Miller High Life serves up dive bar-inspired ice cream

Dive Brief:

Miller High Life has partnered with ice cream company Tipsy Scoop to produce a beer-infused ice cream bar, per a blog post from parent Molson Coors.
The treat, which contains 5% ABV, is intended to remind consumers of a dive bar by incorporating peanuts, caramel, dark chocolate, tobacco smoke flavor and carbonated candy.
The ice cream is available now for purchase and can be bought in packs of six for $36 or a single bar for $6 via TipsyScoop.com, Goldbelly.com and in Tipsy Scoop’s three New York City Barlour locations. The summer snack is the latest in a string of Molson Coors novelty products.

Dive Insight:

As summer enters its final weeks, Miller High Life is “adultifying” a classic summer treat. The boozy ice cream is intended to invoke the beer’s dive bar heritage and a sense of playfulness as Molson Coors attempts to reach consumers in an increasingly competitive alcoholic beverage market.

Miller High Life, with the slogan of “Champagne of Beers,” has long positioned itself as classy yet economical. The upscale ice cream pops play into that brand image by putting a decadent, elaborate spin on a cheap treat. The ice cream, which has a higher ABV than actual Miller High Life, appeals to both beer fans and those who enjoy unique food products.

The beer offering from Molson Coors has seen a resurgence in recent years, largely due to millennial interest. This age group, while showing an affinity for budget beers, has also demonstrated a taste in premium products. The ice cream bar marries those two concepts.

The tie-up with Tipsy Scoop, which includes an e-commerce component, comes a few months after Miller High Life partnered with the Tie Bar, a direct-to-consumer formal menswear brand, to create a limited-edition wedding collection. Molson Coors has unveiled an extensive lineup of novelty products in recent months across a number of brands, such as Miller Lite flavored drops and Coors Light mosquito traps. It also introduced a “Grill Share” program through Miller Lite that includes local pop-up stations and nationwide giveaways.