Welcome to your complete guide to the 2023 Universal Studios Butterbeer! If you’re a Harry Potter fan, you’ve definitely dreamt of visiting Hogsmeade Village and sipping on a cup of the famous Butterbeer at Universal Studios. You’re in luck! Universal Studios has recreated this magical drink and serves it in their theme parks worldwide.
As huge Harry Potter fans and Universal Passholders, we’re here to tell you to get the butterbeer! We’ve had it in all shapes and forms, and it truly helps round out your Harry Potter experience while at Universal. In this guide, we’ll discuss where to get Butterbeer, how much it costs at Universal Orlando and Universal Hollywood, and more!
We hope you find this post helpful! Our goal at The Park Prodigy has always been to help you save time and money on your next Universal Orlando vacation! If you are planning a trip to Universal Orlando be sure to check out the latest deals on Universal Orlando vacation packages and our discounted Universal Orlando tickets which include EARLY PARK ADMISSION to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter!
SPECIAL NOTE: If you need help picking the best time to visit Universal Orlando for your next vacation, be sure to check out our Universal crowd calendar!
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So, what is butterbeer at Universal Studios? If you’re unfamiliar with the Harry Potter franchise, you might not know exactly what this magical drink is from! Butterbeer is a popular beverage, described in Harry Potter books as a, “a little bit like less-sickly butterscotch,” and is served in many establishments in the Wizarding World.
Harry and his friends often describe drinking this beverage on their trips to Hogsmeade Village while visiting the Three Broomsticks Inn. In these films and books, butterbeer is described as having a very low alcohol content. Still, the butterbeer at Universal is non-alcoholic and perfect for kids and adults to enjoy. You can find these drinks in all Universal Studios theme parks and is a fan favorite to sip on after some of your favorite Harry Potter rides and our personal favorite during Early Park Admission in Universal!
There are at least five different forms and types of butterbeer you can enjoy while inside either Wizarding World land in Universal Studios. All of these are available to purchase, and we will share where to get butterbeer in Universal later on. One of the most popular types if the frozen butterbeer Universal has, which is perfect for a hot day.
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So, what does butterbeer in the Wizarding World actually taste like? The first thing that comes to mind is very sweet. No matter what way you get Universal Studios Butter Beer, it is not lacking sugar and there is always a thick layer of creamy deliciousness on top. But, to help you understand the flavor of Universal Harry Potter Butterbeer, we are going to talk about each kind.
The 2023 butterbeer ingredients at Universal have never been shared, and unfortunately, we can only guess as what they use to make it. What we do know is that it does have dairy but is gluten-free. That means that the butterbeer at Universal is not vegan-friendly, unless you get it without the whipped topping.
Homemade Universal Studios Butterbeer Ingredients
*Please note there are many recipes out there for butterbeer and we do not know the actual Universal Studios butterbeer recipe. However, here is a complete guide if you would like to try to make butter beer at home.
Hot butterbeer at Universal is a delicious treat that guests can now purchase year long, which is perfect for chilly mornings or late nights. The flavor of the hot butterbeer is slightly different, and a little more rich and creamy like a hot chocolate beverage. You can expect a butterscotch-y delight with a delicious warm heavy cream foam topping. Be careful though! This drink is served very hot and might need to be cooled before little ones can enjoy.
Frozen butterbeer at Universal is a unique offering as that it comes in the consistency of a slushy, which is super delicious on those really hot Florida days. It has the same butterscotch flavoring as the hot and is rather sweet, especially with the creamy foam topping. You can expect a caramel-y, butterscotch flavor with an intense sweet heavy cream foam on top.
Lastly, you can get the iconic butterbeer at Harry Potter World just straight out of the tap cold and smooth, like a cream soda. It is smooth and creamy, and tastes very strong of butterscotch, caramel and even a little bit like shortbread because of all of the butter used to make it.
Another popular question we receive is, how much alcohol is in Butterbeer at Universal? And Butterbeer does not contain alcohol at Universal Orlando. That is the same even if you decide to buy the cold, frozen, or hot Butterbeer while on your vacation. Universal Orlando does have a bunch of other Harry Potter alcoholic beverages for adults visiting Universal Orlando to enjoy.
Yes, there is finally a vegan option of butterbeer at Universal. If you’re looking for vegan butterbeer at Universal, you can go to any butterbeer cart or stand in either park. Just let them know that you’re vegan and that you would not like the dairy whipped topping and … accio butterbeer!
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Now that we’ve talked all about how butterbeer tastes, let’s take a look at another important question which is, where can I buy butter beer? Butterbeer is sold in all Universal parks in the United States, so no matter which coast you’re visiting, you’re in luck! But let’s talk about where you can get butterbeer in Universal.
But, where can you grab a hot butter beer at Universal? You can grab hot butterbeer at The Leaky Cauldron, The Hopping Pot (in Hogsmeade Village) or Hogs Head, and The Three Broomsticks (in Diagon Alley). It is, of course important to note that guests who plan to park hop between Hogsmeade Village and Diagon Alley using the Hogwarts Express will need a Universal Orlando park-to-park ticket!
As we mentioned above, you can not only buy Universal Studio’s butterbeer in liquid form but also butterbeer ice cream, fudge and even potted cream!
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If you are a Harry Potter fan, you know that a butterbeer would only cost you two sickles from Madam Rosmerta at the Three Broomsticks. But how much does butterbeer cost at Universal Studios in 2023? And, the price for a normal butter beer in 2023 is $7.99. As you can see the price is much more expensive from when the parks first opened the Universal butterbeer stands, with it only being about $3 in 2012. Now, if you’re looking to visit Universal Orlando Resort or Universal Studios Hollywood in 2023, you’ll be paying double.
A very common question we receive regarding the premium cups is, are Butterbeer Mugs refillable in 2023? And, unfortunately, the Universal Orlando butterbeer mugs are not refillable in 2023. In fact, there are no discounts on Universal butterbeer anywhere on Universal Orlando property at this time. However, one way to save up some money for the parks is to buy your discount Universal Orlando tickets from The Park Prodigy! Not only will you save money for Butterbeer but all of our Universal Orlando tickets come with some amazing benefits such as free park plans and early park admission to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter!
Guests will be happy to know that there is no difference in the Butterbeer prices between Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade. A Butterbeer in Diagon Alley is $7.99 for the cold Butterbeer, frozen Buteerbeer, or hot Butterbeer.
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As you can imagine, for a snack this popular the lines to grab a butterbeer can be long at times. This is especially true if you are visiting Universal Orlando during peak season when kids are off from school. However there are still ways to grab a butterbeer with extremely short lines.
Our favorite time is during early park admission to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. The main reason is that most people have their heart on getting onto one of those amazing Harry Potter rides. Which has always resulted in almost no wait to grab a butterbeer. Now of course, we understand this might be a bit too sweet in the morning, or you might have your heart set on going onto one of those amazing rides as well. However, we did just want to make sure to mention this tip as it really can be a huge time saver.
Related Page: Discount Universal Orlando Tickets
Now it comes down to the ultimate question, which is better – regular butterbeer vs frozen butterbeer. This all comes down to matter of opinion and what type of beverages you like to drink! If you’re looking for what is closest to the Harry Potter books and films, the hot butterbeer at Universal is your best option. Madam Rosmerta serves her butterbeer warm in the books, so you can always order yours hot and let it cool down a bit for the best Harry Potter dining experience.
But, as for the best butterbeer at Universal overall, we are going to say the frozen Universal butterbeer wins out! It is super hot in Florida almost year round, and we think that the frozen butterbeer is the most refreshing option if you’re looking to cool down and enjoy all that the Wizarding World has to offer.
Another important question to look at is, is Butterbeer better hot or cold? And as a general rule of thumb, we always suggest that Butterbeer is better cold just like in the books and movies. We feel like butterbeer is meant to be enjoyed like a soda, especially on those hot Florida and California days.
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Why yes, of course, there is butterbeer for any witch or wizard looking for it in Universal Studios Hollywood. Whether you’re looking to grab a bite to eat in The Three Broomsticks, or just walk around Hogsmeade Village, there will be a cup of butterbeer waiting for you. With that being said, there is only one land with Butterbeer Universal Hollywood style, and that is Hogsmeade Village. Unlike Universal Orlando, there is only one Wizarding World inside of Universal Studios Hollywood.
Just like Orlando, there is no alcoholic butterbeer at Universal Hollywood, but guests can create concoctions themselves at Hogs Head.
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A: The butterbeer at Universal Studios is sold three different ways: hot, cold or frozen.
Unfortunately, the Ministry of Magic at Universal Studios keeps the butterbeer recipe and ingredients completely secret and we do not know what is in it. All we do know is that it has dairy product in it and is not vegan safe.
All butterbeer served at Universal Studios are non-alcoholic, and they are completely safe for kids to drink! Although we will warn you they are completely filled with sugar instead. However the great news is you’ll be able to use that sugar rush for a jammed pack day of fun at Universal!
While all butterbeer at Universal is non-alcoholic, you can order other alcoholic drinks and mix them together on your own! You can order alcohol at The Hogs Head Pub and try making a butterbeer potion of your own.
No, unfortunately, you have to be inside either of the Universal Orlando theme parks to have a taste of butterbeer.
You can purchase a cup of hot, cold or frozen butterbeer for $7.99 at either Harry Potter World. You can also purchase the frozen or cold butterbeer in a souvenir mug for $13.49.
A: No, the Universal Orlando butterbeer is not vegan. While we do not know the exact recipe, the butterbeer at Universal has dairy and is not vegan safe. You can now order the Universal Butterbeer without the topping, which makes the recipe vegan safe!
A: Yes! Universal finally has made an option for vegan with butterbeer at Universal. When ordering, specify that you are vegan and would not like the dairy whipped topping, and like magic … butterbeer! We love that Universal has finally made a vegan option for our plant-based friends.
Our Universal Orlando Crowd Calendar is the best tool to help you get the most out of your time in the parks. We breakdown the park crowds, park hours of operation, ticket prices by day, and average temperature.
If you’re ready to plan your trip to Universal Studios, be sure to check out Universal Orlando Tickets! Not only will you save money vs buying direct, but all of our Universal Orlando tickets come with some amazing benefits which can help save you up to three hours in the parks!
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