The 29th Annual Watermelon Festival is tomorrow Sunday August 5th.  As is tradition, it is bound to be a hot one; it always is.  Whether you walked the streets of Carytown or decided to stay indoors, this recipe is for you.  I first discovered this concept of putting beer in a frozen dessert from Megan Powell’s Watermelon Beer Popsicles.  Desiring something that I could store more longterm, I attempted to adapt her recipe into a sorbet but it turned out to be more of a granita.

Watermelon Beer Granita

Ingredients

1 cup Agave Nectar
1/4 cup chopped mint
1 lime, zested & juiced
1/2 seedless watermelon, crushed
12oz can 21st Amendment Hell or High Watermelon Wheat

Directions

In a small saucepan, bring Agave Nectar and chopped mint to a boil over medium-high heat.  Remove from heat and let come back to room temp.

Crush watermelon into large bowl. Puree with a stick blender until the watermelon is an even consistency.

Add agave mixture, lime juice and zest to watermelon followed by the beer.  Mix well.

Cover bowl and chill in refrigerator overnight.

Mix in ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.  It took my Cuisinart about 20 minutes.  Your granita will be ready to eat at this point or you can transfer to a airtight container an freeze for a firmer texture.

Yield: 2 – 4 quarts