Ice Cream Float Combinations

The old fashioned ice cream float combinations were invented by pharmacy soda fountain operators and given fancy names. The first floats consisted of citrus fruit drinks with a layer of heavy cream, whipped cream, or sometimes grape juice "floated" on top.

Later floats contained flavored soda syrups, and soda water was often added for carbonation. Sherbet and ice cream floats began to appear around 1900, as brand-name soda pops became common.

Old Fashioned Ice Cream Float Combinations

The Dispenser's Formulary Or Soda Water Guide (1915)

Root Beer Cream Float

Fill a 12-ounce glass within an inch of the top with root beer, then float on top with spoon about 2 ounces plain, sweet, rich cream. The Root Beer Cream Float serves well as a novelty and should be priced at 10 cents.

Alaska Snowball, the Snowball Float

1/2 ounce pineapple syrup, 1/2 ounce lemon syrup, 1/2 ounce orange syrup, 1 egg, 2 ounces plain cream, 1/4 glass shaved ice. Shake, strain, toss, and serve.

Drop in a ball of frozen pineapple ice or ice cream (vanilla ice cream will do) to float on the surface and the Alaska Snowball is a winner. Price—15 cents; all milk, 20 cents.

Sherbet Float

Two ounces pineapple syrup, one ounce sweet cream. Fill glass two-thirds full of carbonated water and float a ball of frozen sherbet on top. Use pineapple or orange sherbet. Price—10 ounces, 10 cents. —Harry G. Frame

Grape Lemonade Float

Fill a 12-ounce glass to within an inch of the top with plain lemonade, then carefully float on the top a sufficient quantity of grape juice to fill the glass, being careful not to disturb the lemonade. A good long drink, and a thirst quencher. Price—10 ounces, 10 cents.

Grape Trickle

Place in a 12-ounce glass partly filled with cracked, not shaved, ice, 1/2 ounce of lemon syrup, 1/2 ounce of pineapple syrup, 1/2 ounce of orange syrup, and a little more than 1/2 ounce of grape juice.

Fill the glass with carbonated water and stir until all is thoroughly mixed. Can also be dispensed as a "float," adding the grape juice last, so it floats on top of mixture.

The inventor states that this grape trickle makes "a very refreshing drink" and can be readily sold for 10 cents at a good profit. —J. M. Bingaman

Mont Blanc

1 ounce strawberry syrup, 1/2 ounce orange syrup, 1/2 ounce vanilla syrup, 1/2 ounce grape juice, 1/4 glassful shaved ice, whipped cream.

Mix the first three ingredients in a 12-ounce glass, three-quarters fill glass with carbonated water, add the ice, top with grape juice, and float the whipped cream over all. Charge 15 cents.

How to Make Ice Cream Floats

© by Don Bell

Ice Cream Float Combinations With Soda Pop

Begin by pressing a generous scoopful of frozen vanilla ice cream firmly into the bottom of a large frosted drinking glass.

Next, slowly, and carefully, fill the glass to the brim with your favorite flavor of soda pop by pouring the ice-cold beverage down the sides of the glass to avoid having it foam over the brim.

Finally, carefully insert a couple of drinking straws into the glass along with a long-handled spoon to eat the melting ice cream. The ice cream eventually melts and floats to the top of the glass.

Experiment by combining your favorite flavors of soda pop and ice cream to suit your taste. Colorful names were often given to unique ice cream float combinations.

For example, a root beer float with vanilla ice cream is traditionally called a Black Cow. Have fun naming your own frosty floats.

Ice Cream Float Combinations With Soda Syrup and Carbonated Soda Water

The old time pharmacists often made ice cream floats by combining a flavored soda syrup and soda water.

To make one, first drizzle two to four tablespoonfuls of your favorite soda syrup over a scoopful of ice cream in the bottom of the glass and then carefully fill the glass to the brim with chilled carbonated water.

Serve the refreshing ice cream beverage with two straws and a long-handled spoon to eat the melting ice cream.