B for Butterbeer - Drinks All Around

"Hey Bestie, when are we getting Butterbeer" 

That's the question Sara asks me each time we walk into Hogsmeade Village. The Diagon Alley side of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Orlando, Florida is somewhat reserved for Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream! And my reply is always "After we ride The Forbidden Journey" because we don't risk going for a spin after consuming a beverage! That Aragog animatronic will not appreciate a puke! 

To me --- magic is diving (nose first!) into a big frothy glass of frozen Butterbeer at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Orlando, Florida. Purchased from the barrel kiosk parked in the middle of Hogsmeade Village, or from the Butterbeer and Ales shop at Diagon Alley, no beverage beats the frozen Butterbeer for me. That moment when the creamy, silky deliciousness makes its way into my mouth --- I am a winner! I drown my entire year's worth of crap happenings into the blessed moment of being able to sip that glass. The delicious frozen concoction is the greatest happiness and biggest accomplishment of my life. It is the very happy thought that would work with my Patronus to shoo away the Dementors! It has been many years since Sara and I have been going back for this magical drink and we are still going strong!

That's a Butterbeer 🍺 at Hogsmeade moment throwback. Those pyramidal sloping roofs of the shops at Hogsmeade at the Wizarding World always make my heart feel at home. By day or by night I could just sit there on the cobbled stone pathways and stare at them as if they were something from the real world. I always visit around the holiday season in December and everything is decked with holly.

Steven Jayson, corporate executive chef of Universal Orlando Parks and Resorts is the genius behind this liquid confectionary! "With Rowling's blessing, Jayson and his staff concocted the recipe for the magical brew. "Hands down, that's the one thing that we've created here at Universal Orlando that stands alone." says Jayson."

WHAT DOES BUTTERBEER TASTE LIKE?

"Consisting of a cream soda-meets-butterscotch flavor and a sweet whipped topping, Butterbeer originally came in two versions: cold and frozen. Since its debut, Universal has introduced a steaming beverage known as "Butterbeer hot" along with Butterbeer ice cream and Butterbeer fudge." [Source: USA Today]

Yes! It is a secret combination of butterscotch and cream soda. I love butterscotch, but I cannot stand cream soda. Surprisingly, my taste buds love Butterbeer because cream soda does not overpower the taste. There's vanilla in there as well! 

Do visit Sara and read "Butterbeer and My Favorite Butterbeer Spots" on her blog Sara Writes. Being my forever Butterbeer partner, she discusses the memorable spots where we have sipped Butterbeer; both, in Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade Village.