If you’ve never eaten Graeter’s ice cream, you don’t know what a super-premium ice cream really is.
The Cincinnati-based company has been around since 1870 and its ice cream is considered one of the foods that defines the city.
Here are five other things you should know about Graeter’s ice cream, and why you should grab a pint today!
IT’S MADE DIFFERENTLY THAN ANY OTHER ICE CREAM COMPANY
Graeter’s uses the same method for making ice cream that their founder, Louis Graeter, used in 1870 — the French pot method.
After all the ingredients are combined, the mixture is placed in 2-gallon French pots. The pots are surrounded by a freezing cold saltwater mixture. They’re then spun using a motor, which flings the ice cream to the sides of the pot where it freezes.
The ice cream is scraped off the sides with a mechanical blade and by hand until it reaches the right consistency.
Forming the ice cream this way incorporates only 20 to 25% air into the mix (compared to 50% in many other brands), which makes it more dense than most other ice cream on the market.
Graeter’s is the only company in the world that makes their ice cream with the French pot method.
IT’S PACKED BY HAND
The ice cream is too dense from the manufacturing process to pump into containers with machines. That means that each pint of Graeter’s ice cream must be hand packed.
Packing rates differ by employee, but the average packer can handle about 15 pints per minute. Each day, the company makes 25,600 pints of ice cream (or about 3,200 gallons).
THE CHOCOLATE CHUNKS ARE SERIOUSLY CHUNKY
The chocolate chunks in Greater’s ice cream are never the same size, and some can be downright massive.
Whole pieces of chocolate are added to the French pots and flung out to the sides. Using a small bit of vegetable oil, the chocolate will freeze but remain pliable.
Because the chocolate chunks are formed through the same scraping process as the ice cream, they vary in size. You might get a little chunk or you might get a colossal hunk of chocolate. Either size, it’s delicious!
AN ICE CREAM FOR EVERY SEASON
Graeter’s makes certain flavors special for each season.
Some flavors are available for two months out of the year, while others are only available for one month. There is always a speciality flavor available, and sometimes more than one!
In addition, Graeter’s also releases a mystery flavor each year. In 2021, the flavor is caramel macchiato. Yum!
THERE ARE VEGAN AND GLUTEN-FREE OPTIONS
The ice cream company partnered with Perfect Day and released a line of vegan ice cream at the end of 2020. The new vegan ice cream is labeled under Perfect Indulgence.
Currently, the company is offering six of its signature flavors in vegan options: Black Cherry Chocolate Chip, Cookies & Cream, Oregon Strawberry, Mint Chocolate Chip, Chocolate, and Chocolate Chip.
The vegan ice cream is made with an animal-free dairy protein, which makes it a great choice for people who are lactose intolerant, too.
In addition, Graeter’s has many gluten-free options among its ice cream, sorbets, frozen desserts, and toppings.
VISIT URBAN SWIRL TO GET YOUR GRAETER’S FIX
You can’t find Graeter’s ice cream just anywhere. In fact, even WE are still waiting to get our hands on their Perfect Indulgence vegan ice cream!
To get your fix of the dense, delicious, hand-crafted ice cream, visit Urban Swirl at 7130 Heritage Square Drive, Suite 440, in Granger.
Our squad of scoop experts are ready to dish out the sweet treat for you from 2 to 9 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, and from noon to 9:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.