You all know how to make a root beer float, right? The same principles apply to making a beer float – just combine beer and ice cream in a glass and enjoy!

What comes first, the beer or the ice cream? If you put your ice cream in the glass first, then top with beer it may result in a foamy mess, so we suggest pouring your beer in first so you know exactly how much you’re getting and have less foam. Once you have your beer portioned just gently top with the ice cream (or sorbet!) of your choice and drink up!

Here’s a couple other pieces of advice: Don’t skimp on the ice cream – dole out two or three scoops for each 12 ounces of beer. If your beer foams when you pour it in the glass, wait until the foam dies down to add your ice cream. And don’t forget to add toppings – feel free to top with sprinkles, whipped cream, fruit, caramel and more!

Deschutes Obsidian Stout & Three Twins Madagascar Vanilla Ice Cream

Dark beers are a natural for pairing with ice cream. Their strong flavors, depth and body perfectly complement the creaminess of our favorite ice creams. Additionally, you might not typically drink dark beers with dinner because they tend to be a bit heavy, so saving it for dessert is a natural fit! You might say this combination is almost reminiscent of a frozen latte!

Lost Coast Brewery Raspberry Brown & Clover Sonoma Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Raspberry beers pair great with ice cream – the tartness of the raspberry is a great counterbalance to the sweetness of vanilla ice cream. Raspberry and vanilla is a natural pairing on it’s own, and the same thing rings true when it’s raspberry beer and vanilla ice cream. You won’t be disappointed by this one!

Lagunitas A Little Sumpin’ Sumpin’ Ale & Haägen-Dazs Lemon Sorbet

Wheat-heavy IPAs  are tough to pair with ice cream, but don’t let that prevent you from doing so! Combining an IPA with sorbet is the ticket! Keep it light – rich ice cream like chocolate can quickly weigh down an IPA and result in an unpleasant sour flavor.

Anderson Valley Bourbon Barrel Stout & Haägen-Dazs Dulce de Leche Ice Cream

If you’re looking to really push the envelope, try pairing a bourbon stout with dulce de leche ice cream! The powerful richness of the stout balances perfectly with the light sweetness of the dulce de leche ice cream resulting in a decadent treat that is sure to be memorable!

Blue Moon Belgian White & Talenti Blood Orange Sorbetto

Sure, stouts and vanilla ice cream seem like a natural pair, but if you’re looking for something on the “lighter” side try a Belgian white beer with a fruit sorbet. Blue Moon is classically paired with an orange slice, so why not try it with orange sorbetto?!