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Cocktail History
Butterbeer is the iconic drink served at The Three Broomsticks Inn in Hogsmeade from the Harry Potter series. This boozy version based on the recipe served at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando, Florida was created by author Cassandra Reeder and published in her book The Geeky Bartender Drinks: Real-Life Recipes for Fantasy Cocktails Drinks. It pairs spiced rum with dry stout beer, milk, butter, baking spices, and whipped cream to up the alcohol content of the beloved beverage.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Dry Stout Beer: This is a type of dark beer made with hops, malted barley, yeast, and water. We used Guinness Draught Stout because smooth and creamy. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Guinness 0 Non-Alcoholic Draught in place of the beer.
Spiced Rum: This is a type of rum made with sugarcane, spices, and water that has been barrel aged for a long period of time and flavored with spices. We used The Kraken Original Black Spiced Rum because it has a strong, smooth, and rich rum flavor. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Caleño Non-Alcoholic Dark & Spicy Tropical Spirit in place of the rum.
Evaporated Milk: This is an unsweetened condensed cow’s milk. We used Prairie Farms Evaporated Milk.
Butter: This is a dairy product made from the fat and protein components in churned cream. We used Westby Cooperative Creamery Sweet Cream Butter.
Vanilla Extract: This is a flavoring made with vanilla beans, ethyl alcohol, and water. We used Simply Organic Pure Madagascar Vanilla Extract.
Brown Sugar: This is white sugar that has been processed, crystallized, dried, and flavored with molasses. We used C&H Pure Cane Dark Brown Sugar.
Whole Cloves: This is the flower bud from the clove tree. We used whole cloves from the bulk section at our local grocery store.
Whole Allspice Berries: This the dried unripe berry of the Pimenta dioica tree. We used whole allspice berries from the bulk section at our local grocery store.
Cinnamon Stick: This is a dried spice that has been rolled into a stick. We used cinnamon sticks from the bulk section at our local grocery store.
Whipped Cream: This is heavy cream that has been whipped and beaten until it is light and fluffy. We used Reddi-Wip Original Dairy Whipped Topping because it offers easier application than making whipped cream at home using an iSi Cream Whipper. For a dairy-free version of this drink, try Reddi-Wip Non-Dairy Coconut Milk Whipped Topping in place of the whipped cream.
Grated Nutmeg: This is a spice made from the seed of a nutmeg tree. We used whole nutmeg from the bulk section at our local grocery store.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. We used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Chef’s Knife: This is used to cut ingredients. We used the OXO Good Grips 8-Inch Chef’s Knife.
Saucepan: This is used to warm the ingredients. We used the Cuisinart 3-Quart Stainless Steel Saucepan with Cover.
Spoon: This is used to stir the ingredients. We used the OXO Good Grips Silicone Spoon.
Ladle: This is used to transfer the drink to cups. We used the OXO Good Grips Silicone Everyday Ladle.
Grater: This is used to grate spices or citrus peel. We used the OXO Good Grips Grater.
Tasting Notes
The Butterbeer features aromas of nutmeg, whipped cream, and beer and has a sweet yet bitter taste laced with the dark flavor from the stout and a lot of spice from the rum and baking spices.
Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: The whipped topping especially makes this the perfect warm drink for a snowy day and a great choice for those who don’t often drink dark beer. Kendall doesn’t care for the stuff, and even she thought it was incredibly tasty in this cocktail. And Alex, who already enjoys beer of all types, liked the addition of rum for extra flavor. If we’ve convinced you to make it yourself, just know that it is a labor of love to whip up this recipe, but it makes a lot so be ready to share.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from The Geeky Bartender Drinks: Real-Life Recipes for Fantasy Cocktails by Cassandra Reeder.
Pour beer into a saucepan.
Add cinnamon sticks, cloves, and allspice berries.
Bring to boil over high heat.
Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 15 minutes.
Remove spices.
Stir in remaining ingredients and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
Pour into a beer mug.
Top with whipped cream.
Garnish with grated nutmeg.
Ingredients
Directions
Pour beer into a saucepan.
Add cinnamon sticks, cloves, and allspice berries.
Bring to boil over high heat.
Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 15 minutes.
Remove spices.
Stir in remaining ingredients and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
Pour into a beer mug.
Top with whipped cream.
Garnish with grated nutmeg.
Make It a Mocktail: Use Guinness 0 Non-Alcoholic Draught in place of the beer and Caleño Non-Alcoholic Dark & Spicy Tropical Spirit in place of the rum to try a booze-free version of this drink.
Shop Glassware & Tools
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More Hot Cocktails
If you like this hot cocktail recipe, here are a few others we’ve tried that you may enjoy:
À La Mode: A bourbon cocktail made with Licor 43, apple cider, heavy cream, Demerara syrup, and nutmeg
Kohler Mint Cocoa: A mint chocolate brandy cocktail made with milk, white peppermint schnapps, dark crème de cacao, cocoa powder, whipped cream, and chocolate
Miruvor: A gin cocktail made with elderflower liqueur, white tea, honey syrup, and orange flower water
Mocha Rum Toddy: A rum cocktail made with coffee, dark crème de cacao, simple syrup, whipped cream, and cocoa powder
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