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Ice cream taste test: Who's got the best chocolate, vanilla around?
Our 'Dayton Daily News' taste panel's ice cream ratings are as different as vanilla and chocolate
Friday, August 17, 2007
*** Results: Vanilla | Chocolate | Where to buy | Vote for your favorites ***
It's been a long, hot summer, so it's little wonder some people scream for ice cream.
Heck, some people would roll around in the grass and bark like a dog for a scoop of the sweet summertime treat.
But none of the members of the Dayton Daily News reader taste panel had to go that far. All they had to do was show up, sample 20 ice creams — 10 chocolates and 10 vanillas from 10 different area ice cream shops — and share their opinions.
The 15 panelists, ranging from age 7 to age 85, gave extreme and sometimes surprising responses during the blind, ridiculously unscientific taste test of the scoop shops' ice cream, ranging from $4.29 per half gallon to $8.95 per quart.
One panelist often found an ice cream yucky while another across the room considered it down right yummy.
Megan McKenzie, 22, of Beavercreek, for example, said she "could sleep through" the Graeter's vanilla ice cream.
"Yawn," she wrote on a survey sheet.
Still, Austin Radcliffe, 20, of Oakwood compared the Graeter's ice cream to riding a roller coaster and gave it a perfect 10.
McKenzie raved about Ben & Jerry's chocolate ice cream.
"Rich and dark, like the man of my dreams," she wrote.
Oftentimes panelists liked one of the flavors from a particular ice cream shop, but found the other flavor, uh, gross.
Gail Siler, 53, of Kettering sort of hated United Dairy Farmer's chocolate — the runner-up among chocolate — but raved about the vanilla.
"This is one where I'd keep eating and eating, trying to get to the flavor," she said of the chocolate.
As for the vanilla, she wrote, "I could have cheerfully stuck my face in the bowl and finished it."
*** Results: Vanilla | Chocolate | Where to buy | Vote for your favorites ***
Vanilla
Results based on average score from 15 testers
1. Ben & Jerry's — 8.36
"Really creamy and delicious." — Amanda Carter, 14, of Beavercreek
"All air." — Ken Conselyea, 70, Miamisburg
"Wonderful! Love the vanilla bean flecks." — Cheryl Brainard, 58, of Centerville
2. United Dairy Farmers — 6.86
"Wow, is this good." — Patrice Judge, 38, of Dayton
"Too sweet." — Cheryl Brainard
3. Graeter's Ice Cream — 6.6
"Needs more vanilla." — Sarah and son Christopher Stanton, age 41 and age 7, of Dayton
"Average." — Marvis Meeks, 37, of Dayton
4. Dairy Queen — 6.2
" Too sweet." — Stephen Warren, 13, Fairborn
"Airy, tastes like artificial sweetener." — Cheryl Brainard
"Very white, full body, rich, long finish. Excellent overall." — Dennis Hall, 48, Riverside
5. Village Ice Cream Parlor (Hershey's Ice Cream) — 6.03
"Great. Tastes natural, homemade." — Marvis Meeks
"Too sweet, not enough vanilla." — Cheryl Brainard
"Rich and flavorful!" — Ken Conselyea
6. Friendly's — 5.9
"Greasy." — Walt Shostack, 85, of Clayton
"Tastes lower quality." — Jenni Koval, 29, New Carlisle
"Light and airy." — Sarah and Christopher Stanton
7. Young's Jersey Dairy — 5.93
"Weak flavor. Too much air." — Ken Conselyea
"OK." — Patrice Judge
"Creamy, but light." — Amanda Carter
8. Cold Stone Creamery — 5.53
"Very custardy, almost 'egg-y.' " — Jenni Koval
"More lemon than vanilla, but nice texture." — Cheryl Brainard
9. Baskin-Robbins — 5.53
"Artificial tasting." — Kay Binzer, 62, of Beavercreek
"Rich! For the vanilla aficionado." — Austin Radcliffe, 20, of Oakwood
10. Sherer's Ice Cream — 3.53
"Boring." — Austin Radcliffe
"Didn't taste like vanilla." — Ken Conselyea
"Very bland, almost ice milk." — Patrice Judge
*** Results: Vanilla | Chocolate | Where to buy | Vote for your favorites ***
Chocolate
Results based on the average score from 15 testers except where noted
1. Friendly's — 7.06
"Most distinctive chocolate flavor. Light milk color. Nice Dutch cocoa character, slightly grainy." — Dennis Hall
"Not incredible, but very pleasant." — Robin Ellis, 47, Huber Heights
"No icky aftertaste, smooth. I would go back for more, even being more of a 'vanilla person.' " — Gail Siler, 53, of Kettering
2. United Dairy Farmers — 6.4
"OK, nothing to write home about, hint of marshmallow." — Robin Ellis
"Good — vanilla and creamy tasting." — Sarah and Christopher Stanton
3. Ben & Jerry's — 6.36
"Rich, best chocolate ice cream yet." — Austin Radcliffe
"My dog wouldn't eat this." — Robin Ellis
4. Graeter's Ice Cream — 6.36
Based on average of 14 testers
"Not hot about it." — Sarah and Christopher Stanton
"Good intensity chocolate." — Ken Conselyea
5. Village Ice Cream Parlor — 6.13
"Typical chocolate ice cream." — Patrice Judge
"Light and creamy — chocolate for the non-chocolate person." — Megan McKenzie
"OK only if inexpensive; wouldn't serve it to a favorite guest." — Gail Siler
6. Sherer's Ice Cream — 5.76
"Perfect." — Stephen Warren
"Can't taste much here, too neutral!" — Gail Siler
7. Young's Jersey Dairy — 5. 56
"Super good and creamy." — Stephen Warren
"Pale, grainy ... No distinctive flavor. Simple short finish." — Dennis Hall
"Not as much of a chocolate flavor to it." — Jenni Koval
8. Dairy Queen — 5.6
"Thick. I can taste the cocoa." — Marvis Meeks
"Not much of a taste." — Amanda Carter
9. Cold Stone Creamery — 5.6
"Eh." — Jenni Koval,
"Very sour, could literally be death by chocolate." — Robin Ellis
"It's like a Wendy's frosty from heaven." — Megan McKenzie
10. Baskin-Robbins — 5.6
"Tasted 'real,' like no artificial flavors! Though I am not a chocolate lover, this was good." — Gail Siler
"Good flavor, a little greasy." — Walt Shostack
"Nothing special." — Jenni Koval
*** Results: Vanilla | Chocolate | Where to buy | Vote for your favorites ***
Where to buy it, how much it will cost you
500 E. Stroop Road, Kettering
Price per half gallon: $5.49
Ben & Jerry's
1934 Brown St., Dayton
Price per quart: $6.99
2412 Far Hills Ave., Oakwood
Price per pint: $4.09; price per half gallon: $13.29
6880 Springfield-Xenia Road, Yellow Springs
Price per half gallon: $ 5.99
Dairy Queen
9110 Dayton Lebanon Pike, Centerville
Price per quart: $3.29
Sherer's Ice Cream
4425 N. Main St., Dayton
Price per half gallon: $5.85
135 Jasper St., Dayton
Price per half gallon: $8.99
Village Ice Cream Parlor
22 South Broadway, Lebanon
Price per quart: $8.95
United Dairy Farmers
1217 Brown St., Dayton
Price per half gallon: $4.29
Baskin-Robbins
7777 Springboro Pike, Washington Twp.
Price per quart: 4.99 or two quarts for $9
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Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2384 or arobinson@DaytonDailyNews.com.
