Tag: Soda

REVIEW: 7UP Pomegranate (2021)

Holly 2 Comments

Pomegranate 7 Up 2021 Bottle

What is 7UP Pomegranate?

First introduced in 2007, and not seen on shelves since 2016, this limited edition product makes its return just in time for the winter season. Bright red, this soda combines pomegranate flavor with the standard 7UP lemon-lime.??

How is it?

Holiday themed sodas are easily one of my favorite things about the dark, cold months ahead. Drinks that are normally cloyingly sweet affairs now have an edge to them that makes them extremely enjoyable.

Pomegranate 7 Up 2021 Top

7UP Pomegranate, however, falls short of impressing me. Instead of the pomegranate hitting first, it’s overwhelmingly the standard lemon lime taste. The red fruit comes towards the end, but not the way I was hoping for. It’s very subtle and seems to dull the sweetness associated with lemon lime soda more than add a new flavor profile. It’s definitely not like the pomegranate-flavored Red Bull I tried a few weeks ago.

Pomegranate is just a hard flavor to execute, but I do applaud 7UP for at least swerving left when most companies swerve right (cranberry) when it comes to adding holiday tastes to their products.

Anything else you need to know?

This site did a review of it when it first came out in 2007. I avoided reading it until I had finished my own review. Apparently the pomegranate wasn’t strong then either. You’d think they’d have tweaked it a bit in the last 14 years.

Conclusion:

Pomegranate 7 Up 2021 Label

While a perfectly drinkable item, it fails to deliver the pomegranate flavor in any meaningful way. It tastes more like a slightly less sweet, bright red 7UP than a whole new variety.

Purchased Price: $1.25
Size: 2 Liter
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (12oz) 140 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 40 milligrams of sodium, 39 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 38 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Mtn Dew Gingerbread Snap’d

Marvo 19 Comments

Mtn Dew Gingerbread Snap d Bottle

When Mtn Dew Gingerbread Snap’d leaked several months ago, the promotional pictures showed the soda would be brown, and its name would be just Snap’d. But as we all know, a lot can change in a year. So here we are with a white-colored Mtn Dew with a longer name that makes me wonder two things:

  1. Was the color change made because this was supposed to end up as a winter/holiday mystery flavor?
  2. Was the brown color scrapped because it would be totally awkward if this flavor was known as the Dew Dew Dew?

For those of you not keeping track at home, Gingerbread Snap’d is the 623rd new Dew flavor of the year. Okay, there haven’t been THAT many, but the number of flavors Mtn Dew has put out this year across all its lines makes Oreo look lazy.

This festive soda is a Dew with a blast of artificial gingerbread flavor, and before even trying it, I thought, as odd as it sounds, it’s probably going to taste decent. After all, the Flamin’ Hot-flavored Dew ended up being not bad.

Oh boy, I was totally wrong.

It wasn’t decent. Instead, it was like two snaps and around the world fantastic.

Before I go on, I have to admit my thoughts about this Dew have been influenced by snacking friend @CandyHunting on Instagram. Basically, she thinks it tastes like a cola. (Click here to read her full explanation.) Having tried Gingerbread Snap’d and reading her thoughts about it, I can not NOT think this Dew is a cola in a ghost white-colored body.

Mtn Dew Gingerbread Snap d Label

The scent and taste of artificial gingerbread are the most noticeable in this bottle, but the Dew’s citrus is right behind, well within gingerbread’s personal space. That blend of spice and citrus gives Gingerbread Snap’d a kind of craft cola vibe. If this came in its originally planned brown color and wasn’t labeled, I think those who drank it would think it’s a cola (or even a cloudy, less gingery ginger ale).

Mtn Dew Gingerbread Snap’d is a surprisingly tasty holiday beverage. If you’re curious about it, you should definitely buy it because who knows if it’ll reappear next year or get replaced with Mtn Dew Pump’dkin Spice or something like that.

Purchased Price: More than one should pay on eBay
Size: 20 fl oz bottle
Purchased at: eBay
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 270 calories, 0 grams of fat, 90 milligrams of sodium, 73 grams of carbohydrates, 72 grams of sugar (including 72 grams of added sugar), and 0 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Mtn Dew Uproar

Marvo 3 Comments

Mtn Dew Uproar Bottle

Mtn Dew Uproar is a Food Lion exclusive flavor. What the food is a Food Lion, you ask? Well, my friend, let me give you an answer to a question I’m pretty sure you’re going to regret asking or didn’t ask at all.

Food Lion got its name from the way it devoured smaller grocery chains in its territory to protect its lioness and cubs. Its habitat is in 10 states in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern US. Unfortunately, because it was focused on protecting its domain, its cubs wandered north, ended up separated from the rest of the pride, and became Cub Foods.

Told you you’d regret it.

Mtn Dew Uproar Lion

Uproar is a Dew charged with berry kiwi flavor. Its name and graphics on the bottle are appropriate for a Food Lion exclusive. I look forward to other exclusive flavors for regional grocery chains, like Mtn Dew Soar for Giant Eagle and Mtn Dew Sizzle for Piggly Wiggly.

Much like my attempts at grocery store chain humor, Mtn Dew Uproar is great. But I feel as if I’ve been saying that about most of the recent Dew releases. And I also feel as if I’ve had this Dew flavor before or something very close to it.

Before even trying the soda, I wondered what’s the deal with the vague “berry” flavor description. Is it a combination of berries? Is it a particular berry? After smelling and tasting it, I realized it was strawberry, which made me wonder why Mtn Dew didn’t just describe it as a Dew charged with strawberry kiwi flavor.

As for the kiwi flavor, it’s there, but it’s faint. If someone drank this without looking at the label, they would say it strawberry and something something flavored. There’s also a tartness that’s less like a roar and more like a kitten’s meow. Oh, also, full disclosure: Kiwis aren’t one of my favorite fruits, but not because of their slightly tart and slightly sweet flavor. I have an issue with them because a cross-section of one looks like what would happen if The Hulk and a sarlacc had a baby. I can’t get that image out of my head.

Mtn Dew Uproar is tasty enough that I’m a bit sad it’s only available at a regional grocery chain that lost its cubs with locations in just 10 states.

Purchased Price: More than one should pay on eBay
Size: 20 fl oz bottle
Purchased at: eBay
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 bottle) 270 calories, 0 grams of fat, 90 milligrams of sodium, 73 grams of carbohydrates, 72 grams of sugar (including 72 grams of added sugar), 0 grams of protein, and 91 grams of caffeine.

REVIEW: Pepsi-Cola Soda Shop Black Cherry and Cream Soda Colas

Mike 17 Comments

Pepsi Cola Soda Shop Bottles

PepsiCo has introduced the Pepsi Soda Shop cola line with two limited edition flavors — Black Cherry and Cream Soda. Made with real sugar, Pepsi promises a modern take on some classics. Drug store soda shops have become harder and harder to find. Yet, the concept remains a touchstone in America thanks to pop culture icons like Grease. Will these sodas have me doing the jitterbug on the way to the store for more?

I pour out samples of each. The bottle describes these as colas, so I was expecting them to be standard cola-brown. I’m pleased when the cream soda is a light caramel color and the black cherry is tinted red.

Pepsi Cola Soda Shop Side by Side

I take a sip of the cream soda one and taste plenty of vanilla, though little cola flavor. There’s not much of a modern twist either. According to Pepsi, its soda has added agave for complexity, but I’m reminded of every other cream soda I’ve tasted. I sample again and perhaps detect a honeyed aspect to the sweetness. Then again, I mostly drink diet soda and could just as easily be tasting plain sugar.

On the other hand, there’s something immediately twisty about the black cherry. Its scent is like cough syrup. It has herbal notes, says Pepsi, which helps make sense of what I’m tasting. It reminds me of herbal craft colas I’ve had. Those colas have interesting flavors not seen in mass-market soft drinks and are bold about not being for everyone. This black cherry soda doesn’t have enough herbal notes to be as interesting as those, but has just enough to make it off-putting.

The one area that stands out with these sodas is the label design. It’s simple, comforting, and the classic Pepsi-Cola font is evocative of the era. It’s a shame the actual product doesn’t live up to it. I briefly considered getting a black leather jacket, slicking my hair back with pomade, and driving to the local drive-in movie theater to more fully embody the time. But no. The lesson here is that a cool design can’t make up for a mediocre product, not that I should buy a very, very cool leather jacket.

Good branding can’t save a mediocre product. The Cream Soda one is too mundane to set itself apart from similar soft drinks. The herbal twist with the Black Cherry is enough to make it unpalatable. Skip these sodas and seek out CVS or Walgreens instead. It won’t have a soda counter, but it’ll have plenty of other sodas worth drinking.

Purchased Price: $1.89 each
Size: 20 fl oz bottles
Purchased at: Piggly Wiggly
Rating: 4 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 250 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 55 milligrams of sodium, 65 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 65 grams of sugar (including 65 grams added sugar), and 0 gram of protein.

REVIEW: Mtn Dew Thrashed Apple

Marvo 8 Comments

Mtn Dew Thrashed Apple Bottle

What is Mtn Dew Thrashed Apple?

It’s a Dew charged with natural and artificial crisp apple flavor. Like Mtn Dew Maui Burst and Spark, it’s a store exclusive flavor. To get it, you have to visit a Kroger or Kroger-owned store, like Dillon’s, Fred Meyer, Fry’s, Gerbes, Rupert’s, Harris Teeter, King Soopers, Ralphs, Jay C Food Store, and Smith’s. (Note: One of the stores listed is fake. Have fun guessing which one!)

How is it?

Mtn Dew Thrashed Apple Glass

The beverage’s pale Hulk color that’s a few shades lighter than regular Dew and the anthropomorphic apples with better hair than mine definitely hints that this will have a Granny Smith apple flavor. Oh, there are also another 100 or so hints in the form of two rows of tiny green apples that circle its label.

Mtn Dew Thrashed Apple Tiny Apples

Its pleasant tart apple flavor with a hint of citrus is DEWlicious. The sour fruity flavor is so dominant that if I gave you an unlabeled bottle of this, you probably wouldn’t think it’s a Mountain Dew variety. Think of its flavor as like a slightly less sour green apple Jolly Rancher. Or, let me put it in a way that’s reflective of the Dew’s name. It’s not heavy like Thrash Metal. Instead, it’s tame like Hair Metal.

Anything else you need to know?

Because I just happen to have a box of Apple Pie Toast Crunch, I decided to combine it and this soda. The Dew’s tart apple overwhelms the sweet apple in the cereal. It’s a little odd, but not as much as combining cereal and soda.

Mtn Dew Thrashed Apple Green Label

Also, it wouldn’t be a green apple Dew review if I didn’t mention the previous green apple Dews — Mtn Dew Green Label and Electric Apple. The former was a Dew “with crafted green apple kiwi.” But it mostly tasted like green apple. The latter was “Mtn Dew charged with Electric Apple.” I didn’t have it because it was a more exclusive flavor than Thrashed Apple. It was available at an Italian chain I’ve never heard of.

Conclusion:

Mtn Dew Thrashed Apple is easily one of my top seven or so Dew flavors. If you love the flavor of sour apple and have a Kroger or Kroger-owned store near you, it’s definitely worth hunting for.

Purchased Price: More than one should pay on eBay
Size: 20 fl oz bottle
Purchased at: eBay
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 270 calories, 0 grams of fat, 85 milligrams of sodium, 73 grams of carbohydrates, 72 grams of sugar, 72 grams of added sugar, 0 grams of protein, and 91 milligrams of caffeine.