Bourbon Cream Is The Secret To Root Beer Floats With A Boozy Twist

Spicy, sweet, and complex, root beer is a classic beverage that calls to mind soda fountains and simpler times (particularly as its origin story allegedly dates back to the late 19th century). Add to that a few scoops of creamy, floral, and sweet vanilla ice cream, and you have the scene for summertime memories familiar to just about any generation.

But beloved as the drink may be, some may find the name misleading, as there is no beer — nor even any alcohol — involved in root beer. It is strictly a soft drink. Fortunately, there's a very simple way to rectify that and make the boozy root beer float of your dreams. All you need is a little bit of bourbon cream, which fortifies your soda drink, and when topped with your smooth and simple vanilla ice cream, will ensure you create a whole new kind of unforgettable, grown-up experience.

Bourbon cream combines bourbon whiskey with cream (typically the kind from a cow), to create a lower ABV, silky liquid that maintains many of the whiskey's signature flavors (like oak, vanilla, and caramel, among others), all brought into approachable balance by the addition of rich dairy. It's delicious on its own or as an addition to your favorite cup of cocoa or coffee. You can even use it to make an espresso martini with a bourbon twist. So pairing it with root beer and vanilla ice cream makes perfect culinary sense.

Root beer often has hints of vanilla and caramel, making it an ideal partner for this creamy spirit. The bitterness of the alcohol helps bring a little equilibrium to all that sweetness, and when you add a few scoops of floral, mild, and cool vanilla ice cream, it's a triad of ingredients that complement one another, highlighting similar flavors while contrasting and balancing.

To build your bourbon cream float, start with two generous scoops of your go-to vanilla ice cream in a glass. Then, just add a shot or two (depending on your mood) and your preferred root beer. You can certainly stop there, but a little garnish never hurts. Vanilla whipped cream creates a delightful presentation, and no one will refuse a cherry on top.

You can even add a little extra flavor to your float. Mint pairs well with the herbaceousness of root beer, and you can swap out your vanilla ice cream for mint chocolate chip in this case. Salted caramel ice cream will also be a welcome complement or a sticky, salty, sweet caramel sauce. A fudge drizzle will satisfy the chocolate lovers. And while this is firmly a boozy adult beverage, you will still feel a sense of nostalgic delight with every sip.