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| The Curious Creamery™ gives dessert lovers the freedom to create their own unique ice cream blends (including using low alcohol beer) at home in any flavor combination of their choosing without an ice cream machine. Photo: courtesy WestCoastersd.com magazine, Brian Hernandez. |
GUEST BLOG
/WestCoastersd.com and Brian Hernandez--
Before
summer disappears let’s take time to make ice cream with beer. The Curious Creamery (thecuriouscreamery.com)
has come out with a new product that will allow the brew adventurers among us
to make ice cream using beer.
What’s
cool is the Curious Creamery system eliminates the need for an ice-cream
machine. No outlay of cash for a machine destined to be rarely used, no
freezing of cylinders, no loud churning ruckus. That is a good thing. All an
aspiring ice cream conjurer has to do is go to the store and buy this mix,
which comes packaged in containers that, once opened, can be filled with the
finished product.
The
only things you need once the mix has been procured is your beverage of choice
and one of the following: an electric stand-mixer such as a Kitchen Aid, an
electric hand-mixer or an electric stick-whisk. Alas, the electronic part of
this adventure maybe the only downfall of Curious Creamery’s invention, but
even with the aforementioned devices set on high, it required nearly 10 minutes
to churn the ice cream. A hand-whisk and human musculature simply can’t
replicate that effort and get the necessary volume-enhancing air beat into the
mixture.
Once
the beer and powder mix are blended, the resulting custardy concoction goes
straight to the freezer to let the mixture firm-up to the consistency of
traditional ice cream. This takes two to seven hours. If you want to toss in
some mix-ins like fruit, cookie-dough chunks or chocolate chips, fold those in
about halfway through the freezing process, lest they sink to the bottom. It
really is just that simple and produces some pretty tasty dessert fare.
At
West Coaster Craft Beer Magazine, I made a couple of batches using the Curious
Creamery mix; one with AleSmith Speedway Stout and chocolate chips and another
with Benchmark Brown Ale. The Speedway version didn’t work all that well, and
it had everything to do with its 12% ABV; the alcohol doesn’t freeze and the
ice cream wasn’t able to support the heavier mix-ins. The boozy flavor was
unappealing as well. Curious Creamery actually recommends diluting beer that’s
more than 6.5% ABV by 50% using a non-alcoholic beverage, so I can’t say they
didn’t warn us, but it had to be tried.
But
if you go with something that is plenty flavorful, yet lower in octane, like
Benchmark’s 4.5% Brown, you’ll get the results Curious Creamery intended, and
that’s something that’s rather good and relatively easy.
Basic Beer Ice Cream
Yield:
4 to 6 servings
¾
cup beer (less than 6.5% alcohol-by-volume)
1
packet Curious Creamery Ice Cream Mix
Ensure
that your freezer is adjusted to its lowest setting. Insert the whisk
attachment to your mixer and let sit for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Insert into
mixer. Combine the beer and ice cream mix in the tub the mix came in or a
freezer-safe container (if using a stand-mixer, see separate set of directions
below). Place the whisks of the mixer in the tub and gently move them around to
moisten the powder in the liquid. Turn the mixer on low and mix for 30 seconds.
Turn the mixer to high and mix until the liquid thickens, increasing in volume
and becoming creamy and wavy, 3 to 7 minutes. Seal the container and place on
the lowest shelf of your freezer. Let freeze until firm, 5 to 7 hours. Serve or
store, refrigerated, for up to 10 days.
Stand Mixer
Directions
Place
2 packets of ice cream mix and 1½ cups of beer in the bowl of an electric stand
mixer. Whisk on low speed for 1 minute. Increase speed to high and mix until
the liquid thickens, increasing in volume and becoming creamy and wavy, 3 to 7
minutes. Transfer to the tub the mix came in or a freezer-safe container, seal
and place on the lowest shelf of your freezer. Let freeze until firm, 5 to 7
hours. Serve or store, refrigerated, for up to 10 days.
For
a list of retailers contact (thecuriouscreamery.com).
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