Tag: Pepsi

Let’s just get it outta the way – I don’t know why it wasn’t called “Peepsi” either, but I’m sure Pepsi has a rule against altering its iconic name no matter the reason.

That being said, it wouldn’t shock me if this bizarre collaboration was borne out of one “hip” PepsiCo executive saying, “Peepsi would make bank, no cap.” To which his colleagues would’ve probably replied, “Greg, we’ve gone over this, we don’t change our name, and please stop saying that, caps are essential to our product.”

I’ve tried to avoid Peeps Pepsi discourse because I imagine it’s absolutely dripping with hyperbole. People who don’t like Peeps DESPISE Peeps. I’m just imagining everyone acting like this soda is an affront to everything holy. I just know that’s how it is… but I probably shouldn’t try to create a straw man, I should just go and grab a straw, man.

This review is already an affront to everything holy.

Alright, here’s what I’ll say about Peeps Pepsi – it’s almost ok.

I like the scent. I wouldn’t exactly say it screams Peeps, but it makes for a nice unique twist on the usual cola smell. Once that smell translates into taste, it starts to get weird.

If this was a mystery flavor, I think a decent chunk of guessers would land on “marshmallow,” but not necessarily “Marshmallow Peeps.” Maybe as a total shot in the dark guess at some kind of snack brand synergy we’re used to at this point. You can twist my arm and get me to admit it kinda reminds me of Peeps, but I expected more of a match.

It’s obviously super sweet, but I don’t think it’s a pleasant sweetness. This soda is loaded with sugar, but it still tastes like it’s made with an artificial sugar substitute. The marshmallow flavor comes across as a really cheap attempt at a mutant vanilla cola.

There are stages of flavor in every sip that I’ll try my best to explain because I rode the same emotional roller coaster as that woman in the famous kombucha meme.

There’s a moment in the mouthfeel process – let’s just pause for a second and cringe at the fact I just wrote, “mouthfeel process.” – where it seems undrinkable. For a second, it tastes like the smell of an artificial “cake” scented candle or something.

There’s basically a film that materializes after the effervescent bubbles burn off and before the lingering “vanilla icing” aftertaste bursts in. It’s as if you momentarily ingested a buttery lotion. I felt like I was drinking a lesser brand’s attempt to clone a Pepsi Vanilla or something. I never really got to “Peeps,” even after literally comparing it to an actual Peep.

Ultimately, it’s pure novelty and Peeps-adjacent at best. Without the weirdness I attempted to articulate, I might even tell you to go for it. It’s not nearly as vile as I imagine some people will tell you it is, but it’s not even close to being really good either. Both of these products work better on their own.

I like Pepsi and I like (stale) Peeps, so I’m not mad I tried it. Seriously though, I like my Peeps marshmal dente. I want them to taste like a hard memory foam pillow covered in sand. That’s how I like my Peeps, but I definitely don’t need to have them in soda form ever again.

Purchased Price: $2.28
Size: 20 oz
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 4 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 Bottle) 260 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 55 milligrams of sodium, 69 grams of carbohydrates, 69 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein.

Beverages having nitrogen in them isn’t a new concept. Its origins go as far back as the 1950s with Guinness beer. In the 2010s, the first wave of nitro cold brew coffee hit the scene. It was only a matter of time before we got the first nitro soda from a big brand.

Nitro Pepsi comes in two flavors, Draft Cola and Vanilla Draft Cola, and is described as a “smooth, creamy, delicious taste experience” that “will redefine cola for years to come.”

To properly enjoy it, it’s recommended to use the right glass (pint glass), make sure the soda is cold, and follow the instructions to “pour hard.” It’s also suggested to refrain from using ice or straws with it. When popping the can open, an almost eerie noise accompanies the usual sounds. This, I found out in my research, was the “widget” at the bottom of the can that aids the nitro process.

It feels so weird to just dump the entire can upside down (hard pour) as I’ve spent my 30+ years perfecting the cautious soda pour, but I trust the process. I started with the Draft Cola flavor to get a baseline of what to expect. While taking my first sip, the most delightful layer of cola-flavored foam greeted me. It had a rich, creaminess to it that reminded me of something I couldn’t quite put my finger on.

The drink itself was confusing at first. The sweet, familiar Pepsi flavor is there, but the texture sent my brain into a quick momentary confusion loop. It tasted like Pepsi, but it didn’t drink like Pepsi. The crispness you expect from the soda isn’t there. With the first sip, it’s easy to feel the drink might be flat. However, to describe the beverage that way is an unfair assessment. The more I sipped, the more the drink’s complexity showed. The nitro process creates incredibly tiny bubbles that give the beverage a richness you don’t get with flat soda.

The Vanilla Draft Cola offered the same experience but with sweet vanilla flavor, and it translated slightly better into the nitro process than the regular cola. It threw my brain less for a loop, but that could also be due to knowing what to expect. Its flavor tasted exactly like the last one-third of an ice cream float where the soda is less carbonated and mixed with the melted ice cream.

Nitro Pepsi is a unique item that I thoroughly enjoyed, but I feel like it will be a polarizing product. If you try it without expecting it to drink like a regular Pepsi, I think you’ll have a more enjoyable experience.

Purchased Price: $1.88
Size: 13.65 oz
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 8 out of 10 (Cola), 9 out of 10 (Vanilla Cola)
Nutrition Facts: (1 can) 230 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 140 milligrams of sodium, 63 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 63 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein.

Pepsi “Hot” Chocolate Cola was initially called Pepsi “Cocoa” Cola when the online sweepstakes to obtain it was announced. I don’t know if it was a phone call between soda CEOs or a letter from a very powerful law firm that charges per hour what most of us make in a week, but I imagine the name change was caused by something corporate that happened between the soda’s announcement and when these were shipped to those lucky folks who won them.

Also, that name change decision came after the product was produced. Because, according to a Reddit post, if I were to remove the can’s shrink wrapper, the original name is printed on the can.

The soda, formerly known as “Cocoa” Cola, features cocoa flavor with a hint of marshmallow mixed with Pepsi.

I had high hopes for this because the cola producer hit home runs with its recent fruity flavors, like pineapple and mango. (Mini Pepsi Zero Sugar Mango review: it’s my favorite new soda of the year so far.)

Unfortunately, Pepsi “Hot” Chocolate Cola was like a line drive hit that looked like it was going to be a home run but bounced off the outfield wall directly to a gun for an arm outfielder, who immediately throws to second base to prevent the batter, who thought it was a home run and stood in the batter’s box for too long, from getting a double.

The less bloviated, baseball-free version: It’s okay.

Its aroma and flavor have a noticeable Tootsie Roll-ness to them. I guess that’s what happens when cocoa flavoring is mixed with Pepsi. The combination did get my brain reminiscing about Chocolate Soldier, a watery chocolate beverage that came in an unusually heavy can that none of my online snacking friends seem to know about. I also don’t taste anything marshmallow-y.

Pepsi “Hot” Chocolate Cola is unique, and if it ends up on shelves this winter, it’s definitely worth a try. But I’m not going to be clamoring for it to be sold during every holiday season like I do with Pepsi Holiday Spice.

Seriously, Pepsi. Bring it back.

Special thanks to my online reviewing friend, The Soda Jerk, for sending me a can of Pepsi “Hot” Chocolate Cola. He reviewed it for his YouTube channel, which you can watch below.

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 12 oz can
Purchased at: Received from The Soda Jerk
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 can) 150 calories, 0 grams of fat, 35 milligrams of sodium, 41 grams of carbohydrates, 41 grams of sugar, 41 grams of added sugar, and 0 grams of protein.