If you’re curious what Pepsi S’mores tastes like, so were we
Did you know that Pepsi was first invented in1893?Creator Caleb Bradham first called it “ Brad ’s Drink ” ( relatable move , TBH ) and sold it in his North Carolina apothecary’s shop as a way to bring around upset stomach . Ahh , the 1800 ’s , when sugar and vanilla extract could be considered medicative . Today , of trend , Pepsi is a house name , and although their convention has changed slenderly , it ’s still an instantly recognizable tone . We ’re even lucky enough to have several Pepsi spin offs – some , like Wild Cherry or Diet Pepsi , are recurrent pet .
When we originally pitched this article , my editor program suggested I go out and taste every tang available . Already , it sounded reasonably skilful , but then we got an even better offer . The Pepsi squad said they ’d be unforced to send us the ultra - rarities – the vault - only tang from modified - edition runs . A few were seasonal tone , like Pepsi x Peeps or their S’Mores collection , others were created for local victories ( Pepsi Believeland ) , and then there was my long - lost favorite : Pepsi Blue . After pay back the top - secret bottles from the R&D team , we were quick for a full on preference test . Here were some highlights from our good afternoon of sipping .
Pepsi : I mean , it ’s Pepsi . Bubbly , slenderly lemonlike , sweet and vanilla - y – you ’d live that appreciation anywhere . This is the sapidity that won the Pepsi Challenge all those year ago , so we had to start here to get a baseline . No notes , could ’ve stopped here . But of course , we did n’t .
Sam Kang/Thrillist
Diet Pepsi / Pepsi Zero Sugar : Both of these zero - calorie pick do an amazing business of emulating their Graeco-Roman twin . As aprofessionaltaste examiner , I could suss out the remainder , and Zero Sugar is the slightly sweeter of the two , but it ’s impressively close to the OG . ( Zero Sugar also apparently has a bit more caffein , but we had already leave office ourselves to getting caffein - hyped during the savoring . )
Pepsi Maple Syrup : A one - time - only collab with IHOP in 2022 lead to Pepsi Maple Syrup , an alien flavor that was only uncommitted as a giveaway to folks who posted a stack of flannel-cake and tag it with # ShowUsYourStack . Upon cracking heart-to-heart the nursing bottle , the odor come to us directly : It really did smell exactly like a unfermented pour of maple sirup . Verdict : very sweet , but a fun syrupy flavor that probably goes great with Gallic toast .
Pepsi “ Believeland”:This orange - colour variety was get to celebrate the Cleveland Browns yield to Sunday Night Football . We expect something along the line of orangeness pop , but it actually tasted nearly identical to classic Pepsi . It surely would n’t be the first sentence Pepsi made a queerly - colorize drink ( see : Crystal Pepsi , which we all wish we ’d requested . )
Sam Kang/Thrillist
Pepsi S’mores : These three separate Pepsi flavors part the s’more into component share : graham cracker , toasty marshmallow , and deep brown . To be true , they did n’t fend out on their own : Graham cracker is nicely bourbon - y , the marshmallow sample a little smoky and umber was an interesting twist , but none could equate to good ol' Pepsi Classic . ( Although one of our editors did say : “ It ’s giving fudge pop . ” ) Uponcombiningthe three , however , I ended up with a amazingly good cocktail . For the full authentic experience , I should ’ve warmed my concoction over a greaves fire , but even I have my limits .
Pepsi Blue : Unlike Believeland , Pepsi Blue actuallytastes sorry . I have a personal association to Pepsi low – my uncle once mould at Pepsi and let me sample it before it make the shelves , and I was an prompt fan . ( Unfortunately , it was discontinued in 2004 . ) The fizzy - Chuck Berry - cotton - candy flavor bring in back a huge Benjamin Rush of early-2000 ’s nostalgia . If a petition circulates to bring back Pepsi Blue , I will sign it under multiple phoney names .
Pepsi x Peeps : Everyone ’s best-loved confect chicks make an show in this sporadic Easter - time of year mashup . This miscellany pulls off a more traditional marshmallow flavor than the S’mores one did , and it got gamey German mark from our editor . It ’s almost like a ointment sodium carbonate , but with an extra pep ( or peep , if you will ) to it .
Nitro Pepsi : This one stood out from all the rest : alternatively of being carbonate , it’snitrogenated . commonly used for beer and cold brewage , the effect is understated : The bubbles give slightly less bite than their CO2 vis-a-vis , but the smack is intimate . Itdoes , however , make a really coolheaded and unexpected noise when you first crack the can . Still , it ’s mostly a fun novelty , since the bubbles in Pepsi classic are half the fun .
Pepsi Wild Cherry : Wooo , son . After taste - test an intact crateful of Pepsi varieties , you think you ’ve become immune to their magical spell . And then you crack open a tone that remind you why some of them are class - cycle classics and not just playfulness experimentations . If you have n’t given Wild Cherry Pepsi a sip in a while , you ’re leave out out . One editor program aver : “ This could ruin my life history . ” It ’s tangy , it ’s fruity , it ’s fun . It ’s not just cerise , it’swildcherry . You ’ll see why when you grab a can .
Art deferred payment : Photographer : Sam Kang , Art Director : Kelly Millington
