If you cannot answer this, then you cannot call yourself a Michigander. What exactly is Superman ice cream?
You would certainly be excused if you are from Michigan (or Wisconsin, or any other state in the Midwest, for that matter), but you still aren’t able to adequately respond to the question.
Like its namesake superhero, Superman ice cream is somewhat mysterious, but we’ll try to clear up some details so your subsequent scoop is less baffling.
What Is Superman Ice Cream?
The three flavors of Superman ice cream are vividly colored in blue, red, and yellow (the colors of Superman’s iconic costume). It resembles a Neapolitan in primary colors in some ways. Different flavors are represented by different colors.
During the 1920s, when alcohol was prohibited, Michigan is where Superman ice cream is believed to have its roots. The first super scoops were reportedly blended up by Detroit’s Stroh’s Brewery in the absence of a product to produce. They made use of blue moon, lemon, and Red pop ice creams. Red pop was created using strawberry soda from the Michigan-based soft drink company Faygo.
Even more enigmatic than the super sweet is the Midwestern ice cream flavor known as a blue moon. Even the most resilient Midwesterner has trouble describing the flavor of the Smurf-colored ice cream. Citrus with a potent vanilla undertone, according to some. Some claim it has lemon and raspberry notes and is fruity.
Nevertheless, Superman ice cream predates the DC Comics superhero, so the name was probably added later, despite its current moniker. It is simple to understand how the name stuck because of the vibrant colors. However, you can also find the red, blue, and yellow ice cream under a variety of other names, including Super Rainbow, Super Coop, and Scooperman.
The History Of Superman Ice Cream
Superman ice cream’s nativity is still up for debate, but the widely believed theory dates the frothy concoction to Prohibition and the Stroh Brewery Company.
When the production, sale, and transportation of alcohol were outlawed in 1920, it, like many other breweries and distilleries across the nation, had to reorganize.
Ice cream shops were replacing saloons as men’s hangouts, which were closing. At that time, Stroh Brewery owner Julius Stroh made the decision to start making nonalcoholic beverages in the company’s Detroit facility.
The business began producing ice, near beer, birch beer, malt goods, soft drinks, and other beverages. It manufactured ice cream under a different brand name, Alaska. The ice cream was so profitable and well-liked when Prohibition ended in 1933 that it was kept in production alongside its beers.
Early in the 1980s, Stroh Brewing constructed a new ice cream manufacturing facility in Detroit. It was sold in 1989 during a corporate restructuring. The Stroh Brewery eventually stopped brewing in 1999 and sold its brands to Miller Brewing Company and Pabst Brewing Company. The Stroh’s Ice Cream enterprise was managed by Melody Farms for a number of years while maintaining the name.
Stroh’s Ice Cream and its distinctive Superman flavor are still sold under the name Super Rainbow by Dallas-based Dean Foods, which acquired the company in 2005. In 2007, the ice cream factory was relocated to Illinois, but the distribution center remained in Detroit.
What Flavor Of Ice Cream Is Superman?
The flavor of Superman ice cream is a hotly contested issue. People have strong opinions about the flavors that go into their favorite nostalgic frozen treat, but the responses are not all unanimous.
Lemon, red soda, and Blue Moon ice cream, according to some, are the three flavors. But even the authentic flavor of Blue Moon ice cream, a Midwest institution, is in question. The flavor of fruity cereal, according to some, while almond extract, according to others, is what it tastes like. Some say it tastes like marshmallows or bubble gum, while others believe it only contains vanilla and food coloring.
The yellow may be a traditional vanilla flavor, according to other evidence, and some businesses appear to market it as having a banana flavor. Strawberry and black cherry are suggested flavor pairings for foods that are red in color. The only thing on which everyone seems to agree is that the colors must always be red, yellow, and blue, just like their namesake’s suit.
What Does Superman Ice Cream Taste Like?
Depending on where you buy it, Superman ice cream comes in different flavor combinations. However, these are the most popular flavors:
Blue: The upper Midwest flavor known as “Bluemoon” is distinguished by its Smurf-like coloring. Although it’s hard to put into words, I would compare the flavor to that of a marshmallow or bubblegum.
Red: Cherry, Red Pop (a type of fruit soda that tastes like a cross between cherry cream soda and strawberry), Black Cherry, Strawberry, or Raspberry
Yellow: Lemon, Vanilla, or Banana
Superman ice cream has one main flavor, though the exact combination varies from store to store: super sweet. I would describe it as Froot Loops in ice cream form.
The sweetness continues to be the flavor that stands out the most, despite some stores offering a sour contrast in the lemon yellow.
Where To Buy Superman Ice Cream?
Thankfully, you don’t have to travel to the made-up places of Smallville or Metropolis to enjoy a scoop of this delicious treat. Go to the Midwest if you want a scoop of Superman ice cream and are feeling a little nostalgic!
Most ice cream shops and stores in Wisconsin and Michigan sell it, specifically these ones:
Stroh’s: Now called the Super Rainbow, it’s made with Red Pop, Blue Moon, and lemon ice cream
House of Flavors: Blue Moon, Cherry, Lemon
Meijer’s Store: Called the Scooperman, it’s made with Blue Moon, black cherry, and vanilla ice cream
ice cream shop in Madison, Wisconsin, called Chocolate Shoppe Cherry, Blue Moon, and vanilla
(Hudsonville, Michigan) Hudsonville Creamery & Ice Cream Company Called the SuperScoop, it’s made with Blue Moon, black cherry, and vanilla ice cream
You’re in luck if you’re from Stratford, Ontario, Canada! The “Super Hero” ice cream flavor is also available from Scooper’s Ice Cream Treats.
The strawberry, banana, and blueberry “SuperKid” ice cream from Laura Secord Chocolates, another ice cream shop in Canada, is a similar product.
Additionally, if you’re in the Land Down Under, try their Rainbow ice cream to satisfy your craving for Superman ice cream. Even though the color scheme is the same, only one flavor can be distinguished between the three shades: caramel.
FAQs
Is Michigan The Only State With Superman Ice Cream?
It goes without saying that Superman Ice Cream is widely available in Michigan, where it was named the state’s favorite ice cream. Although Blue Moon ice cream might be commonplace in the Midwest, it can be a little more difficult to locate in other regions of the country.
You can easily create the Superman effect by combining Blue Moon with other flavors if you can get your hands on some. But if you’re having trouble locating it at ice cream parlors or in grocery store freezers, you might have to make this sweet treat for yourself.
Is Superman Ice Cream Really Just Vanilla Flavor?
Perhaps the second-most contentious issue is the flavor of Superman Ice Cream. While some supporters argue over whether red should be soda or black cherry, and others debate the true flavor of Blue Moon, another group insists that everything is simply vanilla ice cream that has been dyed in various colors. That group will be satisfied by this streamlined recipe without a doubt. Try adding jello packs to each bowl of food coloring, though, if someone insists that the colors each have their own unique flavor. A few drops of the flavor extract that you think would work well can also be added; just be sure to add them gradually since they have a tendency to become overpowering. It’s a good idea to always remove a small portion of the mixture before adding any extracts so you can always dilute it if you add too much.