ICE CREAM
CULT CLASSIC
As with many things that originated in Texas, the first ice cream Brenham Creamery Company ever made was done the old-fashioned way: by hand. In a wooden tub filled with ice, to be precise. In the early days, just two gallons of cold, creamy vanilla goodness were cranked out daily. A butter creamery from the start, Brenham Creamery decided to try their hand at ice cream. What happens when butter makers start churning out ice cream? Apparently, magic.
A Love Affair Begins
It was 1911, and stores didn’t have electricity yet, let alone freezers, so people had to travel to the creamery to enjoy their scoops. That’s how you know the ice cream is good: people would walk miles in the Texas heat to dip their spoons into it. And that’s where our love affair with the icon began. It wasn’t until the 1930s that Brenham Creamery Company changed its name to Blue Bell Ice Cream and it took another 28 years, 1958, before they abandoned butter production to focus on ice cream.
The 1960s were a game-changer. It was about this time when suburban families began purchasing freezers for their homes. Finally, instead of having to go to the ice cream shop or soda fountain to enjoy the frosty treat, Texans could now enjoy Homemade Vanilla in their very own kitchens. It was also at this time that Blue Bell began to reach customers beyond Brenham, winning over the hearts of loyal fans through their stomachs.
Almost a Religion
It’s important to note, however, that Blue Bell wasn’t trying to be the biggest brand in ice cream; they were trying to be the best. They ended up becoming something even better: a cult classic. Just poke into any not so obscure corner of the internet and you will find a group of people waxing poetic about the ice cream brand. From flavor revivals to fan favorites, there is no shortage of Blue Bell Ice Cream gossip and lore. When our beloved Blue Bell was threatened during a listeria outbreak in 2015, hundreds held a prayer vigil in the small town square in Brenham. One consumer on Facebook posted, "please Lord don't let me eat off-brand ice cream...I choose listeria poisoning." And if you still aren’t convinced of the undying love, check out this Google Spreadsheet created by a loyalist detailing every known flavor of Blue Bell Ice Cream along with its production status and “last seen” status. You’re welcome.
A CREAMY BITE
OF HEAVEN
Ever since those early days, Blue Bell Ice Cream has held a sacred place in Texas culture. Ask any Texan and they’ll have fond memories of enjoying scoops of Homemade Vanilla on the porch. After church. At the birthday party. After dinner. With a slice of pie. In a root beer float. On a cone. In a cup with a little wooden spoon. Every bite of Blue Bell Ice Cream seems to carry a taste of simpler times, when life in Texas moved with the slow, pure pace of the churn.
GET YOURSELF A SCOOP
Where to experience Blue Bell like a true Texan:
Canton, TX
11 Locations across Texas:
Buffalo, Cameron, Centerville, Corrigan, Crockett, Fairfield, Madisonville, Needville, Rockdale, Weimar, Welborn
6 locations across Texas:
Austin, Cedar Park, Hutto, Kyle, Round Rock
Wellington, TX
Magnolia, TX
Brenham, TX
4 West Texas locations:
Abilene, Amarillo, Lubbock, Midland
Corpus Christie, TX