Back when birthdays meant paper crowns and sugar highs, Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlour at the Tacoma Mall was the stuff of legend. With candy-striped booths, turn-of-the-century soda fountain vibes, and milkshakes the size of your face, it was a sanctuary for sugar-obsessed kids — and a minefield for parents trying to get past the candy counter unscathed. Of all the treats, nothing topped the vanilla milkshake: towering, dripping, and unforgettable, even if we’ve long since forgotten how it tasted. Farrell’s is gone, but our craving for vanilla bliss remains. Today is National Vanilla Milkshake Day, and while Peaks & Pints doesn’t sling sundaes, we have something even better — craft beer kissed with creamy vanilla. Join us for Peaks & Pints Beer Flight: Vanilla Shake — five luscious pours that channel childhood sweetness with grown-up indulgence.
Peaks & Pints Beer Flight: Vanilla Shake
Evil Twin To The Milky Way & Back II
7.5% ABV
Evil Twin Brewing’s To the Milky Way & Back II is a rich and creamy milkshake-style IPA that places smooth vanilla flavor front and center. Brewed with lactose and lactase to enhance its silky texture, this IPA bursts with layers of ripe raspberry, strawberry, and blackberry. However, it’s the vanilla that ties everything together, adding a whipped-cream sweetness that transforms each sip into a dessert-like experience. With its thick mouthfeel and minimal hop bitterness, it leans more toward a berry milkshake than a traditional IPA.
Great Divide White Russian Yeti
9.5% ABV
Inspired by the classic cocktail, Great Divide Brewing’s Yeti White Russian delivers rich aromas of espresso and vanilla, followed by layered flavors of dark chocolate, creamy vanilla, and roasted coffee, all wrapped in a smooth, velvety mouthfeel thanks to the addition of flaked oats. Pouring jet-black with a tall, tan head, this seasonal release strikes a balanced profile of sweetness and roast, reminiscent of Vietnamese coffee.
Lumberbeard Barrel-Aged Campfire Snack
12.7% ABV
Lumberbeard Brewing’s Barrel-Aged Campfire Snack is a decadent pastry stout that leans hard into dessert territory, with vanilla and marshmallow taking center stage. Aged in whiskey barrels, this campfire stout layers in waves of toasted marshmallow fluff and creamy vanilla sweetness, backed by rich milk chocolate, peanut butter, and graham cracker for a full-on s’mores experience. The barrel aging adds a subtle warmth and spice, but it’s the gooey marshmallow and silky vanilla that dominate the aroma and palate, making this beer a fireside treat in a can.
Ladd & Lass Barrel-aged Year Two
13% ABV
Ladd & Lass Brewing celebrated their second year as a commercial brewery with Barrel-aged Year 2, a masterful blend anchored by a rich barleywine aged 12 months in Woodinville bourbon casks and complemented by other hand-selected barrel-aged beers from its cellar. At the heart of this layered creation is a sweet, warming vanilla character that weaves through every sip, amplifying the notes of toffee, dried dark fruit, toasty oak, and a hint of nutty roast. Vanilla doesn’t just show up—it elevates.
Goose Island 2024 Bourbon County Brand Stout
14.7% ABV
Goose Island’s 2024 Bourbon County Brand Stout is a rich and decadent imperial stout aged for approximately 16 months in freshly emptied bourbon barrels from top distilleries, including Buffalo Trace and Four Roses. The 2024 release offers a rich profile of vanilla that shines prominently alongside notes of fudge, caramelized sugar, and subtle cherry-vanilla cola. The extended barrel aging smooths the stout beautifully, allowing the warm, creamy vanilla character to meld perfectly with the rich oak and bourbon warmth.
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