A cold, creamy, and foolproof dessert that brings out the best in both ingredients
The first time I doused a bowl of ice cream with a pour of dark, caramelly stout, I realized I had been settling. I’ve always felt orange soda, Coke, and root beer made for fine — but not amazing — floats. Since subbing in stout, I’ve found myself turning to floats whenever I want to treat myself with something simple yet indulgent, sweet but slightly bitter, and altogether balanced.
Whether you’re on the fence about stout or not totally sold on ice cream when it’s cold out, stout floats may very well convince you of both: The two contrasting but complementary elements bring out the best in each other in one cold, creamy, foolproof concoction. The process of making a stout float is simple enough: Scoop ice cream into a glass, pour stout over it, dig in with a spoon or a straw. But how do you choose the right combination? You can’t really go that wrong, but there are a few factors that are helpful to keep in mind. For one thing, pay attention to the ABV if that’s a consideration, as stouts tend to have a wide range in alcohol content, some climbing.