My dad (like most dads I would imagine) has a thing for beer, so every time he comes to visit, we take him to Flipdaddy’s, a burger joint that’s anything but ordinary. Not only do they have amazing burgers (you can even create your own!), but they also have 24 beers on tap, all craft brews. The last time we were there, he had a glass of Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale, and then he ordered a pint of The Poet.

The Poet is an Oatmeal Stout out of New Holland Brewing in Holland, Michigan, and is described as having “rich roast flavors and hints of coffee and chocolate.” It reminds me a lot of Guinness, but not as creamy, and definitely more carbonated, and the coffee flavor is by far the strongest I’ve tasted in a beer. Anyway, the bartender who poured his drink said that she had made a milkshake using The Poet. I was intrigued. I wish then that I had asked her how she did it because when I went in to pick up a growler last night she wasn’t there. Instead, I had to wing it. And you know what? It didn’t turn out too bad. I started with three scoops of Great Value Chocolate Fudge Brownie (hey, it was all I had in the freezer) and then made sure to cover the scoops with The Poet. I blended it, tasted it, decided the beer was still a little too overpowering, and added another scoop of ice cream. It was perfect. Think dark chocolate, sweet and a tad bitter. Now that I’ve tried it, I think almost any beer would make a good milkshake with the right kind of ice cream, except for maybe the real hoppy ones. Has anyone else ever tried the beer/ice cream combo?

A few other beers to consider for a beer milkshake base:

• Left Hand Nitro Milk Stout
• Firestone Walker Velvet Merlin Oatmeal Stout
• Wells Banana Bread Beer
• Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout
• Renegade Sunday Morning
• Avery Out of Sight
• Great Lakes Christmas Ale
• New Glarus Raspberry Tart