Instead of root beer, I decided to make it an adult’s only party by adding beer. I like a stout for this, but I have seen it done with porters, lambics, cider and even a vanilla lager. Guinness is a classic St. Pat’s choice. The malty richness of the beer lends itself to dessert flavors and the chocolate pretzels are a playful nod to the tradition of beer and pretzels.
vanilla ice cream
beer
2-4 pretzels per person pretzels
4 ounces dark chocolate chips
Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave. Use short intervals to ensure you don’t burn the chocolate. Dip the pretzels in the chocolate but leave some pretzel edge for contrast and to create a “handle”. Place them on wax paper in the fridge to harden the chocolate.
Scoop vanilla ice cream into a glass and pour in the beer. For fun, serve them with straws and spoons like a traditional root beer float. Err on the side of too little beer and serve the rest of the bottle with the float so your guests can adjust their proportions.