The Crazy Real-Life Story Of The Man Who Invented Blue Moon Ice Cream

Outside-the-box ice cream flavors exist all over the country but enthusiasts from the Midwest are well-versed in the unique regional scoop known as Blue Moon. The back story behind the creation of this turquoise colored dessert is as mysterious as the ingredients that make up its one-of-a-kind flavor.

According to Atlas Obscura, fans of Blue Moon have all sorts of thoughts as to what exactly this bizarre treat tastes like. Some say that the ice cream has a breakfast cereal sweetness similar to Froot Loops, while others take in notes of almond or citrus. To throw further intrigue into the equation, some fans insist that marshmallows are incorporated into the mix, but that could be referencing a different blue-hued ice cream in the same family named after a certain clan of forest dwelling cartoons (via Blondie and Brownie).

So just how did Blue Moon ice cream come to be a favorite in the Midwestern frozen dessert scene?

The Chicago Tribune reports that finding the true inventor of Blue Moon is hardly straightforward, but could very likely be billed to Austrian immigrant Bill "Doc" Sidon.

Sidon, a Jewish chemist who held a doctorate, and escaped from the Nazis in 1939 with his wife, was also a well-decorated motorcycle enthusiast whose list of accomplishments included developing beneficial medicines for the U.S. military during World War II, mastery of five languages, and the holding the chief flavor chemist position at Petran, a Milwaukee flavor making company that many say is responsible for the invention of Blue Moon.

No one has been able to confirm or deny for sure that Blue Moon was Sidon's brainchild. Even his own daughter has been quoted saying that her father was not big on talking up his accomplishments, noting that even if he did come up with Blue Moon, chances are he wasn't going to brag about it.

While its true origin story might be lost in history, these days Blue Moon ice cream's popularity is still going strong!