The Controversial Discontinued Ben & Jerry's Flavor That Didn't Stand A Chance

As illustrated by playful names like Chunky Monkey and Chubby Hubby, it's clear Ben & Jerry's likes to get creative when it releases a new flavor of ice cream to the masses. Yet, occasionally, these seemingly innocuous titles go on to seriously ruffle some feathers. One such case is one of Ben & Jerry's shortest-lived flavors: Black & Tan.

For the uninitiated, a black and tan cocktail is a layered drink traditionally made with Bass ale on the bottom and a stout Guinness carefully layered on top. It is evident to anyone looking at the beverage why it is called a black and tan. However, despite being amongst the arsenal of beers folks drink on St. Patrick's Day, it isn't necessarily something one would want to order in Ireland.

Before the cocktail was around, black and tans were British soldiers recruited to beat down the Irish quest for independence from Britain. They were notoriously savage looters and murderers who, because of uniform shortages in the Royal Irish Constabulary (which they were ostensibly representing), donned brown pants and dark-colored shirts. They terrorized the Irish people from 1920 to 1922. While many Americans didn't recognize the connection Ben & Jerry's new treat had with these notorious quasi-mercenaries, those who were familiar with the black and tans quickly called out the company for its insensitive oversight.

Ben & Jerry's Black & Tan ice cream was released in 2006 and had only been available to the U.S. market for a short time before people who knew about the history of the black and tan soldiers were clamoring for an explanation, if not an apology. Eventually, a company spokesperson was forced to address the issue, stating, "Any reference on our part to the British Army unit was absolutely unintentional, and no ill-will was ever intended" (via NBC). They went on to highlight the company's good nature, saying, "Ben & Jerry's was built on the philosophies of peace and love."

Had the company given the ice cream a less offensive name, it might still be around today. It was obviously an homage to the classic cocktail, sporting cream stout mixed with chocolate ice cream, topped with more cream stout reminiscent of the foam crowning a perfectly poured glass of beer. Without being marked by an objectionable name, the rich ice cream could have been a big hit. However, the prospect of rebranding the new flavor was apparently not an option, and Ben & Jerry's instead chose to discontinue it in 2007.