Pumpkin Ale Ice Cream

Over the summer I decided to do a little experimenting with some of my dad’s home brew. I mixed a bottle of a delicious IPA into some homemade vanilla bean ice cream. It was dynamite. I knew I had to try to recipe with a sweeter pumpkin ale.

This ice cream is addicting. The beer and vanilla bean complement each other nicely so that you get just a hint of ale flavor at the end of each bite.

Don’t be basic. Go turn that pumpkin ale into ice cream! And then maybe throw a few scoops into a pint and have yourself a beer float.

Pumpkin Ale Ice Cream

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 1 bottle pumpkin ale (I used Schlafly)
• 2 cups whole milk
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup sugar, divided into two 1/2 cup measurements
• 1 vanilla bean, halved and scraped
• 5 eggs yolks
• 1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

[/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. In a small saucepan, bring beer to a boil. Turn heat down to low and simmer until the beer has reduced by about half. Set aside and let cool.
2. Using an electric mixer with a large bowl, beat egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar until pale and thick. Set aside.
3. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine milk, cream, 1/2 cup sugar, vanilla bean seeds and pods. Bring the mixture to a slight boil.
4. Add 1/3 of milk mixture to yolk mixture, whisking until combined. Add another 1/3 of the mixture then return it all to the saucepan.
5. Use a wooden spoon to constantly stir the mixture over low heat, until it’s thick and coats the back of the spoon. DO NOT LET THE MIXTURE BOIL.
6. Remove the mixture from heat and pour it through a fine, mesh sieve into a large bowl. Stir in vanilla and let cool to room temperature.
7. Refrigerate beer reduction and ice cream mixture in separate bowls for at least two hours.
8. Once the beer and ice cream have chilled, combine them before pouring the mixture into an ice cream maker. Churn ice cream according to ice cream maker’s directions (mine takes about 15 minutes).
9. Store churned ice cream in the freezer for at least four hours before serving.

[/directions]