Beer ice cream is now legal in New York state

Hey did you know that the wood frog is now the official amphibian of the State of New York? Perhaps you did not know that New York State Senate recently passed Laree’s Law, which will allow law enforcement officials to charge a drug dealer with homicide if a death results from the sale of heroin or an opiate controlled substance. These are the things you learn perusing the New York State Senate newsroom. For instance: Yesterday, I found out New York passed a senate bill authorizing the sale of beer and cider ice cream.

Yes, ice cream made with beer or cider was up to till recently not legal, but now you can quit buying it from your dealer who has enough worries these days (see previous law mentioned). The law (S8830 Chapter 118), sponsored by Senator James L. Seward (R-C-I-Ref, Oneonta), is aimed at supporting New York’s craft beer industry, cider producers and farmers by helping sell uniquely state-made products to food retailers and restaurants. According to the press release:

Senator Seward said, “Both the dairy and craft beer/cider industries are key contributors to our agriculture economy. By combing the two, we are able to capitalize on homegrown New York ingredients with the creation of a cool new, innovative product.”

I like this idea of combining beer with other products to boost economies. This new law is apparently similar to the authorization of wine ice cream, which has been sold and regulated in the state since 2008. The measure would limit the percentage of alcohol in ice cream and other frozen desserts to no more than 5 percent ABV, require a label that indicates the product contains alcohol and (of course) prohibit the sale to folks under 21 years of age. According to New York Upstate:

The first legal batches are coming from Gilligan’s Island, an ice cream stand and diner in Sherburne, Chenango County which lobbied lawmakers to make the change.

Beer ice cream made by Gilligan’s is currently available in the tap room at Good Nature Farm Brewery in Hamilton, one of the breweries that helped develop it. (Gilligan’s doesn’t brew its own beer).