# Root Beer Floats **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 17, 2006, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/root-beer-floats/369065 "2006-08-17T08:59:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mischievous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@mischievous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mischievous)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/root-beer-floats/369065/1 "2006-08-17T08:59:39Z")
I’m staying up all night to prepare for lab meeting, and to keep my spirits up I’ve been making myself root beer floats. When I make root beer floats, I use Stewart’s root beer and coffee Haagen-Dazs ice cream. While this is clearly the taste combination that any right-thinking person would prefer, it does produce an awful lot of foam. I dislike having to dig through the foam (often half the volume of the glass) in order to get to my yummy float. So, does anyone out there know how to make float which don’t foam up? Okay, maybe this belongs in Cafe Society (involves food) or MPSIMS (totally pointless), so mods feel free to move at will. mischievous ---
**Author:** ![jimbeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/858c86/32.png) [@jimbeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimbeam)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 9:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/root-beer-floats/369065/2 "2006-08-17T09:05:48Z")
put the root beer in first ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/root-beer-floats/369065/3 "2006-08-17T11:23:51Z")
Moved from GQ. **samclem** ---
**Author:** ![jimbeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/858c86/32.png) [@jimbeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimbeam)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/root-beer-floats/369065/4 "2006-08-17T11:28:37Z")
But it’s true, if you put the root beer in first it won’t foam up as bad. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/root-beer-floats/369065/5 "2006-08-17T12:10:52Z")
Also much like pouring a beer, adding the Root Beer, with the mug at a 45° angle will reduce foaming. BTW: Welcome to the board **jimbeam** Jim ---
**Author:** ![jimbeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/858c86/32.png) [@jimbeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimbeam)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/root-beer-floats/369065/6 "2006-08-17T12:15:13Z")
> [@What Exit?](#): > > BTW: Welcome to the board **jimbeam** > > Jim Thankyou, You’re the first person that’s actually said that in the three weeks I’ve been a guest. Hopefully, I’ll be a member soon. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/root-beer-floats/369065/7 "2006-08-17T12:28:04Z")
> [@jimbeam](#): > > Thankyou, You’re the first person that’s actually said that in the three weeks I’ve been a guest. Hopefully, I’ll be a member soon. 🙂 [hijack] Your Welcome, if you are so inclined, many new members start a thread in MPSIMS to introduce themselves and say Hi. You will instantly get to meet some of the more Mundane & Pointless members like myself. 😉 [end-hijack] Jim ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/root-beer-floats/369065/8 "2006-08-17T13:22:21Z")
Welcome to the Dope! I now want a root beer float. ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/root-beer-floats/369065/9 "2006-08-17T13:30:42Z")
On Tuesday, I bought some no-sugar-added vanilla ice cream and some Diet Mug root beer, for making floats. There were three kids here that night (one daughter had an overnight guest), and they all had floats. I was too full to have one that night, but resolved to have one later in the week. Last night, my teenage daughter, **EtherealFreakOfPinkness** fixed herself some vanilla ice cream, and didn’t notice until two hours later that she’d left the ice cream out of the freezer. ☹ Oh, well, we still have a full tub of NSA Triple Chocolate, so I might have to try making a float with that. ---
**Author:** ![jimbeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/858c86/32.png) [@jimbeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimbeam)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/root-beer-floats/369065/10 "2006-08-17T13:43:04Z")
> [@Shirley Ujest](#): > > Welcome to the Dope! > I now want a root beer float. Thanks for the welcome but surely you jest, where would I send it? I can see you live somewhere in the middle of where…nowhere. Sounds better’n my place. You do know they make a rootbeer float ice cream now? Vanilla ice cream already got the rootbeer in it. Scoop out big glass full and wait a minute til the rootbeer gets soft and bam there it is. No foam no mess. ---
**Author:** ![supervenusfreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@supervenusfreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/supervenusfreak)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/root-beer-floats/369065/11 "2006-08-17T13:47:57Z")
> [@norinew](#): > > On Tuesday, I bought some no-sugar-added vanilla ice cream and some Diet Mug root beer, for making floats. There were three kids here that night (one daughter had an overnight guest), and they all had floats. I was too full to have one that night, but resolved to have one later in the week. Last night, my teenage daughter, **EtherealFreakOfPinkness** fixed herself some vanilla ice cream, and didn’t notice until two hours later that she’d left the ice cream out of the freezer. ☹ > > Oh, well, we still have a full tub of NSA Triple Chocolate, so I might have to try making a float with that. That reminds me, I have some nsa chocolate ice cream in the freezer and Diet Mug in the fridge. Care to join me? ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/root-beer-floats/369065/12 "2006-08-17T13:50:13Z")
> [@supervenusfreak](#): > > That reminds me, I have some nsa chocolate ice cream in the freezer and Diet Mug in the fridge. Care to join me? I’d be delighted to! 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![supervenusfreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@supervenusfreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/supervenusfreak)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/root-beer-floats/369065/13 "2006-08-17T13:51:55Z")
> [@norinew](#): > > I’d be delighted to! 🆒 😃 It is such frosty goodness too. I have a couple of big plastic cups that I use for this purpose. ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/root-beer-floats/369065/14 "2006-08-17T14:00:33Z")
> [@supervenusfreak](#): > > 😃 It is such frosty goodness too. I have a couple of big plastic cups that I use for this purpose. For the glasses I use, you have to have an iced tea spoon to scoop out the creamy, root beer-y goodness in the very bottom of the glass! Mmmm. ---
**Author:** ![supervenusfreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@supervenusfreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/supervenusfreak)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/root-beer-floats/369065/15 "2006-08-17T14:04:48Z")
The is all bringing me back to my years working in an ice cream store. Do the tilt to pour the soda. Pour it about half way. Add the ice cream, then pour a bit more of the soda to make it foamy. A bit of whipped cream added and voila! Done! ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/root-beer-floats/369065/16 "2006-08-17T14:04:50Z")
I for one welcome our new root beer float drinking **jimbeam** overload. ---
**Author:** ![supervenusfreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@supervenusfreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/supervenusfreak)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/root-beer-floats/369065/17 "2006-08-17T14:05:58Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > I for one welcome our new root beer float drinking **jimbeam** overload. Hear hear! _raises glass and takes a long sip_ ---
**Author:** ![mischievous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@mischievous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mischievous)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/root-beer-floats/369065/18 "2006-08-17T16:30:05Z")
Well, I’ve tried putting the root beer in first, and you guys are right that it reduces the foaming, but I’m still getting three or more inches of foam. That’s _ **THREE INCHES** _ of cup that should be filled with root beery goodness! I cannot live with this horror! Does anyone have any other tips? mischievous Maybe Stewarts is just exceptionally foamy ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/root-beer-floats/369065/19 "2006-08-17T16:33:35Z")
So, can anyone explain how a root beer float is different than a black cow? A black cow being vanilla ice cream, preferably the cheap kind so you get ice crystals - and root beer in a big old glass that you eat with a long iced tea spoon. At least that’s how it’s done in my family. ---
**Author:** ![supervenusfreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@supervenusfreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/supervenusfreak)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/root-beer-floats/369065/20 "2006-08-17T16:37:51Z")
> [@Missy2U](#): > > So, can anyone explain how a root beer float is different than a black cow? > > A black cow being vanilla ice cream, preferably the cheap kind so you get ice crystals - and root beer in a big old glass that you eat with a long iced tea spoon. At least that’s how it’s done in my family. Same thing actually. It’s just a different regional name. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/root-beer-floats/369065.md?page=2)