Making Butterbeer

How do you feel about having butter in your soda? Because that is essentially what this is. You can substitute it for artificial butter flavoring, but if you can’t find any then I’m afraid it’s the ol’ clarified butter to the rescue. I did find the idea of buttery soda borderline repulsive at first, but I have to say that it’s not as bad as it sounds. It’s pretty damn good. Really good, actually, especially when you top it off with the buttery foam. I thought it was a little too sweet at first, but once you start sippin’ there’s no stoppin’ - it becomes strangely addictive. You have been warned.

On another note, right now the power is out and I’m writing this in my pitch black room with the aid of an internet USB modem. Tomorrow is Halloween after all, and I thought it’d be nice to post this up should any of you guys feel like trying it out.

***For the alcoholic version, you could add a dash or two of butterscotch schnapps to the recipes.

BEER FOAM (recipe from Feast of Fiction):

[ 6 tablespoon of sugar + 3 teaspon of vanilla extract + 1 cup heavy cream + 2 teaspoon of butter flavoring or clarified butter ]

Combine ingredients in a large mixing/Kitchen Aid bowl.

Mix or whip on a medium to high speed until you get soft peaks, this can take anywhere from 2-4 minutes.

And now to make the actual butterbeer(s). You can have them hot and/or cold, so let’s start with the one that takes a bit more work - the cold version.

Before we begin, if you don’t feel like going through all these steps, you can just buy yourself a bottle of cream soda (rumour has it that IBC cream soda is the closest to tasting like the real thing) and add a few drops of artificial butter flavour to it and stir. But, if you feel like working that elbow grease, here’s the how to:

COLD BUTTERBEER:

[ 2 cups granulated sugar + 1 cup water + 1 vanilla pod, split, or 1 to 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract (to taste) + 4-5 tablespoon hot water + 2 liters sparkling water + 3 teaspoon butter flavouring or 2 tablespoon clarified butter ]

In a medium saucepan set over medium high heat, stir together the sugar, water and butter flavouring.

Once combined, bring the mixture to a bowl, swirling gently as needed (do not stir it again until you add the vanilla). Boil until the mixture turns from cloudy white to perfectly clear, and then to brown-ish, about 5-8 minutes. Remove from heat.

If using a vanilla bean, add it to the hot syrup and allow to steep for about 15 minutes. If using vanilla extract, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of extract, as desired.

Allow the syrup to cool to room temperature.

To make butterbeer: Combine all of the syrup with 4-5 tablespoons of hot water to loosen it up and help it dissolve before adding the 2 liters of sparkling water.

Serve chilled topped with a few tablespoons of the foam.

The next version is the one that will warm you up. Perfect for the current season, I’m assuming. It has none of that fizzy soda taste so I don’t really know if you can call it butterbeer, but it’s still nice all the same.

HOT BUTTERBEER (recipe from Feast of Fiction):

[ 1 glass of milk + 1 tablespoon of Butterscotch Caramel (or to taste) + 1 tablespoon brown sugar (or to taste) ]

Mix all together in a pot on medium heat. Stir until drink is desired hotness.

Serve hot topped with a few tablespoons of the foam.

BEER FOAM:

[ 6 tablespoon of sugar + 3 teaspon of vanilla extract + 1 cup heavy cream + 2 teaspoon of butter flavoring or clarified butter ]

Combine ingredients in a large mixing/Kitchen Aid bowl.

Mix or whip on a medium to high speed until you get soft peaks, this can take anywhere from 2-4 minutes

COLD BUTTERBEER:

In a medium saucepan set over medium high heat, stir together the sugar, water and butter flavouring.

Once combined, bring the mixture to a bowl, swirling gently as needed (do not stir it again until you add the vanilla). Boil until the mixture turns from cloudy white to perfectly clear, and then to brown-ish, about 5-8 minutes. Remove from heat.

If using a vanilla bean, add it to the hot syrup and allow to steep for about 15 minutes. If using vanilla extract, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of extract, as desired.

Allow the syrup to cool to room temperature.

To make butterbeer: Combine all of the syrup with 4-5 tablespoons of hot water to loosen it up and help it dissolve before adding the 2 liters of sparkling water.

Serve chilled topped with a few tablespoons of the foam.

HOT BUTTERBEER:

[ 1 glass of milk + 1 tablespoon of Butterscotch Caramel (or to taste) + 1 tablespoon brown sugar (or to taste) ]