Planet Ice Introduces New Flavor: Butterbeer

For Harry Potter fans, Planet Ice has one message to get across: Butterbeer is here.

The fictional drink from the series of children's novels has been reimagined and created at Universal Studios in Orlando, FL, and in home kitchens all over the nation, and now Dan Stauffenberg is bringing it to the Ocean City Boardwalk.

Stauffenberg is serving butterbeer it at his business at 1348 Boardwalk. Planet Ice specializes in shaved ice -- which is one of three ways butterbeer is served there.

"It is lighter and more refreshing than Universal Studios', but still resembles the taste," Stauffenberg said.

Planet Ice is in its second year operating on the Ocean City Boardwalk but is no stranger to the industry. After supplying many theme parks and towns with different products, Stauffenberg says he has come to put the best of the best in the shop.

Stauffenberg is capitalizing on the continuing popularity of the Harry Potter series of books and movies. With the final movie in the series reeling in $168 million on opening weekend alone, butterbeer is a hot seller.

Most popular is the shaved-ice version of butterbeer, in which the shop puts an ice block into the shaving machine to create a light, cold product. Don't get this method confused with a snow cone -- a shaved-ice product and maintain its flavoring throughout and not just on top. A second way to drink the Butterbeer is in a slush form. An ice and water combination with the flavoring in it is the closest to the usual butterbeer. Customers can also buy the flavor in a smoothie form.

To find out more on Planet Ice, and to view more specialties, visit their website.