Is Michigan Superman Ice Cream’s Deliciously Mysterious Origin?
Is Michigan Superman Ice Cream’s Deliciously Mysterious Origin?
I never put it to thought till recently, but Superman Ice Cream has a long and unconfirmed history. Wiki and Jubmode.com, date the origin of the ice cream back to the Prohibition era. That puts the beginnings of Superman Ice Cream somewhere between 1920 – 1930. So is Michigan Superman Ice Cream’s origin story?
Last year during WCSX’s “Game of Cones” challenge I wrote a post about which ice cream was Michigan’s favorite and Superman was not in the top five. Yet, it is always a staple in shops and grocery stores. Could the lack of ranking have something to do with the name?
You would think that DC Comics Superman is the origin of the name, but that is apparently not the case. Superman first appeared in action comics in 1938. They have similar colors, but the name origin remains as mysterious as the origin of the ice cream. Many companies change the name however to keep them safe in case one day DC Comics lawyers decide to take action! Names like Super Moo, Super Madness, Super Scoop, and Super Rainbow (which is what Stroh changed Superman to later).
But it’s Stroh Brewery Company that we are looking at as the possible source of Superman Ice Cream. During Prohibition, Stroh had to stop the production of all alcohol. So they changed the production to non-alcoholic beverages. They manufactured Birch Beer, Orange Soda, Ginger Ale, Club Soda, and Cola.
They further expanded into ice cream under the label Stroh Ice Cream Company. It is believed that they then invented the Superman Ice Cream at this time.
Superman Ice Cream generally consists of these three flavors, Blue Moon, Red Pop, and a Lemon/Banana/Vanilla mix. The Blue Moon’s original flavor is also a mystery. Why are there so many ICE CREAM MYSTERIES? Some ice cream enthusiasts believe that it consists of a mixture of almond extract, bubblegum, and marshmallows.
Whatever the origin, many Michigan ice cream lovers would be at a loss without Superman Ice Cream!
