This past weekend was full of non-blog related obligations that left me little time to search for ice cream. The few opportunities I did have, I put towards tracking down Ben & Jerry’s hottest new offering, Peanut Butter Jam Session. After three unsuccessful trips to Target over the course of three days, I was left depressed and in need of gasoline following my Sunday stop. This is where I had another chance encounter with a previously unseen flavor from 2nd St. Creamery. Habit has forced me to search out every single convenient store’s frozen foods freezer, and in doing so, I found their coffee ice cream, Sweet Ol’ Joe, sitting where Marry Me Chocolate once had. Although both only warrant three word descriptions, I was hoping this would be able to outperform their super-premium chocolate. I paid the convenient store premium of $4.99 and made my way home to have a cup.
Without the extravagant 2nd St. Creamery mix-ins accompanying the ice cream, this super-premium coffee comes in at 210 calories per serving. After popping off the top, I’m a little bothered to see ice crystals sitting on top of the beige base, but most pints I score from gas stations seem to share this same frost on the first layer. The problem is easily remedied by allowing the pint to sit out for a few minutes before digging in. As expected, 2nd St. Creamery’s ice cream is thick and resists my metal ice cream scoop; just as a super-premium should. Once I secure some in a bowl, I go in for my first bite. Even after entering my mouth, the reserved coffee ice cream melts down slowly, which allows for ample taste analysis time.
As each spoon full of the rich, creamy base breaks down, I discover that 2nd St. Creamery’s interpretation of coffee ice cream is mild for the most part. They have this to say about Sweet Ol’ Joe on their website, “Sweet Ol’ Joe sits at his usual table in the corner café here in town. Joe is always there, coffee in hand, ready to greet you with a smile and a story. Joe always takes his coffee with two sugars and a cream. He knows everyone. The thing about Joe is that he has the same four stories that he tells over and over. You always feel good when he waves you over to tell you one of his favorite tales. As you sit with him, you can smell the sweetness of his cup of coffee and feel the warmth of his smile. We think everyone knows a “Sweet Ol’ Joe”. Our craftsmen’s passion was to be able to recreate the feeling that you get when you are greeted by your Sweet Ol’ Joe.”
Now that I know their inspiration behind this flavor, I can more fully appreciate what they’ve made. Just as they’ve described, this won’t shock your palate with complexity, but if you’re a fan of a pint of properly made super-premium coffee ice cream without the interference of additional ingredients, you’ll revel in this one. Although I still enjoyed this pint, and would choose this over their base-only Marry Me Chocolate, I couldn’t help but wish that this featured a sugary swirl and pieces of doughnuts with the same mix-in intensity used in some of their other heavy hitting flavors like Tons of Brownies and Copper Kettle Caramel. After sampling all but four offerings from 2nd St. Creamery, I can’t wait to track down their Almond Butter Hazelnut Fudge, Cannoli Di Nonni and Jolly Good Toffee and their Vanilla No. 178.
Where I Found It: The Market Center (Gas Station)
Grade: C
