Milkshake beer (aka fancy NE IPA)

http://traffic.libsyn.com/bminusshow/milkshake_ipas.mp3

Milkshake beer is a recent trend in craft brewing, and for a good reason. They are tasty as hell. They range in flavor from vanilla, chocolate to strawberry.

The only style I have seen so far in regards to milkshake beer is an NE IPA, and for good reason.

Just like my glitter beer article, I will point out the brewing considerations, cons and pros to this style of beer (as of spring 2018) and sum it all up.

Brewing considerations

The main differences of a milkshake NE IPA vs. a non milkshake one has to do with a couple simple ingredients.

Lactose sugar is used, which is a non fermentable sugar derived from the same shit as milk is. It adds sweetness and body to beer without adding extra alcohol.

This sugar is also used in stouts to make the milk stouts. So that is one main ingredient.

The flavoring is really dependent on what you want it to taste like. Vanilla beans, strawberry extract or peanut butter extract are popular common ingredients to add to the boil or at flame out.

Flaked oats and yeast are the last important steps in making this beer. Use around 15% of your grain bill with flaked oats for more body and a NE IPA yeast like London Ale III from Wyeast or a Vermont Ale yeast.

Con’s

Well, just like glitter beers this style of beer tends to raise flags on the “trendy” beers, which may give craft beer a bad name if the style isn’t pulled off properly.

Luckily there isn’t as much crap in these beers like “glitter.” But man, some of the labels on these beers are cool, but some are out of hand.

Some of the labels (not just for this style, but other styles of beer as well) straight up rip off popular things movie themes and such.  But that’s another subject.

These beers, like many hoppy or high gravity beers, are also costly to make, but the extra cost is usually worth it in regards to how good they taste.

Also, the attention this style of beer garners can also attract the attention of the big breweries, leading to more buyouts and dilution of true craft beer.

That’s about it for cons from my take.

Pro’s

This style of beer is taking a trend (NE IPA’s) and taking that trend to the next level. While the bigger craft brewers (Sierra Nevada and Samuel Adams) were a tad late (understandably so, they have a lot more to lose in releasing new beers based on a trend) on the hazy / NE IPA beer style train, smaller breweries are already moving this trend onto the next level.

A respectful praise for innovation on this style of beer.

This style of beer may also attract new customers and retain existing customers. It’s just another tool in the arsenal for craft beer to stick around and take market share.

Summary

Milkshake beers (NE IPa’s) are a very innovative and a great advancement in the craft beer world.

Yes, some of the labels and names of the beers are super chic, trendy and also try too hard.

Yes, craft beer may be attracting an unintended crowd. But all in all, this style of beer is only helping craft brewers, it is helping the underdogs.

Get your ass to a brewery that serves this beer and try it before you knock it. Get a taster or sample if you don’t want a full one and be your own judge.

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