Butterbeer is a popular wizarding beverage in the Harry Potter universe. It is described as tasting "a little bit like less-sickly butterscotch". Butterbeer can be served warm and foaming in tankards or cold in bottles. It had a slight alcoholic content, but it was safe for children to drink. However, it could affect creatures such as house-elves if consumed in high quantities.
There are different recipes for Butterbeer, but most of them include ingredients such as brown sugar, butter, salt, cider vinegar, heavy cream, and butterscotch topping. Some recipes also include pumpkin pie spice and egg yolks.
In the Harry Potter books, Butterbeer is served at The Three Broomsticks, Hogs Head, and The Leaky Cauldron. Students at Hogwarts frequently drink Butterbeer, and it is also enjoyed by other characters in the series.
