Tag: Soda

REVIEW: Limited Edition Peeps Pepsi

Vin 17 Comments

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.

REVIEW: Coca-Cola Limited Edition Move

Julie 37 Comments

The Coca-Cola Creations line is known for inventive flavors inspired by abstract concepts, celebrity collaborations, and eye-catching thematic aesthetics. The newest in the line, Coca-Cola Limited Edition Move, boasts all three. Co-created with singer Rosalía, Move is described on the Coca-Cola website as “a celebration of transformation. A homage to all the versions of ourselves that coexist within us, and that forms our very own personality.” The product, also according to Coca-Cola, “brings to life the transformational power of music.”

The fun of the Creations line includes the questions each flavor raises. Specifically, what flavors represent transformation? What is this beverage supposed to taste like? Will any of the versions of myself that coexist within me regret spending $2.49 on a mystery flavor? These enigmas are the stuff arguments in the comments section are made of.

Move shares classic Coca-Cola’s appearance and scent, minus most of the soda’s characteristic spice notes. The first few sips of the full sugar variety reminded me of a minimally-spiced cola spiked with smooth coconut flavor. The more I drank, the more vanilla flavor crept in until it became dominant. In the spirit of Coca-Cola’s musical inspiration, drinking Move is like listening to two warring DJs mixing the same songs. There is some cohesion, but flavor highs and lows are bound to occur as they both impetuously fiddle with their controller dials to produce varying levels of coconut tempo and vanilla volume.

At some point, the vanilla won out for my taste buds, producing a flavor that reminded me of the scent of Bath & Body Works’ Warm Vanilla Sugar body lotion. (If you know, you know, and it’s weird, I know.) Still, the taste isn’t wholly unpleasant. The artificial quality of the vanilla vacillates, affecting the soda’s overall drinkability. At its most enjoyable, there is an almost creamy smoothness to the flavor profile that makes the drink less crisp and refreshing than most of the brand’s other offerings. I finished the bottle over the course of a few days, and the lotion association is now cemented in my brain so strongly that I can’t un-think about it.

It feels appropriate that transformation tastes, to me, like shifting flavors among a familiar – but altered – cola taste. To continue the experience, I scanned the QR code on the vibrant pink, black, and white packaging to find music content, as well as a personality quiz that generates a custom metaverse-inspired avatar and playlist. For the record, my avatar looks like an upside-down tulip with wobbly arms, wormlike hair, and a = sign for a face. Maybe because I’m elderly, I don’t quite understand it, but it did “Move” me to laughter.

For those open to a transformational experience, Coca-Cola Move is available in 20 oz bottles or 7.5 mini cans, in both the full sugar and Zero Sugar varieties.

Purchased Price: $2.49
Purchased at: Giant Eagle
Size: 20 fl oz bottle
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 240 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 50 milligrams of sodium, 65 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 65 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Dr Pepper Strawberries & Cream

Erin 21 Comments

When the folks at Dr Pepper aren’t busy at the soda fountain mixing together as many random flavors as they can while still having their beverage be palatable (somehow 23 is the magic number), they apparently dabble in berry farming. In 2006 Dr Pepper released Berries & Cream and 2019 saw Dr Pepper Dark Berry. The latest trip to the patch brings us Strawberries & Cream. This variety, with its pink label and strawberry flavor, seems like it would make a good limited edition for Valentine’s Day, but it’s actually set to be a permanent addition to the lineup.

The first whiff upon opening the bottle is definitely strawberry forward. It reminds me more of strawberry candy than a real strawberry, but as someone who eats more strawberry candies than the fruit, I don’t necessarily consider that a bad thing. The semi-spicy, peppery kick that makes Dr Pepper unique isn’t totally lost to the strawberry and cream flavors, although it is more muted here. I found the flavors smooth and very drinkable, but I wish something stood out more. Despite being tasty, it was sort of underwhelming.

I think the cream could be more pronounced, and maybe also the Dr Pepper. Something about this falls flat for me, which leads me to my next issue – it’s literally a bit flat. I tried this straight out of the bottle and poured it over ice, and it seemed less carbonated than usual. There was a slight initial fizz, but it disappeared right away. I don’t know if this is something to do with the formula or if I just got an odd batch, but I missed the bubbles.

I appreciate Dr Pepper leaning into old-timey soda fountain themes and I think this new concoction would be an excellent base for an ice cream float. As a stand-alone drink, it lacks something, and I’m not sure I’d have chosen it for a full-time product. Considering there are few mainstream strawberry sodas on the market, I can see fans of that flavor really enjoying this. But it’s worth noting that the other person who tried it with me found the strawberry aspect to be medicinal tasting. I’ll look back on this as a pleasant novelty drink, but to me, it’s just not the cream of the crop.

It’s worth noting this also comes in a zero sugar version. Dr Pepper has a history of excelling with these alternatives, but unfortunately, it wasn’t available at my store yet.

Purchased Price: $2.29
Size: 20 fl oz bottle
Purchased at: Jewel-Osco
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 bottle) 250 calories, 0 grams of total fat, 95 milligrams of sodium, 66 grams of total carbs, 65 grams of total sugars (incl. 65 grams of added sugars), and 0 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Starry Lemon Lime Soda

Mike 38 Comments

PepsiCo is aiming higher by replacing Sierra Mist with the new lemon-lime soda Starry. Mist Twist, the previous rebranding effort, failed to unseat the current king of the lemon-lime mountain, Sprite. Will aiming for the stars be enough to achieve the stratospheric sales growth Pepsi desires?

Let’s get to brass tacks: Starry tastes like every other lemon-lime soda I’ve ever had. The difficulty in describing this soda is how similar it is not only to its precursor but all lemon-lime sodas. If you taste a Coke next to a Pepsi, you can tell they’re the same flavor but also have notable differences. A Mug Root Beer tastes different than Barq’s. Sprite and 7Up or Sierra Mist and Starry? Not so much.

I tasted both the regular and zero sugar versions, and there was more of a difference between these two than between Starry and the competition. I prefer the zero sugar version because I’m used to diet sodas, and it tastes crisper. Full sugar Starry was comparatively syrupy, but I imagine someone with different preferences would think otherwise.

If I had to guess a change between Starry and Sierra Mist, it would be that Starry has a slightly more natural citrus aroma. To test this, I ran to my local Kwik Trip again to pick up a remaining bottle of Sierra Mist before they either were sold out or agents of PepsiCo confiscated them. A head-to-head comparison between old and new sodas revealed that I wasn’t mistaken in thinking the aroma was different, but it’s so negligible that you have to be looking for it.

Because the lemon-lime sodas are so similar, the best way to differentiate Sierra Mist from Starry is through their labeling. And on that count, Starry comes out on top. Sierra Mist’s combination of lemon, lime, mountains, and color palette creates something light and crisp but also a bit busy, making it easy to overlook. Starry removes the mountain, uses a more vivid yellow and green, and most importantly, has bold black outlining. The black banding on the Zero Sugar version is especially striking.

Starry is another solid entry in the lemon-lime soda market. It may not do anything new, but taken on its terms as a rebranding effort, it succeeds.

Purchased Price: $ 1.39
Size: 20 fl oz bottles
Purchased at: Kwik Trip
Rating: 7 out of 10 (Regular), 7 out of 10 (Zero Sugar)
?Nutrition Facts: Regular – 240 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 mg milligrams of cholesterol, 55 milligrams of sodium, 65 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 65 grams of sugar (including 65 grams added sugars), and 0 gram of protein. Zero Sugar 10 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 mg milligrams of cholesterol, 60 milligrams of sodium, 0 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 0 grams of sugar, and 0 gram of protein.

REVIEW: Mtn Dew Pitch Black (2023) and Mtn Dew Pitch Black Zero Sugar

Marvo 17 Comments

NOTE: Mtn Dew Pitch Black and the Zero Sugar version will be released in January 2023. Thanks to Mtn Dew for sending samples.

Mountain Dew Pitch Black made its debut in 2004, a time before Mountain Dew lost most of its vowels to become Mtn Dew, which I assume happened because it drank a sugary soda and didn’t brush those vowels after. While Mtn Dew’s name got shorter on bottles and cans, Pitch Black’s description has gotten slightly longer. While the original was a Dew with a blast of black grape, this latest version describes itself as having a blast of dark citrus punch flavor.

Wait. What?

I have so many questions now. What the heck is dark citrus and why does it sound like something that would cause me to lose hit points in an RPG? Why doesn’t Mtn Dew say this is dark grape flavored? What is it hiding? Is it a dark secret? Is that dark secret hiding in a dark cave? Is it Batman? But I guess the most important question is: Does this Mtn Dew Pitch Black taste the same as Mountain Dew Pitch Black?

Yes, and it’s confusing that Mtn Dew is trying to push it as a “dark citrus punch” because when I drink it, all I can think of is grape Pitch Black. To be honest, despite it being one of my favorite Dew flavors of all time (Pitch Black I, not Pitch Black II), I kind of forgot what it smells and tastes like since it’s been so long. But all those memories came (pardon my use of this verb, Mtn Dew) blasting back with the first sniff and sip. Along with those memories came a bit of frustration that this flavor doesn’t come back as often as it should or isn’t permanent because it’s as delightful as I remember.

But Mtn Dew has not only brought back the beloved Pitch Black, it has also spawned a Zero Sugar version. It smells like the original and its flavor hits all the right grape-y notes, but it tastes like a somewhat watered-down version of the original with an artificial sweetener chaser. It’s fine, but I like regular Pitch Black so much that I feel it’s hard for me to accept the taste compromises that the zero sugar version has. There are other Zero Sugar Dew flavors that I don’t mind over the full sugar version, but this is not one of them.

I’m so happy Pitch Black is back, although I’m a little sad it’s no longer attached to Halloween. Enjoy it before it ends up back in the Mtn Dew vault, which I assume is in a dark cave in a dew flower-covered mountain that also contains whatever dark secret Mtn Dew is hiding.

DISCLOSURE: I received free product samples from Mtn Dew. Doing so did not influence my review.

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 20 oz bottles
Purchased at: Received from Mtn Dew
Rating: 9 out of 10 (Original), 6 out of 10 (Zero Sugar)
Nutrition Facts: (20 oz bottle) Original – 280 calories, 0 grams of fat, 95 milligrams of sodium, 75 grams of carbohydrates, 75 grams of sugar, (including 75 grams of added sugar), 0 grams of protein, and 91 milligrams of caffeine. Zero Sugar – 0 calories, 0 grams of fat, 85 milligrams of sodium, 0 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of sugar, 0 grams of protein, and 91 milligrams of caffeine.