What Flavor Is Superman Ice Cream?

It’s a bird. It’s a plane. It’s a mysterious ice cream flavor from the Midwest called Superman ice cream! If you had any idea that Superman ice cream was even a thing, then you’re probably from the Midwest, or at least friends with someone from the Midwest who never shuts up about the stuff they miss about home. But what is Superman ice cream? What does Superman ice cream taste like? Let’s get the scoop on this Superman ice cream flavor!

What is superman ice cream?

Superman ice cream is a popular, regional ice cream that can be found in the midwestern United States. It’s perhaps most commonly found in Michigan with Wisconsin close behind. Most believe that Superman ice cream got its name from its colors. Superman ice cream is made of a mix of blue, red, and yellow ice creams, just like the colors in the comic book character Superman’s costume. Well, unless it’s that Zack Snyder Superman. Then it’s kind of muted blues and grays. But that wouldn’t be a good looking ice cream.

One of the earliest official mentions of Superman ice cream flavor is from a 1941 newspaper ad from Lancaster, Wisconsin. But legend has it that Superman ice cream was invented in the 1920s by Stroh’s Brewery, in Detroit. They needed a non-alcoholic product to sell (thanks, Prohibition!) and they stumbled into creating Superman ice cream, or at least, what would become Superman ice cream—because Superman the character was yet to be invented. That wouldn’t happen until 1938. 

What flavor is Superman ice cream? Is Superman ice cream vanilla?

Getting to the bottom of Superman ice cream’s flavor is a little trickier than it would seem. That original Superman ice cream that came out of Stroh’s Brewery consisted of lemon, Red Pop (based on a local strawberry soda), and blue moon. What’s blue moon ice cream? It’s another Midwest flavor that no one can agree on. It’s sweet, fruity, and blue, but not everyone makes it the same and everyone has a theory on the flavor.

So, what does Superman ice cream taste like? Usually fruity, sweet, and vanilla. Over time, multiple companies have come up with their own Superman flavor concoctions. The supermarket Meijer’s makes theirs with black cherry, blue moon, and vanilla ice cream. Others use blue raspberry, cherry, and vanilla. Still others go the lazy route and use straight up vanilla dyed yellow, red, and blue. So, Superman ice can be just vanilla ice cream, but that’s a boring version.