# What is the worst variation of Coke/Pepsi? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [March 22, 2023, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-worst-variation-of-coke-pepsi/981512 "2023-03-22T20:22:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2023, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-worst-variation-of-coke-pepsi/981512/21 "2023-03-23T00:01:25Z")
I’ve had the Kroger “Big K”-It’s got a lovely aluminum aftertaste. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2023, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-worst-variation-of-coke-pepsi/981512/22 "2023-03-23T00:32:14Z")
I found Coke Starlight and Coke Dreamworld to be equally hiddeous, some of the worst flavors I’ve ever tried. On the other hand, Coke Move is quite pleasant. From the website I see that they sell Coke Georgia Peach and California Raspberry, never tried or seen either of those. I suspect they’re not bad. I lurve me some Chery or Vanilla Coke. I drink the Zero Sugar versions of all of the above. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2023, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-worst-variation-of-coke-pepsi/981512/23 "2023-03-23T00:59:08Z")
Again-Just straight cola flavored, no diet. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2023, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-worst-variation-of-coke-pepsi/981512/24 "2023-03-23T01:20:26Z")
They have all the same flavors and IMO the difference in taste is negligable. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2023, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-worst-variation-of-coke-pepsi/981512/25 "2023-03-23T01:33:38Z")
One word: **M O X I E** It’s the oldest Cola-ish soda, and the most popular… in Maine, at least. Anyone else thinks it’s _terrible._ I have fond memories of daring kids to drink it. Hey, Amazon carries it! > **[Amazon.com : Moxie Soda Pop, 12 Ounce (12 Cans) : Grocery & Gourmet Food](https://www.amazon.com/Moxie-Soda-Pop-Ounce-Cans/dp/B08232B8BV)** > > Unique Soda from Maine . If it has to be a Coke product, I couldn’t finish my “How Bad Can This Be?” can of **Coke Dreamworld**. It was like they swished cotton candy around in a vat of Coke. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2023, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-worst-variation-of-coke-pepsi/981512/26 "2023-03-23T01:50:54Z")
Oops, reread the thread and discovered that I’d missed the Moxie mention. (Ninja’ed, but with moxie.) I referred to it as cola _-ish._ We used to call it Mr. Pepper ('cause it was too stupid to go to med school). ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2023, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-worst-variation-of-coke-pepsi/981512/27 "2023-03-23T01:52:24Z")
> [@digs](#): > > If it has to be a Coke product It doesn’t. It has to be a cola flavored soda. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2023, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-worst-variation-of-coke-pepsi/981512/28 "2023-03-23T02:35:12Z")
A quick search for “worst cola”, rating twelve common brands, is not fond of the Whole Foods variant. But this one sounds worse, YMMV, and is probably cheaper: _Shasta Cola wasn’t our favorite cola we sampled for this test, but it can’t be accused of being boring. It has an acidic, bitter, almost medicinal aroma with a dominant citrus oil presence. It tastes like it smells, with an astringent citrus rind-like flavor that cuts through the inherent sweetness of the soda. It’s so citrus-forward that it almost tastes like lemon-lime soda mixed with cola. There’s a kind of soapy quality to the flavor that’s pretty strange, though not entirely unpleasant. If you want a normal-tasting cola, this isn’t it, but it’s a nice change of pace. Shasta also has a very good mouthfeel — it’s heavily carbonated, so it doesn’t seem syrupy on the tongue at all._ ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2023, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-worst-variation-of-coke-pepsi/981512/29 "2023-03-23T03:16:21Z")
You have a terrible title. You asked for a variation of Coke or Pepsi, not the worst cola. I’d ask a mod to change it. ---
**Author:** ![pirviii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pirviii/32/3233_2.png) [@pirviii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pirviii)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2023, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-worst-variation-of-coke-pepsi/981512/30 "2023-03-23T03:20:32Z")
Yes, Shasta cola was the worst I ever had. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2023, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-worst-variation-of-coke-pepsi/981512/31 "2023-03-23T03:31:57Z")
I guess I thought the OP clarified it enough. ---
**Author:** ![Dancer\_Flight](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dancer_flight/32/7601_2.png) [@Dancer\_Flight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dancer_Flight)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2023, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-worst-variation-of-coke-pepsi/981512/32 "2023-03-23T03:36:47Z")
I’ve finished a couple of the Starlight, but I wouldn’t try it again. I tried to complete a bottle of Dreamland (who had the bright idea to add black currant to cola anyways?) over the course of a couple of day and wound up pouring half the bottle out – Blech. For hideous plain cola, I’d just go with a budget grocery store house brand, they typically have the balance of the cola nut and auxiliary spices and citrus elements annoyingly askew - avoid known whitelabled outlets like Costco’s Kirkland as they will be closer to the standard name brand fare. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2023, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-worst-variation-of-coke-pepsi/981512/33 "2023-03-23T03:58:01Z")
People don’t necessarily read the OP especially if the the title is a coherent, self-contained question. You complaining about people answering the question in the title is my cite. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2023, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-worst-variation-of-coke-pepsi/981512/34 "2023-03-23T04:45:43Z")
Is Cragmont around any longer? That used to make us long for RC or Shasta after the Little League game was over and the cooler was popped open. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2023, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-worst-variation-of-coke-pepsi/981512/35 "2023-03-23T04:51:44Z")
I had a Jolt Cola at some point in the late 80s or early 90s, but I don’t remember what it tasted like. Anyone know where Jolt ranks on the cola flavor spectrum? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2023, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-worst-variation-of-coke-pepsi/981512/36 "2023-03-23T05:06:44Z")
I remember it being on the bitter side despite the claim that it had ‘all the sugar’. The extra caffeine did the job well, I wasn’t drinking it for the flavor. And, yeah, Shasta cola was awful. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2023, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-worst-variation-of-coke-pepsi/981512/37 "2023-03-23T05:17:56Z")
I find Pepsi to be sweeter than Coke, but not by much. I’ve had a few Jolt Colas, and they were nowhere near as sweet. And when I tried Shasta, I had to ask: “This is a _cola_?” Because it tasted nothing like one. They could have marketed it as, “The cola for people who don’t want to taste cola.” ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2023, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-worst-variation-of-coke-pepsi/981512/38 "2023-03-23T05:25:38Z")
> [@digs](#): > > One word: > > **M O X I E** > > It’s the oldest Cola-ish soda, and the most popular… in Maine, at least. Anyone else Moxie isn’t really cola-ish. It’s basically more like root beer. The main notes are wintergreen, gentian, and perhaps a touch of licorice. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2023, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-worst-variation-of-coke-pepsi/981512/39 "2023-03-23T10:43:44Z")
In terms of actual Coke variants, the recent [“limited edition” watermelon and strawberry Coke](https://www.coca-cola.co.uk/marketing/launches-and-innovation/coca-cola-creations-marshmello-limited-edition-drink) was sickly sweet and vile (although my daughter liked it). Pepsi - have we all forgotten [Crystal Pepsi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crystal_Pepsi)? Cola in general - my vote is for Virgin Cola. They basically advertised it on the basis of the bottle looking like Pamela Anderson. The actual drink was unpleasant and cheap-tasting IMO, although it seems to have had enough success for Coke to make an effort to tank it. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2023, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-worst-variation-of-coke-pepsi/981512/40 "2023-03-23T10:51:53Z")
Somewhat turning this into a discussion, but I find cheap colas to be a \*lot\* better than they used to be. I remember when store-brand colas were so bad that, were it not for the brown color, you would have no idea they were even _attempting_ to be cola. Nowadays I would take pretty much any no-name cola over a “flavored” coke. e.g. I find the coke with lime flavor undrinkable. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-worst-variation-of-coke-pepsi/981512.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-worst-variation-of-coke-pepsi/981512.md?page=3)