REVIEW: Simple 7UP

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Simple 7Up Box

What is Simple 7UP?

7UP has employed the KISS principle (“Keep It Simple, Stupid”) and brought us all a pared down version of its lemon-lime soft drink. Simple 7UP is as uncomplicated as possible with only six real ingredients: filtered carbonated water, sugar, citric acid, lemon extract, lime extract, and stevia leaf extract.

How is it?

Simple 7Up Top

I was optimistic about this soda as I smelled it in the can since it had a much more distinct lemon and lime scent than I’m used to from 7UP. When I took a sip, it initially excited me with its exceptionally light and crisp flavor, reminding me of a sparkling citrus juice beverage. Unlike regular 7UP, which encases blended lemon-lime flavor in a rounded syrupiness, Simple 7UP had noticeably separate flavors of lemon and lime that were lightly sweetened and incredibly fresh in the carbonated water. And despite using extracts instead of juice, the taste of each managed to shine without being too strong.

Simple 7Up Glass

But then the stevia had to go and complicate things. The sip that started off so strong quickly turned bitter yet off-puttingly sweet, then had the audacity to finish on that terrible note. And so it went for each sip until I’d had enough about half of a can in.

The highs were so high and the lows were so low, I’m honestly not sure how I feel about this soda.

Anything else you need to know?

It seems like 7UP isn’t sure how they feel about it either, since there’s barely any mention of the beverage from the brand online; it’s conspicuously absent from the product section of its website. I found one article saying Simple 7UP was being test-marketed about a year ago, but couldn’t find any information about this rollout.

Additionally, I was surprised to learn the original 7UP also only contains six ingredients. So, keep in mind the simplicity here lies in the “real”ness of the ingredients themselves, not their quantity.

Conclusion:

Simple 7Up Can

Simply said, I’m torn. I loved how five of the six ingredients worked together, but the inclusion of stevia caused each sip to end on a flavor repellent enough for me to decide to not purchase again. Anyone who’s ever seen how much sugar is in a lemonade recipe can understand the hesitation to make sugar the only sweetener in a citrus soda, but it’s hard to not imagine how spectacular Simple 7UP could have tasted if they had kept it even simpler.

Purchased Price: $6.49
Size: 12 pack (12 oz cans)
Purchased at: Ralphs
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 can) 110 calories, 0 grams of fat, 40 milligrams of sodium, 28 grams of total carbohydrates, 28 grams of total sugars, and 0 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Coca-Cola with Coffee Mocha

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Coca Cola with Coffee Mocha Can

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.

Coca Cola with Coffee Mocha Top

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.

Coca Cola with Coffee Mocha Glass

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.

REVIEW: Nitro Pepsi

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Nitro Pepsi Cans

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.”

Nitro Pepsi Instructions

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.

Nitro Pepsi Draft Cola

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.

Nitro Pepsi Vanilla Draft Cola

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.

REVIEW: Coca-Cola Limited Edition Starlight

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Coca Cola Limited Edition Starlight Box

“The taste of limitless possibilities.” “The flavors of unknown stars.” “Tastes like magic.” While Coca-Cola Starlight’s promotional materials are pretty elaborate when it comes to capturing the soda’s galactic aesthetic, they’re surprisingly lax about, well, what it actually tastes like. Fortunately, I’m prepared to take one small step for reviewer, one giant leap for junk food fankind!

Coca Cola Limited Edition Starlight Can

Pouring the drink from its adorably tiny, star-speckled can (it’s also available in the typical 20 oz bottle) into a clear glass showed that it’s as red as Mars. Okay, maybe more of a burgundy, but it’s certainly more colorful than your average Coke. I sampled the full-sugar version, though you can also get Starlight as sugar-free. It had the general taste you’d expect of Coke, simultaneously sweet and bitingly carbonated. However, there’s another note that, much like a UFO, wasn’t possible for me to immediately identify.

Coca Cola Limited Edition Starlight Glass

At first, I wanted to describe it as fruity, but upon further probing, I think that was just the influence of the berry-like hue. Starlight’s unique flavor — which was especially prominent in the aftertaste and even in the soda’s scent — is actually closer to that of a graham cracker. Coca-Cola also notes that a “subtle cooling sensation” is one of this drink’s features. When pressed, I could indeed vaguely identify a chilly feeling similar to when you drink water directly after brushing your teeth with mint toothpaste. But honestly, I didn’t really notice it until I looked for it, so I guess the “subtle” part is right!

Starlight’s theme is a bit unusual for a brand that usually determines flavors by slapping the name of a fruit in front of “Coca-Cola.” But I can make out a train of thought somewhere along the lines of “Space -> stars -> stargazing -> camping -> s’mores -> graham cracker, ergo space flavor = graham cracker.”

It may not be the most intuitive fit, but if you’re willing to think outside the box a little, it works pretty well, and I think the same can be said for Starlight’s taste. While I could still see this offering fitting in well with classic fruity faves like Cherry Vanilla in a Coca-Cola Freestyle Machine, I, for one, praise our Coca-Cola overlords for making a new flavor that defies such simple characterization.

Starlight is also not just tasty but trendy, already rocking collaborations with singer Ava Max and fashion brand Staple. I felt about a million light-years old trying to figure out how to scan my can with my phone camera to pull up an augmented reality concert from a holographic Ms. Max, but the concept had me starry-eyed. Because Starlight’s release coincides with the launch of the new Coca-Cola Creations, a “global innovation platform” that will spotlight an array of Coca-Cola-branded products and experiences both physical and digital, we can expect more innovative flavors and applications to come.

Sadly, like many other stars, Starlight’s time in the limelight is fleeting, as it’s limited edition. Ultimately, I think the combination of curious concept, creative marketing crossovers, and, of course, uniquely yummy taste means it’s well worth jetting off for.

Purchased Price: $7.29
Size: 7.5 oz cans/10 pack
Purchased at: Stop & Shop
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 can) 90 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 20 milligrams of sodium, 24 grams of total carbohydrates, 24 grams of total sugars, 0 grams of fiber, and 0 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Sprite Zero Sugar Winter Spiced Cranberry

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Sprite Zero Sugar Winter Spiced Cranberry Bottle

What is Sprite Zero Sugar Winter Spiced Cranberry?

To the delight of those who are already sweet enough on their own, Sprite has released a zero-sugar version of its Winter Spiced Cranberry soda! An admirable effort, considering the original contains 109% of your daily added sugars in one 20 oz bottle.

How is it?

I should let you all know that while I’ll chow or gulp down any food or beverage in the eggnog, gingerbread, or even Christmas tree (if you haven’t tried spruce beer, try spruce beer) family come holiday time, the combination of fruit and spice has my heart.

This Sprite does not have my heart.

Sprite Zero Sugar Winter Spiced Cranberry Clear Side

Upon first pour, I smelled a burst of sweetness that was not easily identifiable as lemon, lime, cranberry, or spice. The scent was more like an orange or melon soda than something you’d reach for as you’re hanging up the holly.

The taste is equally indistinguishable. If you handed a mug of it to Santa, no explanation, well, he’d be cranky it’s not milk, but he also wouldn’t be able to tell you what flavor it’s supposed to be. Where the original Sprite Winter Spiced Cranberry has defined flavors of fruit and spice, the notes feel muddled and thin in the zero-sugar version.

Also, I know you can’t make a sugar-free soda taste like it’s corn syrupy brother, but Sprite Zero Sugar Winter Spiced Cranberry really tastes like a diet soda. The cranberry flavoring that is so pleasant in the original version only heightens the unnatural sweetness of aspartame.

Anything else you need to know?

Sprite Zero Sugar Winter Spiced Cranberry Decoration

This soda was the pine needle in the haystack of holiday flavors, and it took me a very long time to hunt it down. I finally found it in a liquor superstore, which may be because the only way to enjoy this Sprite is to mix it with something else. If you’ve figured out the best beverage to add, please let me know in the comments; I was only able to find a 2-liter bottle and want to find a good use for the rest.

Conclusion:

Sprite Zero Sugar Winter Spiced Cranberry Clear Top

As a two-time maker of a mulled wine pecan pie, I can’t sign off on this supposed spiced fruit item. If you want to try a Sprite winter soda, I can only recommend buying the original sugar-full (seriously, it has almost a quarter more added sugar than regular Sprite) version. Otherwise, let’s all hope Mtn Dew figures out a sugar-free version of Gingerbread Snap’d soon.

Purchased Price: $1.89
Size: 2 liter bottle
Purchased at: Total Wine & More
Rating: 3 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (12 fl oz) 0 calories, 0 grams of fat, 35 milligrams of sodium, 0 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein.

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