Photo credit: New Belgium Brewing
I have a theory: beer and ice cream are basically the same thing.
Hear me out:
- Vast quantities of either instantly improve a party.
- Both can mend, or at least anesthetize, heartbreak, especially when consumed together.
- Applied liberally, either can cause a hangover. (Trust me, if point #2 rings true, you’ve definitely experienced an ice cream hangover.)
- Both have inspired obsessive, devoted followings among connoisseurs and DIYers.
And now, thanks to a recent food and beverage marketing collaboration between Ben & Jerry’s and New Belgium Brewing Company, these two kinds of magical, malty pints have something else in common: positive social and environmental impact.
As certified B Corporations, New Belgium and Ben & Jerry’s have each committed to use their businesses as forces for good. That means each company is legally accountable to demonstrate real benefit for their environment, employees, and community. If you’re unfamiliar with B Corp certification—what it entails and why it matters—make sure to read our recent blog post about the B Corp movement.
What excites us about Ben & Jerry’s and New Belgium, beyond the fact that they’ve taken the B Corp pledge, is their creative food and beverage marketing strategy. Proving my hypothesis once again, the companies simultaneously announced a beer-inspired ice cream and an ice cream-inspired beer last month.
There’s Ben & Jerry’s Salted Caramel Brown-ie Ale ice cream, bristling with caramel swirls and brownie chunks. Then there’s New Belgium’s Salted Caramel Brownie Brown Ale, an amber concoction of chocolate, vanilla, and caramel flavors. Confused yet? Remember: basically the same thing.
Proceeds from both products benefit Protect Our Winters (POW) , an advocacy group that mobilizes snowboarders, skiers, and other members of the winter sports community to take action against climate change. The campaign centers on the EPA’s Clean Power Plan, which seeks to reduce carbon pollution by power plants.
This is a limited release, so go grab some socially responsible ice cream and a six-pack ASAP! I mean, you were probably about to anyway, right?
And for more beer—I mean ice cream—I mean… beer cream (?) check out our blog, where you’ll find posts like the one from back in 2013 when we dreamed up a bunch of ice cream flavors inspired by our hometowns.