One of the most passionate and hotly disputed debates among all Penn Staters is, “What is the best Creamery flavor?” Everyone seems to have an opinion, but of course there is no definite front-runner. Our staffers added to the conversation and gave their takes on the best Berkey Creamery flavor.

Katie Klodowski: Bittersweet Mint

“Bittersweet” isn’t always a bad thing. My first encounter with Bittersweet Mint wasn’t even at the Berkey Creamery. I was at a local ice cream shop in Pittsburgh called “Klavon’s” when I first tried it. The flavor was the only Creamery flavor offered at the shop; it was shipped out all the way from Penn State to Pittsburgh every week so that Klavon’s patrons could enjoy it miles away from Happy Valley. The current shop owner is a Penn State alumnus and now offers all the Creamery flavors at his store. However, the point still stands that Bittersweet Mint was the original winner when having all the flavors wasn’t possible. The people have spoken, and they choose Bittersweet Mint.

When it comes to mint-flavored ice cream, there is usually a pretty clear divide between people that love and people that hate it. While there is certainly a minty element to this flavor, the name says everything. Somehow Bittersweet Mint manages to balance the refreshing taste of mint with the sweetness that only the Creamery can offer. It tastes just as smooth and sweet as vanilla ice cream but is way more refreshing. To all the vehement haters of mint ice cream: try Bittersweet Mint because I can guarantee you this one doesn’t taste like toothpaste.

Bittersweet Mint also wins when it comes to milkshake flavors. For all the people that rejoice when it’s Shamrock Shake time – get excited because the Creamery has a better version year-round. While it has the same great taste as a Shamrock Shake, it’s even better because you can’t feel your arteries clogging, which is what you get when you order anything from McDonald’s. The flavor is one of the Penn State Berkey Creamery classics for a reason, so if you’re looking for a guaranteed good time, go with Bittersweet Mint.

Steffen Blanco: Cookies N Cream

Cookies N Cream combines the two best things in the world: vanilla ice cream and Oreo cookies in a wonderful combination that bring deliciousness to your mouth. What sets Cookies N Cream apart from the rest of the Berkey Creamery’s vast array of flavors is the huge chunks of chocolate cremé cookies that’s mixed in with its rich vanilla ice cream. Those huge chunks not only taste good on their own but, mixed in with the vanilla, turns it into a mixture of vanilla and chocolate that is to die for.

It’s not just the flavor that sets it apart from the others, but the memories of enjoying Cookies N Cream that bring us all back to all those times you dipped Oreo cookies in milk when you were younger and enjoyed the cookies and cream-infused dairy beverage after you polished off half the Oreos. Flavor, memories, and Oreos is why Cookies N Cream comes out above the rest of the other Berkey Creamery flavors.

Jacob Abrams: Death By Chocolate

Death By Chocolate has to be the best flavor offered at Penn State. For those who are chocolate lovers, like yours truly, it gives you the overload of chocolate without the bloated feeling. Death By Chocolate combines the rich taste of the Berkey Creamery chocolate ice cream with chunks of fudge, chocolate, and more chocolate – it comes with the name.

Unlike a rich chocolate cake, Death By Chocolate surprisingly doesn’t make you feel like you’re afraid to use a scale. It’s a nice and smooth experience with ample amounts of chocolate in every bite. It may be an overwhelming flavor for those who can’t handle a rich chocolate desert, but it is surely an enjoyable one.

Along with getting a cone or a cup, a Death By Chocolate milkshake is my favorite way to enjoy this chocolate creation. It’s like drinking a thick creamery chocolate milk with bits of chocolate in it. While the taste and texture is a dream, hearing the employees scream “DEATH SHAKE” is both chilling and enthralling. So if you’re feeling on the edge and want to conquer a rich, chocolate challenge, there’s no worthier – or tastier – opponent than Death By Chocolate.

Gabriela Stevenson: Teaberry

I’ve been a chocolate ice cream fan for as long as I can remember. I mean, who isn’t? The first time I stepped into the Creamery, I ordered the first chocolate-esque flavor that I could find, thinking that it would bring me immediate joy. Instead of being filled with sugary happiness, however, I felt like something was missing. Yes, I needed a new, refreshing flavor to keep me cool on my long walk from East Halls to, well, anywhere on campus.

This is when I met Teaberry.

The name itself just sounds revitalizing. Tea? Berry? What’s not to love? Despite the color, which can only be described as Pepto-Bismol, Teaberry ice cream is really just plain delicious. It combines the fresh taste of mint with the sweet taste of bubblegum or cotton candy to make a flavor that is pretty hard to pinpoint. All I know is that it’s simple and satisfying.

Not to mention, Teaberry practically tastes like it has no calories, even though it has the almost the same amount as most other Creamery ice cream flavors. So for those of you looking to reward yourself with a post-workout treat, stop by and grab some Teaberry ice cream. At least you’ll feel like you’re eating low-cal.

I will say, if you’re not a fan of stepping out of your taste bud comfort zone, this is not the ice cream for you. Teaberry is a regional Pennsylvania specialty, so it’s an acquired taste for some. Stick to your chocolates and your vanillas. If you are looking to try something new, though, keep your eye out for Teaberry. I promise that you won’t be disappointed.

 Tim Reams: Alumni Swirl

The case for Alumni Swirl is an obvious one. It not only plays on the taste buds of Penn Staters, but our hearts as well. The blueberry swirl and vanilla ice cream combination not only tastes delicious, but reminds us all of our love for Penn State. The mocha chips are somewhat of a curve ball in the combination but works so perfectly that when you taste it, it just makes sense. The flavor is one of the oldest at the Creamery, and is one of the more recognizable flavors out of the lot of them. The blueberry swirl, French vanilla, and mocha chip concoction is incredible not only in a cone or cup, but it makes a mean milkshake. Hands down, Alumni Swirl is a winner for our palate, and our Penn State hearts.

Ethan Kasales:  Russ “Digs” Roseberry

It’s really tough to pick the best Creamery flavor. I mean, I’ve tried a number of good ones in my many years visiting the sweetest building on campus. But one sticks out to me for a several reasons. My favorite cone has got to be of the Russ “Digs” Roseberry variety. My love for raspberries is unparalleled among all the various fruits, so the fact that I can enjoy them alongside a refreshing strawberry counterpart is prime. Add in the Wilbur’s chocolate and I believe it’s masterpiece-type work. Then there’s the fact that it happens to celebrate the all-time winningest head coach in women’s college volleyball history. Yep, I definitely “dig” Coach Rose’s signature flavor.

Drew Klingenberg: Black Raspberry Frozen Yogurt

The Creamery has some of the best flavors of ice cream in the world (not biased at all), but there is one that reigns supreme and just a little bit better than the others. That flavor is the not-so-popular but bomb dot com Black Raspberry Frozen Yogurt. Straying away from the usual heaviness of traditional ice cream, frozen yogurt is just the right amount of heaviness that still makes it good without being too discomforting. Besides for all of my fruit lovers out there, it’s tough to think that anything is better than the taste of sweet black raspberry, and then mixing it with frozen yogurt is just pure genius. Also for my fellow health conscious posse, this is totally the choice to go with at the Creamery because this way, we can all tell ourselves that it’s healthier and far better for you than traditional ice cream without feeling a speck of guilt.

Doug Leeson: Birthday Bash

Who doesn’t love birthdays? And better yet, who doesn’t like vanilla ice cream that’s artificially colored and embedded with icing and sprinkles? Quite literally the best times I’ve had through one year plus a month at Penn State have been drinking Birthday Bash milkshakes, and I don’t say that lightly. I wrote a couple more nice words about Birthday Bash when it first came out, but all you need to know is that is absolutely rules.

What’s your favorite Creamery flavor? Let us know in the comments.