Review: Guinness X Van Leeuwen's Ice Cream Collab Really Is A Lovely Day

For lovers of both ice cream and the famously dark and creamy stout, Guinness, you're going to want to listen up. Van Leeuwen has teamed up with Guinness to launch a new flavor called "A Lovely Day for a Guinness." It first premiered in the summer of 2025, where the limited launch sold out quickly. Now, in April 2026, the collaboration is back exclusively at Whole Foods with no specific end date in sight.

Now, Van Leeuwen is no stranger to experimental flavors. In the past, it has come out with Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, Hidden Valley Ranch, pizza, Grey Poupon with Salted Pretzels, and Glass Onion, to name a few. While many of these flavors didn't necessarily get rave reviews, the idea of a Guinness-flavored ice cream doesn't sound as far off to me as macaroni and cheese does.

A Lovely Day for a Guinness is described on the container as a French ice cream base with Guinness flavoring and chocolate chunks. As someone who absolutely loves a pint of Guinness and is also a huge fan of Van Leeuwen's ice cream (especially its vanilla bean flavor), I was extremely excited to try this out. So grab your spoon, and let's get tasting.

As someone who is extremely familiar with the quality of Van Leeuwen ice cream and a pint of Guinness, I find myself very qualified to taste-test this collaboration. I actually had my first pint of Guinness in Ireland itself, so I know the pure, true flavor that the stout holds.

Taste testing this ice cream was super simple. I didn't need to prepare it in any way, so I just took a spoonful right out of the container. I focused on a few key things: The texture, the immediate flavor when it first hits your tongue, the amount of sweetness, the accuracy of the Guinness flavoring, and finally, the aftertaste.

When I first opened the lid to A Lovely Day for a Guinness, I thought that the color of the ice cream fit what I expected perfectly. It's practically the color of the creamy foam that lies on top of a freshly poured pint of Guinness. It also smells just like Guinness, with a strong, wheat-y aroma. When I went in for my first taste, I was a little thrown back, because I immediately tasted a sweet, chocolatey flavor. Since the smell of the ice cream was more wheat-forward, the smell and immediate taste juxtaposed each other in a surprising way.

Once I continued to chew the ice cream (with its big chocolate chips that fill every bite), I was able to sense more of a balance in the taste. The chocolatey sweetness started to dissipate, and the "loaf of bread" sensation burst through. I could really sense the barley, malt, and overall earthy flavors that I love about Guinness stand out. What really sold me, though, was the texture. Somehow, this ice cream was able to garner that pillowy, creamy texture that taking a gulp of Guinness elicits. Each bite felt physically full in my mouth, almost as if the foam had turned into a milkshake.

Overall, I really enjoyed A Lovely Day for a Guinness. I will say, however, that if you don't like the taste of Guinness, you're not going to like this. It ultimately tastes like Guinness mixed with a bit of milk chocolate and sugar. That means it is sweeter than Guinness, but the root of the flavor is still very much there.

I would say that this wouldn't be my first flavor choice to buy (especially if we're talking about Van Leeuwen ice cream in specific) because it is a bit of an "odd" flavoring. You really have to eat it with the thought of a pint of Guinness in mind. If I am craving a Guinness and ice cream at the same time, however, I will definitely reach for this pint of ice cream again.

A Lovely Day for a Guinness is exclusively available at Whole Foods nationwide, and neither Van Leeuwen nor Whole Foods has announced a specific date on which it will stop being sold. I bought my pint for $7.99 in New York City, so pricing may vary depending on where you are located.

Per container, there are 2.5 servings. For one serving, it's 310 calories, with 22 grams of fat, 28 grams of carbohydrates, and 4 grams of protein. Ingredients include cream, milk, brown sugar, egg yolks, malted barley, wheat, cocoa powder, and Guinness 0 non-alcoholic draught stout.