Boozy Shakes perfect way to combat heat
A recent hot afternoon led me and some comrades to seek out shakes with a kick. With the weather this week forecast to top 90 degrees most every day, I figured it was the perfect time to share our adventure.
We found ourselves at Red Robin, which has a menu of boozy shakes, and often features seasonal shakes as well.
First, what’s a boozy shake? Simple – a shake complete with ice cream, whipped cream and drizzled chocolate, caramel or otherwise, then mixed with alcohol. Yup, that’s correct – it’s got a shot or two of liquor, beer or a combination of the two.
In my case, it was an Irish Beer Shake, which combines ice cream, chocolate, as well as Jameson Irish whiskey and Guinness stout beer. Might sound like a lot, but it’s perfect for a hot day when the only place to be is inside relaxing. Neither of the alcohols were overpowering, meaning the shake tastes like a shake, but with a more complex finish. Both the Jameson and the Guinness act as flavor complements to the ice cream and chocolate.
My cohorts split – one tried a traditional shake while others tried a pair of equally tasty alcohol drinks – the Spiked Grasshopper Shake and Blue Moon Beer Shake. The Blue Moon is complete with vanilla soft serve, Blue Moon Belgian white beer, Cointreau (a triple sec), orange liqueur and orange juice. Yum!
The Spiked Grasshopper Shake has on a mint brownie taste and is made with mint syrup, brownie chunks and Absolut vodka.
So what should you expect from these cool drinks?
First, they are pretty much like a fancy shake at any restaurant. Expect a chilled shake-like experience topped with whipped cream and in some cases, a cherry.
But add in the alcohol component, and it takes your average shake to a new level.
Other options on the Red Robin menu include a Kahlua Jamaican Shake, which contains Grand Marnier, Kahlua, amaretto and vanilla cream, and a Bailey’s Irish Cream Shake, which is simply Bailey’s Irish Cream and chocolate.
We also ordered the Chocolate Fruffle app – brownie sticks dipped in chocolate and doused with sea salt and sugar – and the Towering Doh! Rings, which are pretty much small, hot sugary donuts. These two sides were the perfect complement to our sweet shakes.They both come with some incredibly sweet dipping sauces – a berry and a rich chocolate – which we especially loved. The sugary donuts were the favorite in our group of four. The Fruffles were good, too, but as sides to the shakes, we had a bit of chocolate overload, if there is such a thing.
Add in a hot summer afternoon, a thirst for something new and these drinks are the perfect finish.
About the Author
Thomas Ritchie I love food, cycling, family, music, social media and especially Sioux City. Got an idea for a story - shoot me a note at siouxcitynow1@gmail.com.
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