Review - Sunkist Orange Soda

Bottler: Dr. Pepper Snapple Group

Calories per Ounce: 13.5

Caffeine: Yes

Aaron's Comments: The first thing to note about Sunkist Orange soda is that it contains caffeine. This makes it different than most other orange sodas, and is notable because many parents seem to think that orange sodas are, as a rule , a "safe" soda to serve to their children without the risk of hopping them up on caffeine. Sunkist Orange soda is the exception, and should be regarded as an unsuitable option if one wants to avoid caffeine. I like caffeine, and so Sunkist Orange soda is a perfectly acceptable alternative for me. The soda's flavor is definitely orange, but more in the vein of mandarin orange slices in light syrup orange. As with other Sunkist flavors, Sunkist Orange is also very highly carbonated, giving the soda something of a fizzy bite. Ice doesn't appreciably change the flavor, but it does tone down the carbonation, making the entire experience slightly mellower. As with most orange sodas, using it in an ice cream float creates a Dreamsicle-like experience, so if you like Dreamsicles, then you will probably like a Sunkist soda float.

Review - Mountain Dew Kickstart Orange Citrus

Bottler: PepsiCo

Calories per Ounce: 5

Caffeine: YES (92 mg per 16 oz)

Aaron's Comments: Of all the pretend healthy caffeine delivery devices known as Kickstart, I think that orange citrus is my favorite. This is something of a surprise to me because while I am generally okay with orange flavored sodas, I am generally not as enthusiastic about them as I am about other fruit flavored sodas. Perhaps the trace amounts of concentrated orange juice in the Kickstart enhances the flavor just enough to put it over the edge. With ice, the orange flavor almost disappears and the only thing left is the citric acid taste. Once again, although the soda was clearly not intended for use in an ice cream float, I added some vanilla ice cream to it anyway. It works reasonably well as an ice cream float, but the unusual way that Kickstart is sweetened seems to produce a soda that is a little thin for this purpose.

A Big Thank You to Dustin

I went to Gen Con this past week and received a gift that I knew was coming and yet was entirely unexpected. Dustin of the Undergophers was involved in the discussions that led to the creation of this blog. Prior to Gen Con, he told me that he intended to bring me a care package of sodas from various outlets near where he lives. So I knew he was bringing me some sodas to review. What I didn't know was that he was bringing me two whole boxes of sodas. I simply didn't know the scale of his generosity, and I am so very grateful to him. This gift is without a doubt the most substantial gift anyone has ever given me as a result of my blogging. On my book blog Dreaming About Other Worlds I frequently get offered (and often accept) review copies of books. But those aren't gifts. The books are being offered to me with the expectation that I will read and review them - a benefit to the publisher and author. So there is something of a quid pro quo there. But this gift from Dustin is in a completely different category, and I am using this post to publicly express my gratitude at his magnanimity.

Review - Fanta Orange Soda

Bottler: Coca-Cola

Calories per Ounce: 13.3

Caffeine: No

Aaron's Comments: Fanta Orange is one of the classic orange flavored sodas with a distinctively strong orange flavor. The bottle I sampled was made in Mexico, which means that it was flavored with sugar instead of corn syrup. The closest I can place the flavor is to say it tastes something like a Clementine. With ice the distinctive flavor is still noticeable, and is even slightly enhanced. Unlike many other sodas, when ice cream is added, the carbonation is not agitated into overflowing, possibly due to the different sweetener. As one would expect, the resulting ice cream float tastes very much like a Dreamsicle, which might make it a good choice depending on your opinion of Dreamsicles. Personally, I like Dreamsicles, so I found this to be an excellent combination with ice cream.

Review - Stewart's Orange 'n Cream Soda

Bottler: Dr. Pepper

Calories per Ounce: 15.8

Caffeine: No

Aaron's Comments: If you somehow took a Dreamsicle and managed to transform it into a soda, it would taste like Stewart's Orange 'n Cream soda. For those of us that like Dreamsicles, this makes this orange and vanilla flavored soda an almost perfect drink. Served over ice, the vanilla flavor is muted and the orange flavor jumps forward. Oddly, when made into an ice cream float, the vanilla flavor fades away almost entirely, which surprised and somewhat disappointed me. Even so, this soda is fantastic straight, and that makes up for any other shortcomings.