suggested Cusack, "whose dark fruit and spice notes can make an amazing dessert."

There are, of course, some beers you'll want to steer clear of. Namely, varieties akin to American pale ales and IPAs. "Fat softens bitterness," Cusack explained, "but too much bitterness can overwhelm the pairing, so avoid West Coast hoppy beers or bitter styles."

Beer and ice cream can be a match made in heaven, but why not turn beer into a dessert itself? Any lover of suds and ice cream has, at some point, wondered about combining them into an adult version of a float. Both Buceta and Cusack indicated this idea isn't as wild as it sounds. Buceta said, "We have created ice cream and beer floats in the past and can vouch it works!"

Still, Cusack noted that a more measured approach may be in order. Before going all in on a float, folks should learn what each ingredient has to offer the palate individually for best results. "Start side by side, like a true pairing. Bite, sip, adjust," he said. "Then once you understand what you're tasting, go ahead and combine."

But are the best beers for a float the same as if one were to enjoy them separately? Cusack seemed to think so. "The classic choice for a beer vanilla ice cream float would be a milk stout, like Left Hand Milk Stout. Nitro Guinness would certainly work with its roasty notes," he said. "A lambic would be an interesting choice too, the funky fruit notes would be a great contrast to the creamy sweetness of the ice cream."

Buceta revealed those beers might benefit from another flavor of ice cream if you want something a bit richer. "Vanilla is a natural, but so is chocolate or any derivation of those flavors (caramel, eggnog, etc.)," he said. Don't be afraid to deviate from vanilla — make the beer float you want to relish on a summer afternoon.