Alternatives to Root Beer Floats
September 17, 2017 2:58 PM Subscribe
What are some good soda + ice cream combinations, as alternatives to root beer floats?
I love interesting and new (to me) flavor combinations. I really want to experiment with other sorts of floats than just root beer and vanilla ice cream. So, what can you recommend?
Only one limitation: no alcohol.
I love interesting and new (to me) flavor combinations. I really want to experiment with other sorts of floats than just root beer and vanilla ice cream. So, what can you recommend?
Only one limitation: no alcohol.
Just about any soda is great with vanilla ice cream: Coke, Cherry Coke, orange, grape...
You could do a reverse root beer float with cream soda and root beer ice cream.
Double chocolate: chocolate fudge soda with chocolate ice cream.
Orange soda with rainbow sherbet
posted by dayintoday at 3:02 PM on September 17, 2017
You could do a reverse root beer float with cream soda and root beer ice cream.
Double chocolate: chocolate fudge soda with chocolate ice cream.
Orange soda with rainbow sherbet
posted by dayintoday at 3:02 PM on September 17, 2017
Orange soda with vanilla. Cola with vanilla or chocolate.
posted by in278s at 3:03 PM on September 17, 2017 [4 favorites]
posted by in278s at 3:03 PM on September 17, 2017 [4 favorites]
Coke + chocolate ice cream is great
posted by belladonna at 3:06 PM on September 17, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by belladonna at 3:06 PM on September 17, 2017 [2 favorites]
Ginger ale/ginger beer pairs well with sorbets, especially citrus/tropical ones.
posted by box at 3:11 PM on September 17, 2017 [7 favorites]
posted by box at 3:11 PM on September 17, 2017 [7 favorites]
7-UP. You will never go back to root beer.
posted by JoeZydeco at 3:12 PM on September 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by JoeZydeco at 3:12 PM on September 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
Stewart's Key Lime soda with vanilla ice cream. Sooooooo good!
posted by zorseshoes at 3:14 PM on September 17, 2017 [7 favorites]
posted by zorseshoes at 3:14 PM on September 17, 2017 [7 favorites]
My dad used to have Coke floats with mint chocolate chip ice cream.
posted by i_am_a_fiesta at 3:38 PM on September 17, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by i_am_a_fiesta at 3:38 PM on September 17, 2017 [3 favorites]
Cheerwine + vanilla ice cream
posted by ZabeLeeZoo at 3:40 PM on September 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by ZabeLeeZoo at 3:40 PM on September 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
Ginger ale and orange sherbet. Or pineapple. Or lemon.
posted by carmicha at 3:42 PM on September 17, 2017
posted by carmicha at 3:42 PM on September 17, 2017
You might level up by combining some really good quality sodas and ice creams.
Van Leeuwen is pretty solid ice cream that's making its way into more stores. And Talenti is gelato, so it'll be a bit different but probably pretty good. Each of those brands has solid flavors, both classic and more off-center.
Soda-wise, a few I'd suggest are:
Bundaberg, especially their root beer
Fentimans, especially their Curiosity Cola
Brownie caramel cream root beer
Virgil's, esp. root beer
Gosling's ginger beer
Bruce Cost ginger ale
You might be able to find some of those sodas locally. But if you're willing to pay shipping, (assuming you don't live in Los Angeles,) you can shop around on Galco's Soda Pop Stop website to find lots of good and /or weird sodas.
(Bonus: The guy who runs Galco's is a goshdarn delight, as evidenced in this short Chow “Obsessives” piece.)
I'm thinking combos like Bundaberg root beer + Talenti sea salt caramel. Or Goslings ginger beer + Van Leeuwen Sicilian pistachio.
Try some things! Go nuts with soda float alchemy! Report back!
posted by D.Billy at 3:49 PM on September 17, 2017 [2 favorites]
Van Leeuwen is pretty solid ice cream that's making its way into more stores. And Talenti is gelato, so it'll be a bit different but probably pretty good. Each of those brands has solid flavors, both classic and more off-center.
Soda-wise, a few I'd suggest are:
Bundaberg, especially their root beer
Fentimans, especially their Curiosity Cola
Brownie caramel cream root beer
Virgil's, esp. root beer
Gosling's ginger beer
Bruce Cost ginger ale
You might be able to find some of those sodas locally. But if you're willing to pay shipping, (assuming you don't live in Los Angeles,) you can shop around on Galco's Soda Pop Stop website to find lots of good and /or weird sodas.
(Bonus: The guy who runs Galco's is a goshdarn delight, as evidenced in this short Chow “Obsessives” piece.)
I'm thinking combos like Bundaberg root beer + Talenti sea salt caramel. Or Goslings ginger beer + Van Leeuwen Sicilian pistachio.
Try some things! Go nuts with soda float alchemy! Report back!
posted by D.Billy at 3:49 PM on September 17, 2017 [2 favorites]
Cream soda is a solid alternative to root beer.
posted by kmennie at 3:50 PM on September 17, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by kmennie at 3:50 PM on September 17, 2017 [2 favorites]
Lemon-lime soda with lime sherbet!
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 4:00 PM on September 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 4:00 PM on September 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
They make a coffee soda, they call it nitro coffee. Or you could just do espresso + gelato, that's called an affogato and it's really good.
posted by aniola at 4:02 PM on September 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by aniola at 4:02 PM on September 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
There's also lavender soda. And lavender ice cream. And all sorts of other plants and herbs as sodas and ice creams.
posted by aniola at 4:04 PM on September 17, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by aniola at 4:04 PM on September 17, 2017 [2 favorites]
My dad used to make us ice cream sodas: mix up 1-2 oz of super chocolatey chocolate milk. Then add club soda or seltzer to fill the glass and make a chocolate milk soda. Then you can float just about any kind of ice cream in there. I especially like coffee ice cream.
posted by Night_owl at 4:06 PM on September 17, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by Night_owl at 4:06 PM on September 17, 2017 [3 favorites]
Peppermint ice cream and 7-up floats are a Christmas tradition in my mother's family.
posted by the primroses were over at 4:16 PM on September 17, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by the primroses were over at 4:16 PM on September 17, 2017 [3 favorites]
Seconding above: Pineapple sherbet and ginger ale is SO GOOD. It's just delightful.
posted by wintersweet at 4:16 PM on September 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by wintersweet at 4:16 PM on September 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
7-Up, fresh lime juice, Cherry Garcia = Sonic Cherry Limeade float
posted by obiwanwasabi at 4:42 PM on September 17, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by obiwanwasabi at 4:42 PM on September 17, 2017 [2 favorites]
You should try a cane-sugar cola, two shots of espresso, and a scoop of vanilla ice cream plus whipped cream on top. I call it "The American Affogato."
posted by blnkfrnk at 4:47 PM on September 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by blnkfrnk at 4:47 PM on September 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
Strawberry or lime or pineapple sherbet with either 7-Up or ginger ale. This looks especially lovely if you pour the soda over the sherbet in a punch bowl--all fluffy and foamy.
posted by corey flood at 4:59 PM on September 17, 2017
posted by corey flood at 4:59 PM on September 17, 2017
Sort of next door to the question, but orange juice + raspberry sherbet is the ultimate comfort food for me when I'm sick.
Lemon (or other citrus) soda and mango sorbet is always pleasing, too.
posted by mishafletch at 5:09 PM on September 17, 2017
Lemon (or other citrus) soda and mango sorbet is always pleasing, too.
posted by mishafletch at 5:09 PM on September 17, 2017
Strawberry floats (vanilla ice cream + strawberry pop) are one of the best parts of summer, imo.
posted by epj at 5:40 PM on September 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by epj at 5:40 PM on September 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
Mix plain soda with syrup and milk in a traditional ice cream soda for chocolate, strawberry, vanilla, or coffee-flavored soda to go with any of the above ice creams (maybe not coffee/strawberry, but all the other combos are great). This is a thing that apparently no one in my current city knows about even though this is the place where they drink egg creams
posted by lampoil at 5:48 PM on September 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by lampoil at 5:48 PM on September 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
Have you ever done a very good, dry root beer with a very dense and buttery butter pecan? So good!
posted by mochapickle at 6:03 PM on September 17, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by mochapickle at 6:03 PM on September 17, 2017 [3 favorites]
Extra spicy ginger beer with cardamom ice cream (three twins makes a great one)
posted by ananci at 6:25 PM on September 17, 2017 [5 favorites]
posted by ananci at 6:25 PM on September 17, 2017 [5 favorites]
The Coke float is the canonical alternative. (Coke+vanilla ice cream) A Big Red (soda) float is very good if you're under about 12 years old and can deal with the sickly sweet. If not, raspberry Shweppe's is more appropriate for an adult palate.
posted by wierdo at 6:56 PM on September 17, 2017
posted by wierdo at 6:56 PM on September 17, 2017
7-up with sherbet.
posted by SLC Mom at 7:08 PM on September 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by SLC Mom at 7:08 PM on September 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
These folks make an esspreso soda that could be useful.
Somebody start a thread about egg creams!
posted by vrakatar at 7:10 PM on September 17, 2017 [2 favorites]
Somebody start a thread about egg creams!
posted by vrakatar at 7:10 PM on September 17, 2017 [2 favorites]
Vernors ginger ale with vanilla ice cream. Classic of my youth.
posted by praemunire at 7:33 PM on September 17, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by praemunire at 7:33 PM on September 17, 2017 [2 favorites]
Ginger ale + basil gelato
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 7:34 PM on September 17, 2017
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 7:34 PM on September 17, 2017
Boylan's Black Cherry Soda and Chocolate Ice Cream is really good.
posted by jacquilynne at 8:24 PM on September 17, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by jacquilynne at 8:24 PM on September 17, 2017 [2 favorites]
root beer ice cream with cream soda, the reverse root beer float
posted by poffin boffin at 8:39 PM on September 17, 2017
posted by poffin boffin at 8:39 PM on September 17, 2017
I got a passionfruit soda with coconut sorbet from a local place and it was delicious, if you are able to find passionfruit soda/syrup. Would presumably work with pineapple or possibly citrus soda as well.
posted by ferret branca at 8:46 PM on September 17, 2017
posted by ferret branca at 8:46 PM on September 17, 2017
Try this awesome combo!
Fanta orange and vanilla ice cream! Throw in a little extra vanilla flavoring if you can. Tastes like a creamsickle!
Dyn-o-mite!
posted by Lord Fancy Pants at 8:46 PM on September 17, 2017 [2 favorites]
Fanta orange and vanilla ice cream! Throw in a little extra vanilla flavoring if you can. Tastes like a creamsickle!
Dyn-o-mite!
posted by Lord Fancy Pants at 8:46 PM on September 17, 2017 [2 favorites]
Any sort of fruity sherbet with ginger ale is great. You could also try Sprite/7-Up instead of ginger ale.
A local ice cream place makes homemade chocolate sodas (chocolate syrup + fizzy water) and that makes for amazing floats with vanilla or chocolate ice cream.
If you can get pineapple soda where you are, maybe at a local Mexican market, it would be lovely with vanilla ice cream.
I've always wanted to try cherry vanilla ice cream in Coke, sort of a cherry Coke float.
posted by rhiannonstone at 8:48 PM on September 17, 2017
A local ice cream place makes homemade chocolate sodas (chocolate syrup + fizzy water) and that makes for amazing floats with vanilla or chocolate ice cream.
If you can get pineapple soda where you are, maybe at a local Mexican market, it would be lovely with vanilla ice cream.
I've always wanted to try cherry vanilla ice cream in Coke, sort of a cherry Coke float.
posted by rhiannonstone at 8:48 PM on September 17, 2017
Coke with vanilla ice cream
Cherry Coke with chocolate ice cream
Sprite with rainbow sherbet
Sprite with vanilla ice cream
Cream soda with peppermint stick ice cream
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 9:06 PM on September 17, 2017
Cherry Coke with chocolate ice cream
Sprite with rainbow sherbet
Sprite with vanilla ice cream
Cream soda with peppermint stick ice cream
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 9:06 PM on September 17, 2017
A drinking vinegar with a really excellent vanilla.
posted by amanda at 9:23 PM on September 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by amanda at 9:23 PM on September 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
No alcohol? But some beers like Stouts (Guinness especially) and Red Ales go really well in a float.
posted by ArgentCorvid at 6:23 AM on September 18, 2017
posted by ArgentCorvid at 6:23 AM on September 18, 2017
Dr. Pepper goes well with most of the red fruits - strawberry, cherry, raspberry.
Green Tea ice cream + fruit soda.
Grape soda + chocolate is going to be unique.
I think the most important thing is to avoid ice cream with chunks unless they are very small and meltable like mint chip. No nuts, cookie pieces or large fruit.
posted by soelo at 8:02 AM on September 18, 2017
Green Tea ice cream + fruit soda.
Grape soda + chocolate is going to be unique.
I think the most important thing is to avoid ice cream with chunks unless they are very small and meltable like mint chip. No nuts, cookie pieces or large fruit.
posted by soelo at 8:02 AM on September 18, 2017
Sort of an odd one I used to love as a kid: sprite and chocolate chip ice cream
posted by LKWorking at 8:03 AM on September 18, 2017
posted by LKWorking at 8:03 AM on September 18, 2017
By chance, I was just reading the wikipedia page for ice cream floats yesterday. There are a lot of regional variations that I want to try.
posted by hydrophonic at 8:39 AM on September 18, 2017
posted by hydrophonic at 8:39 AM on September 18, 2017
Chinotto and vanilla ice cream is just about perfect, with the creamy sweetness cut by the sharp, bitter citrus. I haven't tried with other San Pellegrino varieties but I bet it would also be good with aranciata rossa (blood orange) and pompelmo (grapefruit).
posted by Athanassiel at 2:22 PM on September 18, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Athanassiel at 2:22 PM on September 18, 2017 [1 favorite]
Thin mint and 7up was my favorite as a kid.
posted by oneirodynia at 5:24 PM on September 18, 2017
posted by oneirodynia at 5:24 PM on September 18, 2017
Not soda, but my favorite scoop shop on the Jersey shore offers lemon ice in homemade, just-sweet iced tea and it is good enough for me to forget ice cream for a minute. Ok now I want more floats and I just had one yesterday.
posted by athirstforsalt at 6:26 AM on September 22, 2017
posted by athirstforsalt at 6:26 AM on September 22, 2017
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by kittydelsol at 3:01 PM on September 17, 2017 [1 favorite]