For a second year in a row, our collaboration with Elysian Brewery has yielded a delicious and successful beer-infused gelato. This October and November (until supplies last) our Punkuccino gelato made with pumpkin, coffee and, of course, Elysian’s Punkuccino beer will be available at our store on Third and Union Streets and at all Elysian Brewery locations throughout Seattle.
Last year, our Punkuccino gelato was an instant success – so successful that Elysian sold out in a matter of weeks. So, this year we’ve made plenty to go around. For those enjoying at an Elysian Brewery or bar, Elysian is pairing the Punkuccino gelato with their homemade chocolate pretzel bread pudding.
No recipe at Gelatiamo is your average gelato recipe, but beer and gelato is particularly unusual. We thought we’d share the story of the collaboration and the science of making it: Inspired by the gelato provided by Gelatiamo to Elysian’s locations, the idea for our Punkuccino gelato started with Andrew Gribas, the chef at Elysian Bar. Always up for a challenge, Maria Coassin, Gelatiamo’s founder, agreed. After only two trials, the recipe was perfect!
The science behind a gelato that uses beer as a main ingredient is more challenging than meets the eye. Alcohol lowers the freezing point, making the formulation tricky. When Maria develops a recipe that contains alcohol, she must calculate the antifreeze effect that the beer, wine or liquor causes and adjust the antifreeze power of the sugar. Sugar is the most common ingredient in gelato or ice cream that allows it to be kept in the freezer yet remain soft. In order to create a recipe that contains alcohol and maintains its freezing point, Maria works with different types of sugars and ingredients that add sweetness. At Gelatiamo we don’t use pre-made bases, every recipe is developed in-house. This means we’re able to create a recipe that has the same consistency of other recipes we’ve created. Knowledge of ingredients and perfect balancing are keys to making a great product. In the case of our Punkuccino gelato, you can truly taste the phenomenal beer, the pumpkin and the coffee which complement each other beautifully. We think it’s a dance, a harmony of flavors in your mouth!
Visit our store or any Elysian Brewery throughout Seattle to taste the delicious and sought after Punkuccino gelato!
We’re celebrating the 20th anniversary of Gelatiamo! Founded by Maria Coassin in the heart of downtown Seattle, Gelatiamo is the art of perfect gelato and Italian pastries. Each of our recipes is skillfully developed by Maria following authentic Italian traditions, and inspired by her love of Seattle. Throughout this year we’ll feature stories, people, partners and milestones that have been a significant part of our history. Come, enjoy gelato with us!
