I tried making a beer slushie at home despite being a beer purist, and the trend officially has my approval
- While beer slushies evolved from icy beers in Japan and Thailand, American breweries have been slush-ifying their beers for several years now.
- Summer heat and the need to entice more customers in light of pandemic-slowed sales have boosted the beer slushie trend this year.
- Beer slushies often face skepticism from beer purists like myself, but after putting one to the test at home, I now approve of the trend.
- The recipe was incredibly easy to make, and was undeniably refreshing.
A hybrid beverage has been springing up at breweries and bars across the US, as well as on Instagram feeds. The beer slushie is part adult beverage, part nostalgic treat, and after bubbling up over the past few years, it's poised to be the boozy sensation of summer 2020.
Beer slushies can be divisive: craft beer purists think the idea is gimmicky, distorting the focus of a well-made brew. Others see it as a fun, refreshing way to enjoy beer.
The icy beer trend started in Japan
According to Imbibe, Japanese brewery Asahi unveiled "ice-cold beer," poured at 28 degrees Fahrenheit, throughout Japan in 2010. (Recommended beer-serving temperatures typically vary according to style, ranging from about 38 to 54 degrees.) Two years later, Kirin debuted the Ichiban Shibori Frozen Draft, which is beer topped with frozen foam.
"Jelly beer," or "bia wun," bottles of lager slushed up in a special barrel machine, became a beloved treat in Thailand, too, then were introduced to Americans at hotspot Thai restaurants like Sway in Austin, Texas and Uncle Boons in New York City.
Sway's general manager Jennifer Le told Insider jelly beer is popular among the restaurant's customers. "It's a fun, unique beer-drinking experience, and much like in Thailand, it's also great to combat the hot weather in Texas," she said.
The craft beer industry took notice, and created the 'beer slushie'
Asahi and Kirin's icy creations rekindled Japan's fading love for beer, and worldwide, the craft beer industry took notice. Having just made a series of ice cream-inspired beers in 2015, Sweden's Omnipollo decided to slush-ify their brews. Because of Omnipollo's industry-darling status, and their Willy Wonka-esque flavor updates, their slushies captured the attention of beer fans everywhere.
In Columbus, Indiana, 450 North Brewing also became a sought-after brewery with its line of slushie-inspired brews that led to actual slushies at the brewery's taproom.
Meanwhile, by 2018, Trillium Brewing Company outside of Boston, Massachusetts had a hit on its hands with "Foamy Freezes," slushies made with their sour beers.
This summer, the need to entice beer and non-beer drinkers alike at a time when brewery sales are down by 65% on average, the desire to make a splash on Instagram, and blisteringly hot weather have created a perfect storm for the beer slushie to take center stage.
In Hackensack, New Jersey, Hackensack Brewing added slushies to their repertoire to help beat the heat of their taproom, moved outside because of COVID-19 restrictions.
Mikerphone Brewing in Elk Grove Village, Illinois is even on its second summer of slushies.
Founder Mike Pallen was inspired by Omnipollo and Wiley Roots Brewing in Greeley, Colorado. The payoff was immediate: a week after buying his first slushie machine, the customer response was so strong that he got a second.
Pallen told Insider "MIKEEES," Mikerphone's slushies, have outsold beer pours some weekends.
Some breweries hesitate to introduce slushies because beer purists might see them as a gimmick, and not how beer is supposed to be enjoyed. However, Mikerphone, like other breweries who have started offering slushies, is seeing an overwhelmingly positive response.
"We have seen all types drinking these," Pallen said. "The people who don't typically drink beer, the beer geeks, the older demographic… Who doesn't like a slushie, especially one with a little alcohol in it?"
I tried to make one at home, and it was delightfully refreshing
Involved with craft beer as a profession and a hobby for nearly a decade, I'd fall under that "beer geek" umbrella, and I admit to having initially dismissed Omnipollo's candy-like slushies as "not real beer."
However, I was somewhat converted by jelly beer at Uncle Boons, thanks to the specific style's authenticity. Finally, the growing prevalence at breweries this summer drew me in — and it turns out Pallen's verdict is right. As he says, "They are light. They are refreshing. And they still resemble what the base beer is."
Because so many of us are drinking mostly at home now, I decided to test out whether a beer slushie can be easily made and enjoyed DIY-style. Nothing's easier than popping open a can of craft beer, so a beer slushie must be pretty simple to compete.
I picked a recipe on beer site October from Kate Amos of Cedric's at the Shed in New York City, and it highlighted some key tips:
- Lower alcohol beers freeze best.
- Hoppy beers can become unpalatably bitter when frozen.
- Adding something sweet and something sour can accentuate the beer and add flavor to your slushy.
I picked the Kim Hibiscus Sour Lager, with blackcurrants, from SingleCut Beersmiths. To 10 oz. of the beer I added 1 oz. lemon juice, ¾ oz. Alizé Red Passion (the only fruit liqueur my local store had), and ¼ oz. raspberry purée.
There are a few methods for slushifying, and I chose what seemed easiest: pouring this mixture into an ice tray, waiting a couple of hours for it to freeze, then blending those in my standard blender.
I am, frankly, bad at making all things and can ruin even the simplest recipes. So, I was delighted to discover this was incredibly easy and came out perfectly.
As I enjoyed my beer slushie on my stoop during a 94-degree day, I realized even the strictest beer purist couldn't deny how refreshing and delightful this festive spin is.
Read more:
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