Meet John the Taster

John Harrison, Dreyer's Official Ice Cream Taster, has been asked thousands of questions about being an ice cream taster during his "sweet" tenure at Dreyer's. Read the answers to some of his most frequently asked questions below, or learn more about John the Official Taster!

What is an Official Taster?
Do you really get paid to taste ice cream?
What kind of training is required to become an Official Ice Cream Taster?
What do you look for when you taste ice cream?
Why do you use a "gold spoon" to taste ice cream?
Do you have to be on a special diet to taste ice cream?
What temperature do you prefer ice cream to be at for a tasting?

Question:
What is an Official Taster?
Answer:
The "Official Taster" for Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream tastes and approves or rejects every flavor produced by sampling three cartons from each run on a daily basis (sampling from the beginning, middle and end of each flavor made). This ensures the consistent quality of the finished product to the consumer.

Question:
Do you really get paid to taste ice cream?
Answer:
Yes, I really do! It's a great job, from Vanilla all the way through to Spumoni... but it's not all fun and games. When you are in the business of making premium ice cream, the quality of the product has to be exceptional and it's a weighty responsibility.

Question:
What kind of training is required to become an Official Ice Cream Taster?
Answer:
For me, ice cream is in the genes. For four generations my family has worked in the dairy and ice cream industry. Growing up, I worked at my uncle's ice cream company in Memphis and learned how to formulate ice cream mixes. It was then that I began perfecting my taste buds for ice cream. There are many universities that offer a dairy or food science degree that would provide a path toward becoming an ice cream taster.

Question:
What do you look for when you taste ice cream?
Answer:
I look for the balance between the dairy ingredients, sugars and the flavoring material (such as vanilla). I can determine this by tasting. I cut the carton in half lengthwise (definitely not recommended for those of you at home!) to look for the distribution of the added ingredients. For example, when I cut open a carton of Marble Fudge, the fudge should be evenly swirled throughout the container. If there is too much, not enough, or if it is not properly distributed, then the product is rejected.

Question:
Why do you use a "gold spoon" to taste ice cream?
Answer:
A gold spoon, unlike a plastic or wooden spoon, doesn't have an aftertaste.

Question:
Do you have to be on a special diet to taste ice cream?
Answer:
A clean palate helps. I avoid spicy foods, such as peppers and garlic. I also avoid anything that might adversely affect my tasting abilities, including smoking, drinking and even strong aftershave lotion!

Question:
What temperature do you prefer ice cream to be at for a tasting?
Answer:
Most of us consume ice cream at home at about five degrees Fahrenheit. As an ice cream taster, I am tasting the ice cream at about 10 to 12 degrees Fahrenheit. I taste at a warmer temperature because I want to leverage or maximize all the flavor in the container. I am also trying to avoid "numbing" my taste buds.

Meet the Taster

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