UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The temperature is getting warmer, which means the traditional Penn State Berkey Creamery’s "Flavor Madness" competition is right around the corner. Ice cream fans can soon begin rallying behind their favorite Penn State Berkey Creamery ice cream flavor.
This year’s event comes with a twist — 16 new flavors will line up in “seasonal” brackets to compete in the online tournament. Each division will represent a different season, with four flavors from each. The competition will begin March 16 and run for four weeks. Voting begins at 10 a.m. each Monday and closes at noon each Friday.
Organizers noted that not all flavors on the bracket will be in stock during the promotion, since they represent different times of the year.
“Spring is close when the Creamery flavor competition rolls out, and we start giving away ice cream,” said James Brown, manager of sales and marketing at the Creamery. “I’m especially excited to see our new seasonal flavors in action this year to find out which becomes the seasonal champ.”
Voting will occur on the Creamery’s website, and participants are encouraged to share their picks on social media by using #PSUFlavorMadness. The seasonal scoop champion will be announced on April 13.
Participants will receive discount codes for the Creamery’s online shop, and those within the 48 continental U.S. states will be entered automatically in a drawing for six free pints of Berkey Creamery ice cream, with a new winner chosen every week. Winners will be selected at random from the pool of each week’s players with a valid email address.
This year’s starting matchups include:
- Lion S’mores vs. Turtle Creek
- Teaberry Delight vs. Mint Nittany
- Cinnamon Caramel Apple vs. Pumpkin Pie
- Monster Mash vs. White Out
- Arboretum Breeze vs. Birthday Bash
- August Pie vs. Black Cow
- Salted Caramel Cheesecake vs. Peppermint Stick
- Cherry Quist vs. Crazy Charlie Sundae
Participants must re-enter each week to be eligible for that week’s prize. Winners will be contacted by email and must respond within seven business days to claim their prize.
Complete contest rules are available at the Berkey Creamery's website.