Since the Wizarding World of Harry Potter opened last June, fans have been clamoring for a way to have Butterbeer anytime, right at home. So last year, we experimented on a few recipes to try to replicate the Butterbeer that is served at the park. We wanted to have something that was easy to make, and have ingredients that you can get right at the grocery store. Based on our taste buds, we believe we have a drink that is as close to the real thing as we can get.
Editor’s Note: To clarify, we are not claiming this to be an exact copy of what you can find at Islands of Adventure, but something as close as possible to the real thing using store bought ingredients. We don’t have the fancy equipment, and access to the ingredients that Universal has.
Regular Homemade Butterbeer Recipe
1 Bottle IBC Cream Soda
1 Tablespoon of Butterscotch Syrup (Optional)
Foam (makes enough for two servings of Butterbeer):
1/3 Cup Heavy Cream
2 Tablespoons Sugar
1 Tablespoon Powdered Sugar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Whip to desired consistency.
Pour Cream Soda into Butterbeer Stein or Beer Mug/Glass.
Layer foam on top with spoon, let rest for 10-20 seconds for the soda to carbonate the foam.
Voila, Butterbeer!
Mix It Up: For any other flavor combos try putting a bit of ground cinnamon or almond extract into the foam mixture before whipping.
For Frozen: For a quick glass, blend Cream Soda with ice till smooth, pour in Stein/Pilsner/Mug. Layer foam mixture on top as usual.
If you want to take your time, you can freeze the Cream Soda for about 6 hours. Blend until smooth, pour in Stein/Pilsner/Mug. Layer foam mixture on top as usual. This method lessens the chance of the drink getting watered down.
For Warm Butterbeer: To warm up during the cold months of Winter, just substitute the Cream Soda with milk. In this case, the Butterscotch syrup is a necessity. You can either use a stove, or a microwave to heat it up to desired tempreature. Place the foam on top to finish.
For Alcoholic: We recommend Butterscotch Schnapps but you can also try Frangelica, or Bailey’s Irish Cream. Make sure to put this into the Cream Soda, and not the foam mixture. For this mixture, please be 21 years old and drink responsibly.
A few notes:
- Some people have claimed that A&W is better than IBC’s Cream Soda, and that’s fine. It’s all a matter of preference. Everyone’s taste buds are different. We just happen to believe IBC is a better tasting soda.
- You could substitute the foam with store-bought Whipped Cream, but you’re just cheating yourself.
- We find it best to chill the foam, more so when you plan to use it to top of the Warm Butterbeer.
You are more than welcome to tinker the recipe to your liking. We encourage to share your experience and tastebuds in our Butterbeer thread here.
We hope you enjoy making the concoction, as much as you do the taste! Have fun!
