When the two guilty pleasures of booze and ice cream are mixed together in the perfect fusion, a boozy “cold” war starts brewing. We’re not talking about your typical wine-flavoured sorbet or fake rum & raisin from Häagen- Dazs. Rather, we’re talking about true booze-infused ice cream that involves a certain degree of alcohol by volume. So yes, you can rejoice in the fact that you can get tipsy off your favourite dessert! This dynamic duo sounds enticingly appetizing and is exciting news for both ice cream and alcohol lovers alike.

This is the real deal! Hitting Their Stride

One of the first commercial creameries to infuse alcohol into ice cream is noted to be New York-based Mercer’s Dairy. Though the company has been around for a number of decades, it wasn’t until 2006 that Mercer’s Wine Ice Cream made its debut, and the story behind it is rather interesting. Back in 2006, the then-Senator Hillary Clinton, a big fan of Mercer’s, invited them to participate at New York Farm Day in Washington, DC. The traditional frozen treat maker found itself next to a New York winery – and the bonds formed, which led to the creation of the world’s first alcohol-infused ice cream. Mercer’s Wine Ice Cream series contains 5% ABV. That means it is actually possible to get buzzed after savouring a few scoops. Therefore, the company has posted a warning on its website, saying that consumers must be 21 years or older to enjoy its booze-filled products. The adult-only treats come in ten flavours including Peach White Zinfandel, Chocolate Cabernet, Lemon Sparkling, Cherry Merlot, Strawberry Sparkling, Port, Red Raspberry Chardonnay, Shiraz,

Riesling, and Spice. This ultimate pairing brought it to be the 2008 Wine Ice Cream World Taste Champion. Today, Mercer’s is available in 27 states in the U.S. and exported to over 20 countries. Since 2006, the ice cream cult has been growing along with a sea of companies jumping on the bandwagon.

BuzzBar, a California-based company, offers alcohol infused ice cream bars featuring all-natural and organic dairy without high fructose corn syrup and boozy sorbet which is vegan-friendly and free of dairy. SnoBar, also a California-based treats maker, focuses a bit more on popsicles than some other boozy frozen dessert purveyors. Its top two favourites are the Cosmopolitan which consists of natural cranberry juice, premium top shelf vodka, triple sec and a twist of lime, and the Margarita which is made with premium top shelf tequila, triple sec, lime, and even salt inside the popsicle to create a genuine essence of the drink. Over in Columbia, South Carolina, JB’s Proof alcohol ice cream company distinguishes itself as being capable of freezing liquors of 40% and even 50% ABV. It incorporates four liquors including bourbon, rum, tequila and moonshine to nine rotating flavours depending on what is in season.

It was also in 2006, by coincidence, that the world’s first adult-only ice cream van was launched by Warner Leisure Hotels in the UK. It provided alcohol-soaked ice creams and sorbets in the streets of the entire nation during summer. The frozen desserts were sold exclusively for grown-ups, and thus consumers would be required to show their ID before enjoying to tastes. The menu included three types of ice creams and two kinds of sorbets: The Jäger Bombe, a Jägermeister-infused ice cream as the main body covered with a layer of energy drink flavoured ice cream; an IcePA, a beer infused ice cream served in a pork rind cone; Bacon & Bourbon, which is bacon-seasoned ice cream filled with shot of bourbon and garnished with crispy bacon bits; Tequila Sorbet, which is a tequila-filled sorbet served in a Martini glass with salt around the rim; Vodka Martini, a vodka-infused sorbet topped with well-seasoned olives. The menu was created based on research by Warner, where he found that the most favourite tipple chosen by adult males turned out to be beer and the preference of women was a cocktail. Actually, the research was mainly designed for customers over their fifties. When asked about their beloved childhood memories, 53% of respondents said it was going for an ice cream. The response was ranked number two, only second to a larger number of people stating that it would be “going to the seaside”. This result inspired Warner Hotel to carry out the adult-only ice cream van, and their guests were found buzzed with pleasure trying all the different boozy ice creams.

The delicate balance of Alcohol to Ice Cream

How to introduce the low-freezing-point of alcohol into frozen treats? The answer is never simple. In particular, maintaining the high butterfat texture that makes ice cream so smooth and delectable boasts a big challenge for many boozy frozen dessert providers. Unlike ice cream stabilizer, alcohol does not enhance body or creaminess for ice cream, only softness. When adding booze into ice cream, its base would become softer and easier to scoop. If it is a sorbet or a low butterfat content where a lot of water is required, booze would make the base a whole lot softer and way easier to scoop. Moreover, the more alcohol that is added, the lower the freezing point as well as melting point meaning the frozen dessert will melt faster in your mouth. Now you can see the danger of over-boozing, it is difficult to freeze properly and the resulting boozy ice cream will probably end up being a soupy mess and with a sharp alcoholic taste.

Here are some basic guidelines you can follow before making your own dessert. If you are a hard liquor lover, the rule goes that one or two tablespoons of a spirit gives you a subtle taste in the ice cream. Three or four really blasts the remarkable liquor flavour. Five or more tablespoons is very likely to overwhelm a mild ice cream. For liqueurs and fortified wines which contain a lower ABV than spirits at around 20-40%, you can make an attempt of adding more than five tablespoons and find the ice cream in still a freezable status, but then you need to be careful of the viciously boozy flavour. When it comes to wine and beer, the situation changes depending on different types of beers and wines because their ABV varies from around 4% up to the double digits. Fundamentally, it is suggested to reduce the liquid over low heat so as to lower its water content and concentrate its flavour. For example, if you want to make an IPA-infused ice cream and wish to keep its citrus and fruity notes, you may add one tablespoon of beer at a time when you have finished making the ice cream base until the flavour approaches to your preference. Nonetheless, it is best to exercise caution while enjoying booze-infused ice cream. It is indeed stronger than a regular glass of beer or cocktail even just because you will eat it a lot faster!

Tequila-Infused Mango Popsicles

It’s time to make popsicles at home (recipe from HonestlyYUM).

Ingredients

· 3 cups chopped mango (very ripe) · 3 oz lime juice · 3 oz agave · 3 oz water · 1 pinch salt · 3.5 oz tequila · Chile powder (for garnish, optional) Servings: 10 popsicles

Instructions:

① Chop the mangos. Cut large slices on either side of the pit and cube the fruit so that it releases easily from the peel. Add the mangos to the blender. ② Add the lime juice, agave, water, salt, and tequila to the blender. ③ Puree the mixture until smooth and pour the mixture into the popsicle molds. ④ Place the tray in the freezer. After around one hour, add the popsicle sticks. Freeze until solid. ⑤ Once frozen, release the popsicles by running them under warm water for a few seconds. ⑥ Dip the popsicles in chile powder to garnish (optional).