History of the classic milkshake
The milkshake began in the late 1800s as an eggnog-style drink, sometimes spiked with alcohol, and became the ice cream and milk drink we know in the early 1900s. Malted milk powder came from William Horlick in the late 1800s, and adding ice cream is usually credited to a Chicago drugstore employee around 1922. Electric mixers then made it a soda-fountain staple.
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In this article
Where did the milkshake come from?
The word milkshake appears in print in the 1880s, but then it often described a sturdy, eggnog-like drink, sometimes made with alcohol. It had no ice cream. By the early 1900s the word had moved to non-alcoholic drinks of milk, flavoring and sometimes ice cream.
What role did malted milk play?
William Horlick developed malted milk (milk, malted barley and wheat flour) in the late 1800s as a health food. Sources give different dates, from the 1880s to 1897. Soda fountains started mixing it with milk and chocolate syrup, and malted milk drinks became a standard menu item.
Who added the ice cream?
The most common account credits Ivar “Pop” Coulson, a Walgreens employee in Chicago, who added ice cream to the malted milk drink around 1922. The exact origin is uncertain, since several shops claimed similar ideas, so treat any single inventor as an unconfirmed story.
How did machines change it?
Early shakes were mixed by hand. Around 1910 to 1911 the Hamilton Beach company sold electric drink mixers with the motor on top, which made it easy to blend a shake in seconds at soda fountains. Later blenders brought shakes into homes.
Timeline at a glance
| Period | Development |
|---|---|
| 1880s | Milkshake as an eggnog-style drink, no ice cream |
| Late 1800s | Malted milk developed by Horlick |
| About 1910-1911 | Electric drink mixers |
| About 1922 | Ice cream added to malted drinks (disputed) |
Milkshake today
A classic shake is still milk, ice cream and flavoring, usually chocolate, vanilla or strawberry. Dates vary slightly between sources, so use them as approximate.
People also ask
Who invented the milkshake?
No single inventor is confirmed. The drink evolved in the late 1800s and early 1900s; a Chicago drugstore employee is often credited with adding ice cream around 1922.
Did the first milkshakes have ice cream?
No, early milkshakes were eggnog-style drinks, sometimes with whiskey, made without ice cream.
What is the difference between a milkshake and a malt?
A malt adds malted milk powder to a milkshake.
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