Here are some new store brand products found on store shelves by your fellow readers. If you’ve tried any of them, share your thoughts about them in the comments.
(Spotted by Rachel C at Trader Joe’s.)
(Spotted by Robbie at H-E-B.)
(Spotted by Robbie at Sam’s Club.)
(Spotted by Shandelle S at Safeway.)
(Spotted by Robbie at H-E-B.)
(Spotted by Sarah R at Sprouts.)
(Spotted by Sarah R at Sprouts.)
(Spotted by Sarah R at Sprouts.)
Coca-Cola with Coffee is a drink I’ve only had a few times, but it’s always been enjoyable. I tried the standard and vanilla versions, with my preference leaning towards the smooth character of the latter. Coke recently launched Coca-Cola with Coffee Mocha, and I was immediately interested. Chocolate seemed promising as a flavor that could integrate well with the combination. I eagerly sought out a few cans of the beverage.
I popped open the drink and gave it a deep whiff. The aroma of Coca-Cola was the first to register and was quite dominant. Faint undertones of coffee came through after, but I could not detect even a trace of chocolate.
I poured it into a glass, and it briefly fizzled. Most of the bubbles began to dissipate quickly. It reminded me of a soda that’s been previously opened and lost most of its carbonation.
I tasted the cola coffee drink and was met with a surprisingly complex presentation. Coca-Cola is the first flavor that I noticed, but it gave way to a mild background of chocolate. The chocolate taste was slightly artificial, not unlike a Tootsie Roll, but I still found it pleasant. The coffee came in next and was significantly more prominent than the chocolate. As I swallowed, I got more cola notes, bringing the flavor profile full-circle. The three flavors are quite complementary to each other. It’s a pleasant and smooth yet remarkably dense combination.
The aftertaste, however, is not appealing to my palate. It lingered on my tongue and reminded me of a mix of diet cola and old coffee. It even felt like it left a film behind, which I typically associate with diet soda. It’s not necessarily an offensive sensation, and it’s not unique to this version of Coca-Cola with Coffee, as the other flavors do the same thing to me.
As anticipated, Coca-Cola with Coffee Mocha is a tasty and multifaceted beverage experience, but is slightly held back by its aftertaste. If you enjoy the other flavors, you’ll likely appreciate this, but don’t expect a top-tier chocolatey experience.
Purchased Price: $2.49
Size: 12 fl. oz. can
Purchased at: Fry’s
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 can) 70 calories, 0 grams of fat, 40 milligrams of sodium, 18 grams of carbohydrates, 18 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein.
I really want more ice cream flavors with potato chips in them. But after seeing this, I kind of want more potato chips with ice cream flavors. (Spotted by Robbie at H-E-B.)
I wondered why Starbucks named its new line of energy drinks, BAYA, so I went looking for possible meanings. Merriam-Webster says it’s an East Indian weaverbird that eats seeds and insects and can be destructive to grain crops. Urban Dictionary says Baya is the most amazing person you’ve ever met. Google Translate says “baya” is Spanish for berry, and that definition probably makes the most sense since these beverages get their caffeine from the berry-like coffee fruit.
Wow! Look at me being all Dora the Explorer or Sesame Street-like by teaching a Spanish word.
While BAYA is its official name, I want to call these Starbucks Refreshers 2.0. There are similarities and differences between these and the, I think, discontinued canned Refreshers line. Both are fruity drinks in slim cans that get their caffeine from coffee but without the flavor of coffee. However, while the Refreshers had around 50 milligrams of caffeine per can, BAYA Energy offers 160 milligrams and is more carbonated. On the flip side, these have just 10%-12% fruit juice, while Refreshers had 25%.
BAYA Energy is available in three flavors — Mango Guava, Raspberry Lime, and Pineapple Passionfruit.
Let’s start with Mango Guava. Looking at the fruit combination, I thought this would be my favorite. However, it ended up being the one I liked least, mainly because of its initial strong, slightly off-putting taste that can be best described as an overly ripe fruitiness. But when that subsides, there’s a pleasant mango flavor. However, it’s the same vicious cycle with every sip — an off-putting taste followed by nice mango-ness. Look, it’s not horrible enough to make me spit it out, but it’s not how I’d like a beverage to start. Maybe that unknown fruitiness is the guava. But if it is, it’s not pleasing and not recognizable as that.
The berry in Raspberry Lime is immediately noticeable when I take a sip, but my taste buds can’t detect the citrus. It’s described as “a spritz of lime” on the can, but I can’t taste it, and if you told me this was only raspberry flavored, I wouldn’t question it. But I don’t mind the lack of lime because the pleasant and slightly tart raspberry is enough to make this a solid variety.
Pineapple Passionfruit is my favorite of the bunch. But, full disclosure, I’ve been quite positive about recent pineapple-flavored beverages. Its sweet pineapple aroma is as potent as its sweet pineapple flavor, making it a pleasure to drink. The can says it has “a hint of passionfruit,” and while I don’t notice it with the pineapple, it shows up somewhat in the aftertaste. But, like the Raspberry Lime, the secondary flavor is so mild that I wonder why Starbucks even bothered adding it.
Now, with all that said. There’s something about all three varieties that bothers me, and it’s something that, I think, I was concerned about with the canned Starbucks Refreshers. There’s a noticeable flavor flatness. The fruitiness doesn’t pop like the energy drinks from Monster or Rockstar. Granted, those probably use artificial flavors.
Starbucks BAYA Energy’s 160 milligrams of caffeine did give me a nice jolt of energy, and two-thirds of the varieties are tasty, but that’s not enough to compel me to purchase it over my usual Monster, which is more flavorful and in a larger can. But that’s if I’m at the store and had to pick between the two. If I’m at a Starbucks and want a non-coffee pick-me-up, I’d pick this up. Well, not the Mango Guava one.
Purchased Price: $31.79 (12-pack)
Size: 12 fl oz can/12-pack
Purchased at: Amazon
Rating: 5 out of 10 (Mango Guava), 6 out of 10 (Raspberry Lime), 7 out of 10 (Pineapple Passionfruit)
Nutrition Facts: (1 can) Mango Guava – 90 calories, 0 grams of fat, 10 milligrams of sodium, 23 grams of carbohydrates, 23 grams of sugar (17 grams of added sugar), and 0 grams of protein. Raspberry Lime – 90 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 milligrams of sodium, 23 grams of carbohydrates, 22 grams of sugar (16 grams of added sugar), and 0 grams of protein. Pineapple Passionfruit – 90 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 milligrams of sodium, 23 grams of carbohydrates, 22 grams of sugar (17 grams of added sugar), and 0 grams of protein.
I looked at this and wondered if there was a peanut butter version. Google tells me there was, but it’s been discontinued. If you’re wondering about cashew butter, go Google that yourself. (Spotted by Rachel C at Walgreens.)
