Charlie's Chocolate Factory For Ice Cream Opens In Red Hook

RED HOOK, BROOKLYN — It's a Charlie's Chocolate Factory for ice cream. A massive factory built to churn out 500,000 gallons of frozen, sugary deliciousness a year opened in Red Hook Thursday, the latest outpost of Ample Hills Creamery.

The location is the company’s eleventh on the east coast – and the factory is just part of the new facility.

An interactive ice cream museum and retail store are also featured at the 15,000-square-foot space, the largest in New York City. Visitors can learn how Ample Hills creates its famous flavors from scratch — and let’s not forget the notoriously decadent mix-ins.

The journey continues with a self-guided tour featuring a flavor smell station, a 22-foot-wide map of past and present Brooklyn landmarks and a miniature trolley, a nostalgic reminder of Red Hook’s original train line.

Ice cream lovers can visit the Ample Hills retail store adjacent to the museum and get the scoop on some of the creamery’s newest recipes like The Hook, a flavor formulated exclusively for the Red Hook location as an homage to the Lenape people, the Dutch settlers and the old sugar refineries of the area.

Classic flavors such as Ooey Gooey Butter Cake, The Munchies and Peppermint Pattie will also be available.

After a rocky but promising start in 2011 when its first location in Park Slope sold out its entire stock in four days and was forced to close, Ample Hills Creamery has spread across New York City, New Jersey and Florida, with husband-and-wife co-owner duo Brian Smith and Jackie Cusano at its helm.

Its flavors have been dubbed the “Best Ice Cream in America” by Food Network and its brand has been rated number one in New York City by Zagat.

The Ample Hills Red Hook creamery and ice cream factory is open Sunday through Thursday from 12 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday hours are 12 to 11 p.m.

Photo courtesy of Craig Barritt/Getty Images for Vulture Festival