Tag: ice cream

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Event Review – FoodGPS Beer Float Showdown


I will state up front that I write a column for FoodGPS and I do the weekly Beer Blast (which you better subscribe to if you are in L.A.) so I am biased when it comes to the Beer Float Showdown.

Plus it was a brutally hot day in the valley so ice cream (and beer) were a welcome relief. There were (5) breweries paired off with (5) different chefs as is the now custom.

My favorite of the day (when I wasn’t volunteering) was the White Dog IPA with Simcoe sorbet from El Segundo Brewing. The beer was refreshing and hoppy. The ice cream had a nice bite to it and there was little fruit pearls in it too. Lovely. Plus it had a nice cookie floating in there too.

But there was a tie at the top of the leaderboard at days end. Reigning champ Eagle Rock with the Oinkster/Maximilliano was dead even with Strand Brewing and Short Order.

Team Eagle Rock concocted a Beer-imasu complete with Ladyfinger cookie.


Team Strand paired Ito-Weisse Berliner with a cherry ice cream for a cute red float that was simple but paired fruit against tartness.


If these photos don’t convince you that craft beer and craft ice cream go together then nothing will except for next year’s edition. Which you better attend.

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Chimay Ice Cream


I was at Oaks Gourmet over the hill in Hollywood-ish, Los Angeles and saw this Chimay ice cream from L.A. Creamery in their frozen case. So instead of grabbing two beers, I picked up one bottle and one pint instead.

The beer really hits the tongue on the first spoonful but that shock decreases with each additional scoop you take. The texture and taste has some yogurt-y influence and once the Chimay wears down the flavor is a bit plain. (At least for a person who is more accustomed to Ben & Jerry’s)> Overall, I think it is a good representation of the beer. And I would buy a pint again though I am intrigued by their absinthe and moonshine flavors too.

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LA Beer Week – Report # 2

The 2nd Beer Float Showdown presented by FoodGPS and held at the Verdugo was a rousing success with a bunch of people taking the leap into the realm of beer and ice cream.

Four competitors created really original floats with most involving fruit beers. Here are the four floats in pictorial form.

# 1 from Ladyface Brasserie

# 2 from Simmzy’s

# 3 from Boneyard Bistro
Here is the description of the winning float, “Boneyard Bistro bar manager Rory Snipes made a float using Floris Apple, Bourbon-salted caramel-cinnamon ice cream, and a garnish of green apple coated with caramel cinnamon crumble.” Since it was such a hit, it may end up on the regular menu.

# 4 from Tony’s Darts Away

float photos courtesy of the Rosen Film Institute

Since there is no such thing as too much ice cream or too much beer, next stop was Scoops on Monday night for some incredible artisanal ice cream made with beer as a highlighted ingredient. I had the apricot/Chimay which was really good. You got a both fruit and beer solidly. The Hazelnut Lost Coast combo also worked wonders.

To further tempt you to go, here are some photos of the deliciousness… (Double click the photos to see the combinations)