A root beer float is vanilla ice cream dropped into cold root beer, nothing more complicated than that, but the combination has stuck around for well over a century because the ratio genuinely works: the ice cream’s fat and sweetness round out root beer’s sharper, spicier notes, while the soda’s carbonation whips the melting cream into a foam that no milkshake can replicate.
At a Glance
| Classic ratio | 2 scoops vanilla ice cream to 12 oz root beer |
| Best root beer for it | A cane sugar brand like Virgil’s or Sioux City holds up better against the ice cream than a corn syrup brand |
| Origin | Cripple Creek, Colorado, 1893, credited to Frank J. Wisner |
| Original name | Black Cow (later Black Cow Mountain) |
The Cripple Creek origin story
The float is usually traced to August 19, 1893, and Frank J. Wisner, who owned Cripple Creek Brewing in Cripple Creek, Colorado. As the story goes, Wisner was experimenting with a new root beer recipe one evening and, looking out at the snow capped peak of nearby Cow Mountain glowing under a full moon, decided to drop a scoop of vanilla ice cream into his glass. He named the result the “Black Cow Mountain,” later shortened to just “Black Cow,” and it caught on with the town’s kids fast enough to become a local staple before spreading nationally as root beer brands scaled up in the early 1900s.
How to make one properly
- Chill a tall glass in the freezer for a few minutes, this keeps the float from going flat fast.
- Add 2 scoops of vanilla ice cream first, not last, so the root beer foams up around it instead of just sitting on top.
- Slowly pour about 12 oz of very cold root beer down the side of the glass, not straight onto the ice cream, to control the foam.
- Let it settle for 20 to 30 seconds before adding a straw and a long spoon; the foam needs a moment to peak.
- Drink and eat immediately. A float left sitting more than 10 minutes turns watery fast as the ice cream melts into the soda.
FAQ
Who invented the root beer float?
Frank J. Wisner, owner of Cripple Creek Brewing in Cripple Creek, Colorado, is generally credited with the invention on August 19, 1893, naming it the “Black Cow” after nearby Cow Mountain.
What ice cream works best in a root beer float?
Classic vanilla is the standard for a reason: its flavor doesn’t compete with root beer’s sassafras and spice notes. Some people use vanilla bean or French vanilla for a richer float.
Why does my root beer float go flat so fast?
Pouring the soda directly onto the ice cream knocks out most of the carbonation immediately. Pour slowly down the side of the glass instead, and drink it within a few minutes of building it.
Is a root beer float the same as a black cow?
Yes, “Black Cow” is the original name Frank Wisner gave the drink in 1893. “Root beer float” became the more common name later as ice cream floats using other sodas also became popular.
Related Reading
The Gear That Makes It Easier
For a different spin on the same idea, see our Guinness float recipe, or check our ranked root beer brands to pick the base for your next float.
