Last month when the founders of Perfect Day announced they’d launched a spinout called The Urgent Company to create science-forward food products that are earth-friendly, I got an email asking me if I’d like to try their first product: Brave Robot ice cream.
I figured why not? While I may not be a professional ice cream critic, the hundreds of gallons I’d logged in my life solidly place me in the ice cream enthusiast category.
In case you’re not familiar with the concept of animal-free dairy, here’s how Catherine Lamb described Perfect Day’s dairy, which is the same formula used in the new Brave Robot line up:
Perfect Day makes its dairy by genetically modifying microflora to produce the two main proteins in milk: casein and whey. They combine the dried proteins with plant fats, water, vitamins and minerals to make a lactose-free product that has the same properties — taste, consistency, and nutritional breakdown — of milk.
A few days later, the flavor lineup that landed on my doorstep was as follows: Vanilla, Buttery Pecan, PB ‘N Fudge, and Hazelnut Chocolate Chunk. I immediately got to “work”.
Any combo of peanut butter and chocolate usually can’t miss, so that’s where I started. It didn’t disappoint. The thick veins of fudge and peanut butter were as yummy as they sound, and maybe more importantly, the science-forward ice cream didn’t taste weird, or well, science-y, at all.
The other flavors were just as tasty. The nutty flavor of Hazelnut with big chocolate chunks was my son’s favorite, and my wife liked the crunchy Butter Pecan. Vanilla was vanilla, but in a good way.
After trying all four, I can say all were smooth and creamy, flavorful and, most importantly, tasted just like dairy-based ice cream. I’ve had lots of plant-based ice cream, and while most taste pretty good (if you’re ever in Seattle, I’d strongly recommend Frankie & Jo’s coconut milk ice cream), none had ever fooled my taste buds into thinking they weren’t made with dairy. Not so with Brave Robot.
My family all liked Brave Robot too, but unlike me, they didn’t care as much about the impressive science behind it. Sure, I tried to explain to them how it had the same proteins found in dairy but without the downsides of milk (like lactose), but they just nodded, said ‘huh’, and spooned more into their mouth. To them, it was just good ice cream.
And I suppose that’s the point.
Cant wait for them to explore commercially, so they can lower prices and to start making other dairy products like… please, please, please… cheese!
Cashew cheese it’s ok by now, the closest thing so far, but oh my God, I really want them to achieve real cheese too.
The other downside to dairy is the environmental devastation and brutal rape and murder of cows.
I’m so confused, I have a dairy allergy…can I eat this?
I tried the white truffle raspberry. While it isn’t bad, it isn’t creamy at all. Great marketing, got a coupon and it was $1. I can’t say I’d buy it again though. Would be interested in a coffee flavor. Still a fan of CADO over this.
I was disappointed that they used palm oil in their products. That is horrible for the environment and for the animals who lose their homes in order to produce palm oil. Also, these products have way too much sugar in them.
I’m very excited about the potential of this product, but it’s not quite there yet. I love ice cream (the non-vegan kind), and I probably go through 2-3 pints a week. Brave Robot is better than plant-based, but it still falls short of the “real thing.” Even the cheap stuff – Blue Bunny, Bryers, etc. – tastes creamier and smoother than Brave Robot, and if you try it next to a higher quality brand like Ben and Jerry’s, there’s just no comparison.
I’m not sure if this is actually the fault of the non-animal milk Brave Robot is using. I wonder if their process for producing non-animal milk is expensive, and to get costs down they’re compensating with a lower quality overall recipe. If so I wish they wouldn’t! I would gladly pay multiple times the price of regular ice cream for the same taste with more ethical production process. Sadly this isn’t it yet – but I hope it will be soon.
Seriously? I tried the vanilla, and I have no idea what it tasted like, but it wasn’t vanilla. It was very strange. I tried the A Lot of Chocolate flavor, it was better but really not great. I wouldn’t waste the calories on it at all. Would choose something else. The
Raspberry White Truffle has a strange texture, tasteless truffle bits, and uninspiring taste overall. I expected something better based on the hype and my assessment of their approach, but it was really disappointing. Not going out of my way for Bad Robot. Ice cream is supposed to be a treat — this really was anything but. I won’t be buying again. I will not eat this stuff. They still have ALOT of work to do before this will be an appealing treat. I’ll get my dessert fix some other way, thank you.