I don’t know about you, but it was my last day of being 22 and I had to pay a visit to everyone’s favorite ice cream men: Ben & Jerry’s at their Waterbury location in Vermont, for a last hurrah ice cream tour.
Upon arrival it was a blast from the hippie past with Ben & Jerry’s hats, books, and of course, Vermont-made maple syrup. Scents of warm waffle cones and vanilla wafted into the air as I waited for my tour to start sharply at 3:30.
I made my way to the wall that assessed how tall I was in Ben & Jerry’s cartons (sixteen to be exact).
After my little photo opp, it was time to start the tour. A shaggy haired guy with a charismatic smile and showman’s energy rang a cowbell in front of the Tank Room window. “Tour time!,” he called out as I made my way over to the group. His name was Nick and he said he would be taking us on this thirty minute journey to learn about the coolest ice cream place in town. He pointed out the Tank Room, which was the tanks that held all the ice cream mixtures, which we wouldn’t be able to see once we got onto the overview of the factory floor.
He led us up to the movie room to watch a cute video on the history of Ben & Jerry’s history of social impact, business practices, and of course, ice cream of the past, present, and future.
Midway through, we tourists were given the famous cookie dough bites, which incorporates the best part of cookie baking, yet makes it actually edible.
Once the movie wrapped up, Nick led us to the factory floor overview. No recorded footage is allowed, so I can’t show you the super cool process, but I can say: Chunky Monkey was made that day. Nick gave an extensive run down on the process that goes into creating the ice cream that so many of us enjoy every summer at the beach and for birthday parties (or on a night in… ahem talking about me).
Afterwards we went to the kitchen area and Nick introduced some of the brand’s newest flavors, showcased in a cool freezer, while another team member scooped samples for us to try.
That day was Butterscotch’d, a butterscotch flavor with chocolate covered pretzel pieces. I swooned at every lick and took a peak at the flavor lab section. This area is where new flavors are created and tested out. Major yum!
My favorite section (as a globetrotter) was the map of where Ben & Jerry’s is found all over the globe. I even saw Jamaica, which spoke to my Caribbean heart.
After the tour was over, I grabbed myself a cone of something sweet: a Sweet Cream & Cookies cone. I enjoyed my treat before heading off to my next destination. This Ben & Jerry’s visit is a must-do for folks of all ages, because who doesn’t love ice cream? Visit their location at 1281 Waterbury-Stowe Rd Route 100, Waterbury Village Historic District, VT 05676, United States. Stay cool!
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