Since the opening of the The Wizarding World World of Harry Potter inside Universal’s Islands of Adventure in 2010, the parks have expanded to offer 3 official Butterbeer drinks, and 3 Butterbeer flavored desserts including Butterbeer Fudge, Butterbeer Soft serve, and Butterbeer Potted Cream. But did you know there are a variety of Butterbeer options, official and unofficial that you can purchase from companies around the world?
We’ve ranked our favorites, listing details on taste, packaging, price, and where you can find them! All Butterbeer is non-alcoholic but what does it taste like? Co-creator of the official Butterbeer recipe previously stated, “We wanted to make something that would feel mystical and whimsical and magical, but that also resembled a beer, with a beautiful base, amber color, and creamy top. It had to taste unfamiliar, yet soothing and smooth.” -Steve Jayson, Universal Orlando Executive Chef
We’ve taste tasted every option we could find, listing them below from our least favorite that we suggest you save your galleons on, to our top pick, worthy of every knut, sickle, and galleon you have saved up!
#7 Golden Cauldron
Official or Unofficial: Unofficial
Where you can purchase: redstonefoods.com, cowcrack.com, your local Rocket Fizz stores.
Cost: $5.99( average)
Vegan: No
Volume: 16oz
Taste Test: A surprising recent find inside a local soda shop, this unofficial Butterbeer imposter wasn’t smooth or even particularly buttery. It was like someone added expired vanilla to a bland root beer. This was released by the Rocket Fizz company in direct competition to the Flying Cauldron brand. The bottle is a fun old fashioned metal pop-top with shiny gold wrappings but overall there are better options out there for a Butterbeer.
#6 Flying Cauldron Butterscotch Beer
*Flying Cauldron Butterscotch Beer bottle shown on the right side next to the New official Bottled Butterbeer.
Official or Unofficial: Unofficial
Where you can purchase: Available online in a variety of retailers including reedsgingerbrew.com, Amazon, Safeway, Soda Emporium, Walmart, and a large number of candy and supermarket stores all over the United States and the UK.
Cost: Prices range anywhere from $2.59-$3.33/bottle on average and are often sold as a 4 pack.
Vegan: Yes, Vegan and Gluten free
Volume: 12oz
Taste Test: This bottled Butterbeer is often the most well known unofficial version since being launched out on the US market in 2011 by the popular Reeds soda company. It can often easily be found at your local supermarket or specialty candy shops which makes it the most accessible out of all the versions. When compared directly next to the official cold Butterbeer it has more of a buttery popcorn flavoring in its fizzy cream soda base. The logo and packaging on these bottles are a fun wizarding theme that’s careful to avoid copyright.
#5: Frozen Butterbeer
Official or Unofficial: Official
Where you can purchase: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Universal Parks.
Cost: $7.99 (plus tax)
Vegan: No
Volume: 14oz
Taste Test: Frozen Butterbeer is a slightly less sweet, butterscotch flavored blended slushy texture drink with the classic creamy frothy topping. It doesn’t have the classic fizzing soda consistency, which can often be so refreshing on a hot day in the parks.
#4: Cold Butterbeer
Official or Unofficial: Official
Where you can purchase: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Universal Parks.
Cost: $7.99 (plus tax)
Vegan: No
Volume: 14oz
Taste Test: This is the classic non alcoholic. golden brew that best matches what’s described in the Harry Potter series. That cold bubbly soda consistency, tasting of a smooth butterscotch cream soda with that classic creamy foam topping that’s sure to give you that photo worthy Butterbeer mustache.
#3: Bottled Butterbeer
Official or Unofficial: Official
Where you can purchase: For now, this version can only be purchased at the New York flagship store location, the Warner Brothers studio Tour London, and the official harrypotterplatform934.com online UK shop, shipping exclusively to UK residents only. We hope that in the near future Universal will consider bringing this new bottled Butterbeer into the Universal Studios parks.
Cost: $8.99 (plus tax)
Vegan: YES & Gluten free
Volume: 9.3 oz or 275ml for the UK bottle
Taste Test: Beginning on June 3rd, Americans will have a fourth official Butterbeer beverage to choose from. The New York Harry Potter store will offer the new Bottled Butterbeer served from their brand new Butterbeer bar within the store. This new bottled Butterbeer is 100% Vegan and officially endorsed by Evanna Lynch, the actress who played Luna lovegood in the Harry Potter films. This is the very first version of Butterbeer that is vegan, of course non-dairy, and Gluten-free. It forgoes the creamy foam topping to remain vegan, and instead focuses on the crisp ginger soda flavor with a stronger fizzing consistency that’s much lighter in color. This official Bottled Butterbeer is sold with a beautiful newly designed Butterbeer logo by MinaLima, the graphic design team of the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts films. The New York store will also offer an exclusive MACUSA label on the same Vegan Butterbeer bottles. This label was made with the American wizards in mind, representing the Magical Congress of the United States of America, which was introduced on screen in the first ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’ film.
#2 Premium Butterscotch Beer
Official or Unofficial: Unofficial
Where you can purchase: Cracker Barrel gift shops, or online at sodaemporium, and amazon.
Cost: $1.79(plus tax, in store)-$2.59(plus tax, online)
Vegan: No
Volume: 12 oz
Taste Test: This unofficial bottled Butterbeer was the most surprising and satisfying find! It tastes like a root beer butterscotch base with the same exact coloring and soda consistency to the official cold Butterbeer from the Universal parks, just without the foam topping. We were so surprised at how well this recipe matched that we highly recommend this for anyone missing the official cold version, who doesn’t have immediate access to the Wizarding World parks. With this being so accessible, we went back for seconds and highly recommend this.
#1: Hot Butterbeer
Official or Unofficial: Official
Where you can purchase: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Universal Parks. (offered seasonally)
Cost: $7.99 (plus tax)
Vegan/DairyFree: No
Volume: 14oz
Taste Test: Hot Butterbeer tastes like a smooth butterscotch flavored white hot chocolate with the classic creamy frothy topping. It’s slightly less sweet than the other versions with a pink color under that foam topping. It was released as a seasonal fall/winter drink for Universal Orlando in 2014 and eventually became a year round offering at Universal Hollywood’s Wizarding World location. I have personally tried to replicate Hot Butterbeer at home using a variety of online recipes, but sadly none of them have been spot on with textures and flavors yet. This is my favorite version of Butterbeer, reminding me of those moments in the series that Harry, Ron, and Hermione get to sit at the cozy tables inside the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade enjoying their weekend together. I hope every fan out there gets the opportunity to try it!
How about you? What’s your favorite version of Butterbeer? Did we miss any popular unofficial brands out there? If so, please let us know in the comments so we can taste test and add them in!
*Prices are listed in US dollars and are approximate before tax.
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Katie Aiani is a lifelong Potter fan & Wizarding World expert who has traveled the world for a variety of fandoms. You can usually find her in a theme park on a regular basis in cosplay or Disneybounding with a Hot Butterbeer or Dole Whip in hand; while exploring the newest rides, shows, merch, & historical facts.