Victoria Bitter ice-cream is on its way to Perth

By Monika Spacilova HERE’S the scoop on Perth’s next big culinary sensation: beer ice-cream may soon be served at a dessert bar near you. Gelati vendor Frank Bailey created the Victoria Bitter ice-cream at his outlet on the Gold Coast and is hoping to bring the flavour to Perth. Fremantle ice-cream vendors have mixed feelings on whether to serve the icy concoctions made from VB, which is targeted at adults. “I don’t think VB ice cream is a good idea,” says Ingrid Dwayer, vendor at Gelatissimo on Market St. “Ice-cream is mainly targeted at children and they might be inclined to try it. I don’t think that parents would be too happy about this either.” But fellow Fremantle ice-cream seller Bradley Barti, of Ben & Jerry’s, is a fan. “If it was up to me I would definitely have VB ice cream here,” Bradley says. “I think it would attract more people. Australians love their beer, so what’s better than a refreshing scoop of beer ice-cream?” The VB flavour is the latest in a long line of bizarre ice cream recipes on the market, such as blue Smurfs and purple Trolls. “Kids love our Troll flavored ice cream, or any more of the colourful flavours,”Ingrid says . Dieticians are concerned about society’s appetite for heavily flavoured treats and say artificial food dyes and flavours are linked to health issues in children, such as allergies. Registered dietitian from Vital Nutrition Perth, Angela Stanford, told Bounce News that while VB ice-cream would be a hit with beer lovers, companies should focus more on selling healthier alternatives. “Children don’t really have a choice. They will choose the most appealing ice-cream to them, and parents should be aware of the amount of artificial compounds and amount of sugar, that go into these flavours.”