Malt, shake, and concrete are all popular and related, nay similar, frozen dessert drinks. They share more similarities than there are any differences. However, they have some subtle but important differences to tell them apart, which relate to ingredients, consistency, and preparation methods. Here’s an in-depth comparison between the three desserts to help you understand them and their differences better and once and for all.

Malt

A malt, short for a malted milkshake, is a type of milkshake that incorporates malted milk powder. Malted milk powder is made from sprouted barley that has been dried and ground, then combined with wheat flour, whole milk, and sugar. This results in a distinct, slightly nutty flavor.
Ingredients: ice cream, milk, malted milk powder, and flavorings (such as chocolate or fruit syrups)
Consistency: Creamy and smooth, similar to a regular milkshake but with a thicker consistency due to the malted milk powder
Preparation: Blended together using a blender or milkshake mixer

Shake

A shake, or milkshake, is a cold, sweet beverage made by blending ice cream, milk, and flavorings together. Shakes are commonly made with various ice cream flavors and can be customized with additional mix-ins, such as fruit, cookies, or candy.
Ingredients: ice cream, milk, and flavorings (such as chocolate or fruit syrups)
Consistency: Creamy and smooth, thinner than a malt due to the absence of malted milk powder
Preparation: Blended together using a blender or milkshake mixer

Concrete

Concrete is a dessert that originated from frozen custard stands. It is similar to a very thick milkshake or a soft-serve ice cream but with mix-ins blended throughout. The name “concrete” comes from the thick consistency that allows it to be served upside down without spilling.
Ingredients: Frozen custard (made from eggs, cream, and sugar), and mix-ins (such as fruit, candy, or cookies)
Consistency: Extremely thick and dense. Spoonable rather than drinkable
Preparation: The frozen custard is blended with the mix-ins using a high-speed mixer or a specialized machine called a “concrete mixer.”

Summary

To summarize, malts, shakes, and concretes are all dessert beverages made with ice cream or frozen custard. Malts are distinguished by their malted milk powder, which gives them a unique flavor and thicker consistency. Shakes are smooth and creamy, typically made with just ice cream, milk, and flavorings. Concretes are much thicker than both malts and shakes, made with frozen custard and mix-ins, resulting in a dense, spoonable treat.