Pepsi Ketchup?

This is NOT a late April Fools Joke...

Yes, Pepsi posted that on their Facebook page this week. It's real. And I could try it in a few days at a Minnesota Twins game if I'd like. Color me intrigued...

Vodka Spritz Fresca Mixed Grapefruit Citrus: a 'Hard' Fresca

My sister-in-law handed me one of these when we were on a family camping trip recently:

Brand: Fresca Mixed Grapefruit Citrus.

Origin: Daleville, VA.

Purchase Place: Unknown (somewhere in SW WI).

Sweetener: Unknown (I can't stand alcohol labels with how much they don't have to have on it).

Review: This was dangerous. It was crisp and refreshing like a Fresca... like a non-alcoholic Fresca. You could easily have too many of these! It tastes like a regular Fresca with just a SLIGHT bite of alcohol. Fresca is already one of those sodas that could mix will with booze, and they're doing it well with this drink. If you're interested in any of what I'm writing here, you'll be happy if you grab a few of these!

Score: 8 out of 10.

A 'Root Beer Variety Pack'

When we stopped by Remix for some shave ice, I noted that I spotted a variety pack of root beer. Well my wife grabbed it as an extra Father's Day present for me:

The "variety pack" on our counter!

The 6 sodas inside. (The "regular" root beer has a printed can, but the rest are stickers on a plain can.)

I'll be back with reviews on all of these over the next few weeks! I can't wait!

Coca Cola Zero Sugar Limited Edition "Ultimate" League of Legends

What?!?

 

League of Legends? And +XP Flavored?

A QR code on the other side of the bottle took me to an endlessly scrolling "limited edition" Coke page.

Brand: Coca Cola Zero Sugar Limited Edition "Ultimate" League of Legends.

Origin: Atlanta, GA.

Purchase Place: Target, St. Paul, MN.

Sweetener: Aspartame and Sucralose.

Review: I've had enough of Coke's new "limited edition" flavors. (Seen here and here.) And yet I keep trying them. But some good news: this one was the best of the limited edition flavors that I've tried. I don't know what an "experience point" should taste like (this is "+XP Flavored"), but it wasn't bad. It was mainly a regular Coke Zero, but there was an extra fruitiness to it. It was almost nostalgic. I couldn't pin-point the flavor, but it wasn't bad. I found a review that said it was a bit bubblegum flavored, and then thought it had a hint of banana Laffy Taffy. A Food Network review said "it’s a super mellow, citrus-peachy flavor." I didn't get much of a peach flavor, but I enjoyed the fruity kick. It's not bad!

Score: 7.5 out of 10.

"Root Beer Float" Shave Ice At Remix!

My family swung into Remix on Marshall Ave in St. Paul this afternoon just before they closed. We heard they have shave ice (and not "shaveD ice"), and people have been saying good things about it. So we had to try it! It was the first time we were back inside after they re-opened their doors since the pandemic started (they were always open from a counter to the street, but it was our first time stepping inside in nearly 3 years):

My wife looking at goodies.

Their shave ice menu posted outside. LOTS of options!

My wife spotted a root beer variety pack and may have picked it up as another last-minute Father's Day present...

Behold! The "Root Beer Float" shave ice! It's HUGE!

Showing the inside after a few minutes of eating.

Charlie got a medium grape and cherry with a side of boba. TASTY.

Henry got a Cookie Coma shave ice!

On that big "shave ice" menu, I want to try "Unicorns Are Real," "Wizard's Brew," and maybe "OG Snowball." As we were there, the boys picked up 2 small bags of assorted candy (from all the bins you see on the right in the first photo), and my wife picked up 2 blocks of cheese. We can't wait to go back for more shave ice!

Check out Remix at 2042 Marshall Ave, Saint Paul, MN 55104. Open Wed - Sun from noon - 5 pm. (For now... the owner hinted that hours could get a little extended through the summer.)

Farrah Fawcett Cream Soda

My boys and I recently spent 3 days in Lake Vermilion State Park and then another 2 days in Grand Marais, and we brought my Mom along for the trip. The town of Ely is near Lake Vermilion State Park, so we stopped into Ely's Old Fashioned Candy like we did last year. 

Free pinball! My son and my Mom.

Soda selection.

I grabbed this to try a few days later:

In the kitchen of our motel room in Grand Marais (after leaving Ely).

 
Brand: Farrah Fawcett Cream Soda.

Origin: Incline Village, NV.

Purchase Place: Ely's Old Fashioned Candy, Ely, MN.

Sweetener: Cane Sugar.

Review: Ehh, this is OK. It's got a nice sweetness to it, but then it had a "chemically" taste to it. It's not a smooth as it should be, but it's decently rich. Not a great flavor with a poor aftertaste. No thanks. RIP Farrah.

Score: 4 out of 10.

Reed's Root Beer Hard Candy

These caught my eye at Ace Hardware last month:

Individually wrapped like the packaging says. Seems old fashioned (and a touch wasteful).

The candy inside.

I don't often "review" CANDY, but being this is root beer flavored, I feel like I need to...  

Brand: Reed's Root Beer Hard Candy

Origin: Great Neck, NY.

Purchase Place: Frattallone's Ace Hardware, St. Paul, MN.

Sweetener: Sugar and Glucose Syrup.

Review: Obviously, my main point of reference is a "root beer barrel," but I expected this to be better (or maybe "more refined") than a root beer barrel. And I was right. It was a bit more caramel flavored, but just a touch. The flavor was actually more subtle than a root beer barrel - it didn't have that same harshness. And it was very long lasting. So it's a slightly more refined, slightly more gentle, and slightly more caramely version of a classic root beer barrel. It's nothing groundbreaking, but it's pretty good and quite enjoyable!

Score: 7.5 out of 10.

Calypso Lemon Tea

This is my first and might be my last review of a bottled tea:

Brand: Calypso Lemon Tea.

Origin: Milwaukee, WI (even though its tagline is "Taste Of The Island").

Purchase Place: Menards, St. Paul, MN.

Sweetener: Sugar.

Review: This was good. It was fine. It was what you'd expect. I was in the mood for a lemon tea when I was walking through Menards, and this hit the spot. It was sweet and lemony and had a good tea flavor. It tasted like every-other sort of lemon tea or lemonade tea or Arnold Palmer that I've ever had. So that's why I say I won't review more things like this, as they are all just decent, refreshing, and similar. Yes, I'm sure there's a difference between different brands, but I don't have them nearly enough to compare flavors. Maybe someday... but I'm not planning on it right now.

Score: 8 out of 10.