Love and Olive Oil

Cherry Lambic Beer Milkshakes

Cherry Lambic Beer Milkshakes for #MilkshakeWeek from @loveandoliveoil

I bought these cherries with the intention of making a Cherry Garcia inspired milkshake, with chunks of fresh sweet cherries and flecks of chocolate chips.

But Taylor was eying my cherries, determined to get in on the #MilkshakeWeek action, and even joked that he was going to hack the blog and post his own milkshake recipe on Saturday.

When I heard his idea, though, I was sold, and decided that his contribution to Milkshake Week should be part of the official roster.

Cherry Lambic Beer Milkshakes for #MilkshakeWeek from @loveandoliveoil

Inspired by his favorite sorbet at Jeni’s, these Cherry Lambic milkshakes are so much more than just cherry. The lambic imparts a unique flavor and depth to these milkshakes that you can’t quite put a finger on unless you know what’s gone into them. It’s cherry, but so much more. And that’s due entirely to the lambic.

Cherry Lambic Beer Milkshakes for #MilkshakeWeek from @loveandoliveoil

Even if you are not a beer lover (which I am most definitely not), you will find this milkshake appealing. A lambic is a belgian-style sour beer, fermented with wild yeast, aged in Sherry barrels, and blended to produce a dry, cidery beer with a sour aftertaste. Cherry (or Kriek) lambic is fermented a second time with sour morello cherries to add both sweetness and flavor. It is more fruity than most beers, decidedly so, and the small amount used in these milkshakes is not enough to make them taste like beer. Rather, it adds a unique sour note, almost like you added a splash of balsamic vinegar (and we all know how well balsamic goes with fruit). The tart fruit flavor makes the cherries taste even more like cherries, if that is even possible, with a delightful, effervescent fizz, essentially blurring the lines between a milkshake and a classic float.

Cherry Lambic Beer Milkshakes for #MilkshakeWeek from @loveandoliveoil

Surprisingly, milkshakes are the one thing where I prefer a standard blender over my Vitamix, like this gorgeous Diamond-series Blender from KitchenAid®. The Vitamix, while a total champ when it comes to purees and peanut butter, tends to create soupy milkshakes. Even with very little or even no milk, the pure friction that that beast of a blade creates turns a perfectly thick milkshake into a pathetically thin mess. I’d rather drink water.

The KitchenAid®, on the other hand, creates perfectly smooth, lusciously thick milkshakes. They should really rename it the Milkshake Master or something for that very reason.

Cherry Lambic Beer Milkshakes for #MilkshakeWeek from @loveandoliveoil

To acheive that luscious, thick, soda-fountain consistency, use low or medium-low speed (so as not to create too much friction), and go easy on the milk. You can always add more, but once you’ve thinned it too much there’s no going back (unless, of course, you add more ice cream).

If you’d like you can float a bit more lambic on top of the milkshakes just before serving, to give the milkshake it’s own effervescent head, a perfectly defined layer of rose-colored bubbles. Serve in a snifter or beer glass for the full effect.

If only every week could be #MilkshakeWeek…

Cherry Lambic Milkshakes

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Ingredients:

  • 12 ounces vanilla ice cream
  • 1/2 cup cherry lambic beer, plus more as needed
  • 4 ounces dark sweet cherries, pitted

Directions:

  1. To prepare milkshakes, scoop ice cream into the canister of a blender. Add lambic and cherries and blend on medium-low speed until smooth. Add more lambic as needed to acheive desired consistency.Divide among chilled serving glasses. If desired, float a few tablespoons of lambic on top of the milkshakes for some extra fizz.
All images and text © / Love & Olive Oil

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31 Comments

  1. This looks wonderfully delicious

  2. Adore the idea of adding lambic beer to milkshakes! 

  3. I love lambic beer and this milkshake sounds amazing.  I will have to find a way to do it without ice cream (I just don’t do ice cream, for lots of reasons), but will put it in my brain to cook until I figure it out.  Thank you for such a wonderful, exciting idea.

  4. Boozy desserts and milkshakes? Count me in. These look awesome!

  5. This looks amazing! I love Lambic beers and cherries and duh, ice cream too. It does seems to be a pretty expensive milkshake though! :-)

  6. I started reading your blog several years ago because of the scrumptious dairy-free desserts. Milkshake week just makes me sad :(

    • I think all of these milkshake recipes would be FAB with dairy free ice cream and soy or almond milk! No reason you can’t indulge too. :)

  7. Yes! I love a good lambic sangria, but this is off the charts!

  8. So pretty and I say bring on all the cherries! :)

  9. Beautiful!! And looks so good. 

  10. So, so creative and beautiful Lindsay!

  11. What a creative idea for a milkshake!

  12. I can’t believe how creamy looking this turned out. And such a lovely color. Interesting combo of flavors—-But it looks like it turned out most wonderfully. Nice choice of glasses for serving.

  13. I love lambic beer! Great choice to put in the milkshakes. I’m sure these are delicious!

  14. This recipe sounds perfect for the summer months. Lambic beer is one of the few beers I like to drink. I’ve only seen the raspberry flavor, but I’m sure the cherry one is delicious too. I can’t wait to try this!

  15. Germans love their beer and they’re generally obsessed with the Belgian stuff. I know what I’m making my German next time he does something to deserve something this glorious. :)

  16. Love cherries! Pinned. Milkshake week has been great and thanks for spear-heading it. I’ve loved going around to all the bloggers who participated and being tempted all week long :)

  17. This sounds amazing! Thanks for hosting this fun event!

  18. I am sure my boyfriend would like this as well ;) The best of two world I would say ;) 

  19. OMG my hubby is going to FLIP OUT over these!! I am surprising him tonight with one!

  20. Love this color! And I love Lambic. I’ve always wondered about putting beer in the blender and if something bad would happen with the carbonation (I pictured fizzing and exploding contents). But I guess it works! I’ll try it!

  21. This sounds AMAZING!  Love those flavors!

  22. Now you’ve got me totally curious! I don’t think I’ll be happy until I have one of these in my life.

  23. Oh WOW. That is a show stopper of a milkshake. I love the idea of the fizz from the Lambic. Brilliant! And I wish milkshake week was every week, too!

  24. Oh, I made Jeni’s cherry lambic sorbet yesterday – so incredibly good! I think I may need to try this tonight with the leftover cherries. Great idea!! 

  25. That Taylor, always thinking! And beer in dessert? Hilarious and I am sure delicious!!

  26. Such a gorgeous milkshake, Linsday! Like Julie, I love the colors – wow! Have a great weekend! :)

  27. This is so glorious and beautiful! I love the pop of color from the cherry milkshakes!

  28. Leave it to Taylor to make the perfect milk shake with beer:)

  29. Love this! As a marathoner I drink a lot of cherry juice to help with recovery.

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