Enjoy homemade stout ice cream topped with warm chocolate fudge sauce.
Ice cream is a joy in any season. With St. Patrick’s Day and March festivities approaching, this stout-flavored ice cream is a celebration-worthy dessert that highlights beer in a surprising, delicious way.
Years ago a boozy whiskey ice cream float was popular; this stout ice cream takes the idea further by concentrating stout beer to infuse deep, roasted flavor into a classic custard base. The reduced stout melds seamlessly with cream, milk, and egg yolks to create a rich, balanced frozen treat. Serve it with hot chocolate fudge sauce or pair it with vanilla for a decadent float.
Beer Ice Cream
This stout ice cream is made by reducing stout beer to intensify its flavor, then folding that concentrated stout into a classic custard base. Reducing the beer concentrates its roasted malt, chocolate, and coffee notes so they shine through the dairy and eggs.
What brand of beer should you use?
Any stout works. Opt for a classic dry stout like Guinness for a familiar profile, or choose an imperial cocoa-forward stout, a spiced seasonal stout, or a barrel-aged stout to match the mood you want to create. Each stout will lend its own character—ranging from subtle roast to bold chocolate and caramel notes.
Ice Cream Maker Advice
A compressor-style ice cream maker is convenient because it chills and churns without requiring a pre-frozen canister. If you have one, simply pour the custard into the machine and let it churn until it reaches a soft-serve consistency. If you use a freezer-bowl machine, be sure the bowl is fully frozen before churning.
When churned, the ice cream will be soft and scoopable. For a firmer texture, transfer the churned ice cream to an airtight container and freeze for a few hours until set. The stout flavor is not overly sweet on its own, so serve this with warm chocolate fudge sauce or a quality chocolate syrup for contrast.
For a boozy float, mix scoops of this stout ice cream with vanilla ice cream and top with chilled stout. The result is creamy, slightly bitter, and indulgently chocolatey—perfect for celebrating with friends.
Stout Ice Cream
Equipment
- Ice cream maker or machine
Ingredients
- 12 oz stout beer, reduced to 3/4 cup (6 oz)
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream (340 g)
- 3/4 cup whole milk (170 g)
- 5 large egg yolks (approx. 75 g)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar (150 g)
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Pour room-temperature stout into a small heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and reduce until you have about 3/4 cup (6 oz). Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the heavy cream, whole milk, and one tablespoon of the sugar. Warm over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture just begins to simmer. Avoid boiling and watch carefully so it does not scorch.
- Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks together with the remaining sugar in a large bowl until smooth and slightly thickened. When the milk mixture is hot, temper the eggs by adding the hot milk a little at a time (about 1/4 cup increments), whisking constantly to distribute heat and prevent scrambling.
- Once tempered, return the combined mixture to the saucepan. Stir in the concentrated stout. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the custard thickens and coats the back of a spoon (nappe consistency) or reaches about 180°F (82°C). Maintain this temperature for 2 minutes to lightly pasteurize the eggs. Remove from heat and stir in the salt.
- Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into an airtight container to remove any solids, then refrigerate overnight to mature and develop flavor.
- Freeze the chilled custard in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Churn until the volume increases and the mixture thickens to a soft-serve consistency.
- Transfer the churned ice cream to a freezer-safe container and freeze for at least 30 minutes (longer for a firmer texture). Before serving, let sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes to soften slightly for easy scooping.
- Serve with warm chocolate fudge sauce or your favorite chocolate syrup. For an indulgent float, combine scoops of stout and vanilla ice cream and top with chilled stout beer.
Notes
Storage: Store the ice cream in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 5 days for best texture and flavor. For longer storage, expect some gradual flavor and texture changes.
Nutrition
Calories: 287 kcal, Carbohydrates: 23 g, Protein: 4 g, Fat: 20 g, Saturated Fat: 12 g, Cholesterol: 168 mg, Sodium: 99 mg, Potassium: 89 mg, Sugar: 21 g, Vitamin A: 846 IU, Vitamin C: 0.3 mg, Calcium: 72 mg, Iron: 0.3 mg
Nutrition information is an estimate and should be used as a guideline only.
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