Ben & Jerry’s and New Belgium Brewing: Perfect Pairings

October 21, 2015

When two things you love come together, well, it’s bound to be delicious. At Ben & Jerry’s, we love New Belgium Brewing Co. beer. And the folks at New Belgium have a thing for our ice cream. So we figured, why not combine the two? You’ll be glad we did.

Ben & Jerry’s and New Belgium, it turns out, have a lot in common. We’re both B Corporations, which means we hold ourselves to high standards when it comes to things like transparency, treatment of our workers and suppliers, and measuring our impact on communities and the environment. So it’s no surprise that we both agree that the only thing better than pairing amazing brews with famous flavors is teaming up to have fun in support of a good cause.

Which is why we’re so excited to finally introduce what we’ve been working on: a new beer: Salted Caramel Brownie Brown Ale; and a new ice-cream flavor: Salted Caramel Brown-ie Ale! A portion of the proceeds from sales of each will be going to Protect Our Winters (POW), an organization started in 2007 by snowboarder Jeremy Jones to combat climate change. Want to get involved? Take action here!

But there’s more than one way to get your fix of beer and ice cream. Working together, our Flavor Gurus and New Belgium brewmasters have curated this exclusive menu of ice cream and craft beer pairings. Talk about multi-tasking! The taste test session in the flavor lab wasn’t very boring, either.

We recommend these deliciously complementary pairings in all their palate-pleasing glory:

  • Accumulation White IPA and Strawberry Cheesecake

    Ah, the bitter and the sweet. Too much of one or too much of the other, and no one’s happy. Thank goodness for cheesecake, which can smooth over all differences. 

  • Fat Tire Amber Ale & Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

    Take a leisurely ride on Fat Tire as it rolls around your tongue with toasty, caramel-y goodness. Kicks of Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough shifts it into a higher gear.

  • Abbey Belgian-Style Dubbel Ale & Chunky Monkey

    You are a complex person. Your friends hang on your every word. Poetry, you might say, is chasing a malty, crimson brew—the air sparking spicy and sweet—with giant dripping spoonfuls of Chunky Monkey. End scene.

  • Ranger IPA & Americone Dream

    Can a good thing be too good? This is your chance to find out. Come for the bursts of fruity hops and crisp chocolate, stay for the dark dance of caramel malts and chilled caramel swirls.

  • Snapshot Tart Wheat & Cherry Garcia

    Snap, crackle and tart. Dive into a cherry dream. The only downside is that, eventually, you’ll have to wake up.

  • Trippel Belgian-Style Ale & Chocolate Fudge Brownie

    Go ahead, live dangerously. At 8.5% ABV, Trippel Belgian-Style Ale has a hoppy, refreshing kick – a perfect partner for the decadent masterpiece that is Chocolate Fudge Brownie.

  • 1554 Black Lager & The Tonight Dough

    Admit it, you deserve this. Don’t be shy. Every bite’s a friendly scrum of flavor, so get in there—lighten up and give in to the dark side.

  • Rampant Imperial IPA & Phish Food

    The pines sway in the wind. It’s evening, the sun is going down. You hear music coming from across the field. There’s a house, light shining through the windows on the tall grass. You approach, the music grows louder. This is what that music tastes like.

 

Want to enjoy these pairings just the way our flavor experts intended? Try our tried-and-true pour-over method:

  1. Find a small glass or bowl that holds between 5 and 8 ounces
  2. Scoop a 3 ounce portion of ice cream into the bowl, and let it soften
  3. Gently pour 2 ounces of craft beer over the ice cream
  4. Mix slightly to break up the scoop into the beer
  5. To set your palate, pre-taste the pairing with a slight sip of the combo
  6. Enjoy thoroughly, repeat as needed, and take photos to share with friends

As that one guy said it best, “Everything in moderation, bro!”