University of Wisconsin is celebrating 175th birthday with new ice cream. It needs your help picking flavor

Kelly Meyerhofer, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
·2 min read
Cranberry bits ice cream from the University of Wisconsin Babcock Hall Dairy Plant. Babcock will concoct a new flavor to celebrate the 175th anniversary of UW-Madison's founding.
Cranberry bits ice cream from the University of Wisconsin Babcock Hall Dairy Plant. Babcock will concoct a new flavor to celebrate the 175th anniversary of UW-Madison's founding.

In a fashion only fitting for the Dairy State, Wisconsin's flagship university is celebrating its 175th birthday with a new ice cream flavor.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison created four new flavor ideas and is asking the public to vote for its favorite by Friday. The winner will be available at campus Babcock Dairy stores in early 2024.

Three of the four potential flavors play off of UW-Madison marking the demi-semi-sept-centennial anniversary of its founding. The fourth idea is a nod to one of one of the university's quirky traditions: filling Bascom Hill with pink lawn flamingos in honor of a student prank.

The options are:

  • 175 S’more Years: chocolate ice cream, graham cracker crunch, marshmallow swirl and chocolate chunks

  • Demi Semi Confetti: cake batter with strawberry swirl, cheesecake pieces and sprinkles

  • Demi-Semi-Sweet-Centennial: chocolate ice cream, fudge swirl and chocolate crunch

  • Flamingos on the Hill: pink strawberry ice cream, sprinkles and chocolate chips

To vote for your favorite, visit: 175.wisc.edu/ice-cream-flavor/.

In this 2019 photo, Babcock Dairy plant employee Brad Jeglum fills 3 gallon containers of just made blueberry swirl ice cream on the UW-Madison campus. Babcock Dairy will create a new flavor to celebrate the university's 175th anniversary. MARK HOFFMAN/MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL
In this 2019 photo, Babcock Dairy plant employee Brad Jeglum fills 3 gallon containers of just made blueberry swirl ice cream on the UW-Madison campus. Babcock Dairy will create a new flavor to celebrate the university's 175th anniversary. MARK HOFFMAN/MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL

UW-Madison often marks big moments in its history with new ice cream flavors.

For the university's 150th anniversary, the public sent in its own ideas in a statewide contest that drew nearly 800 entries. The winner: "Praise to Thee, Our Almond Mocha." The name was a play on "Varsity," a traditional UW-Madison song that includes the words, "praise to thee, our alma mater." The ice cream was a mocha-flavored vanilla with almonds.

More recently, the University of Wisconsin Law School celebrated its 150th anniversary with its own contest. More than 400 submissions poured in, from Legally Blondie to Gargoyle Ganache. Marberry v. Madison won out, a nod to the landmark 1803 U.S. Supreme Court case, Marbury v. Madison, that established the principle of judicial review.

Other flavors have been spun off of important campus figures. Among the individuals to be honored: former UW athletics director Barry Alvarez (Berry Alvarez), former UW-Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank (Bec-Key Lime Pie), former UW marching band director Mike Leckrone (March on Leckrone) and current UW-Madison chancellor Jennifer Mnookin (Mnookie Dough).

Contact Kelly Meyerhofer at kmeyerhofer@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @KellyMeyerhofer.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: UW-Madison celebrates 175 years with new Babcock ice cream flavor