The Great Cola Wars

You just got done eating, but now you're thirsty. You need something to quench the dryness deep in your throat. What in the world are you going to do? Don't worry, I can help. First, go to your fridge. Now, I know this next step is a little extreme, but open your fridge! Now that that is done, reach all the way to the back because that's where all the cold cans are. Now grab a nice cold cola and enjoy. Don't forget to close the fridge door. Only one question remains. What brand of cola did you take from your refrigerator?


Pepsi, Coca-Cola, Royal Crown, or generic. That is likely to be the cola that it's in your refrigerator. Which one did you grab? Which one should you grab? I have provided facts and opinion, in an effort to end the fighting. I will act as a sort-of peace keeper, by trying to be as unbiased as possible. Many people dismiss anything that's not Pepsi or Coke. I say not so fast! They are all solid drink choices. When was the last time you saw a commercial for RC or a generic cola?
 

Let's take a look at the numbers.  These 4 sodas are actually pretty even.  Statistically, I would have to say that the generic brand won. The generic brand has less sodium than Coke, which I believe came in second place. Pepsi came in 3rd because it has less calories, sodium, carbs, and sugar than Royal Crown. Honestly all of these statistics are inconclusive. The 4 soft drinks were all within a few points of each other. A gap of only 20 calories between the "winner" and last place is not going to make much of a change to a diet. Even though the results may not mean much, the generic brand technically did win. Next, on to the price.

I bought the 4 sodas at my local Walgreen's. I bought a 2 Liter of each brand to keep the tests fair. The prices ranged from $.99- $1.99. I bought the RC for $.99. The Coke cost me $1.99. I think the price is higher because of its popularity. People will buy something if they like it. The Pepsi also cost me $1.99, likely for the same reasons as Coke. The generic brand was only $.99. I don't think that the $1 difference is going to have a huge impact on the decision. People argue that the extra dollar is worth it. When I got home I put the 4 sodas in to my fridge and waited for them to cool, so I could take the ultimate test. The Taste Test.

After the drinks were cold, I put on a blindfold. The 4 drinks were put in separately labeled cups by my brother. And the tests began...




With the blindfold on, I had my brother hand me the drinks at random. I thought I knew what was what, but I surprised myself. I guessed that Coke was "A" because of its recognizable taste. I am an avid Pepsi drinker, so I "knew" that Pepsi was "C". Boy, was I wrong. RC was actually in cup "C". The generic was in cup "D". I have to say that RC won because I got it confused with Pepsi, and believe me when I say I know what Pepsi tastes like. Coke was a close second because I like how smooth it is. RC was crisp and the flavor hit me. I was shocked when Pepsi didn't win. I've drank Pepsi my whole life and I was sure it was going to win. Pepsi runs the Pepsi Challenge. I would usually take a Pepsi over anything. I still can't believe that Pepsi didn't win. But hey, I've never been blindfolded and been forced to drink pop at gunpoint. Just kidding about the gunpoint thing.

Not to bash Pepsi or anything, but today it just didn't do it for me.

That was a very tasty Taste Test. I put all 4 glasses in my refrigerator and waited for an hour. This test may be just as important as the taste test. I basically chug my soda and I am usually done with it in the first 20 minutes. But for people who sip their beverage, this is for you. I'll give it to you straight-forward. All 4 pops were flat. Still drinkable, for sure, but I would have just poured a new glass. I took sips of the sodas and determined that glass "A", the Coke, was the freshest. To be sure I had my mom test the carbonation as well. She had no idea what was in what glass. She is a Mountain Dew person, but she agreed with me that "A" was the freshest. Coke was still fairly smooth; it just lacked that extra part of it that makes it so good. I can't think of a better way to explain it. Honestly, all I can say is that something was missing. At the very least, I was able to swig down the rest of the Coke.

The other 3 sodas "flat"-lined. They were dead to me. No carbonation whatsoever. Tasted more like water the pop to me. I had to throw them down the drain.

Now the moment we've all been waiting for...

The Winner of the Cola Wars is...

But just to make you wait even longer, here's a recap. The Generic Brand won the nutritional value test. The price results were basically a wash. The taste test was a closer to a draw between RC and Coke, than a victory for RC. The carbonation after an hour was a CLEAR victory for Coca-Cola.

With all that being said, I declare Coca-Cola the Winner!!!

2. Royal Crown Cola (RC)

3. Pepsi

4. Generic Brand

It was a hard fought battle that was fun for all of us.