Cola Challenge: Coke, Pepsi & Shasta
I was walking out of the dollar store with my little purchase and heard the cashier say to the next customer behind me, “Shatsa, huh?”. I stopped in my tracks and pivoted to turn back towards the drink section.
I thought Shasta was long gone but it may be a regional think like Mellow Yellow.
I bought my 4-pack of Shasta and stopped at a mini-mart on the way home for a Coke and a Pepsi for evaluation.
Coke:
As I probably have mentioned before, Ethan is a huge Coke fan and I’m a Pepsi girl, somehow we are happily married, but I knew we would both probably be biased so no big surprise that Ethan enjoyed the Coke and stated it’s a “good, solid cola”. Although he finds that Coke in a can has some sort of faint aftertaste that is not present in bottled Coke. I think Coke is good, I’m not one of those people that act like their world is turned upside down when a server asks them “is Coke okay?”. It’s a decent cola product.
Pepsi:
Without thinking about the name I actually thought “this has extra ‘pep’ to it”. Ethan thinks Pepsi is a “semi-tone higher pitch” than Coke. Seems slightly sweeter too. There is just something about Pepsi this is subtly more interesting. I don’t know what it is but I just like it.
Shasta:
Shasta was surprisingly watery compared to the previous two. The cola flavor was much less intense and was a little soapy or something. We kept trying to find adjectives for this but it was just so void of flavor and substance that we just kept looking at each other and srugging our shoulders.
Wrap up:
Coke and Pepsi definitely are more substantial colas. After that I think it just depends on your blood type or something which one appeals to you more. Shasta unfortunately was not the treasure I was hoping it would be and because of it’s flavor deficiency, we agreed it was the second rate version of the two better known colas.
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May 18th, 2009 at 10:32 pm
Maybe because it was ancient Dollar Store Shasta? Most brands manufacture to a lower standard for deep-discount stores like dollar general and dollar tree. Or they just get their old crap from who knows where. Should try this again with HEB cola and Sams Cola too though!
May 19th, 2009 at 1:36 am
I agree with jdeuel. You should compare Coke and Pepsi to other store brands. I find Sams cola compares favorably to Coke, while Kroger cola reminds me of Pepsi.
May 19th, 2009 at 2:24 am
Have you tried Pepsi Throwback?
May 19th, 2009 at 2:51 am
i’m definitely a Coke girl at heart, but i’m hooked on the Pepsi Throwback. definitely give it a try - soon, though, since it’s only available for the summer.
May 19th, 2009 at 1:53 pm
Ooh, I can’t wait. I heard that Pepsi throwback was coming but I haven’t seen it yet. I’ll be on the look out!
May 20th, 2009 at 5:52 am
Nothing’s better than an ice cold can of coke! But when there’s a choice between fountain coke and diet pepsi, I always have to get the diet pepsi. There’s just something about it that tastes sooo good!!
May 20th, 2009 at 4:45 pm
Coke in a can or via the fountain at my local pizza shop helped me survive the last trimester of my pregancy. But I like Coke Zero better from a bottle than a can, even though I prefer regular Coke from a can and not a bottle. WTH?
May 21st, 2009 at 9:10 pm
I recently have tried all three, because I was in California where Shasta is made! I like Shasta, because that what we drank as kids, but most of the time I’m a Coke girl. Although, I do acknowledge that Pepsi is cool, because they did black advertising way before Coke was thinking about it. *steps off soapbox*
May 23rd, 2009 at 12:48 am
There´s nothing better than Coke, preferably if it comes from a 20oz plastic bottle… Coke is my favorite by far!
May 23rd, 2009 at 12:49 am
Oh and by the way, could you do a choco-chips cookie rate… that would be good to read.
May 27th, 2009 at 3:44 pm
I hope the Pepsi Throwback idea catches on, and Coke offers a sugar version soon. I’ve always been partial to Pepsi, except when I’m mixing with Bourbon. Then it’s Coke.
June 6th, 2009 at 1:11 am
I’m a Pepsi person at heart, as well. Pepsi and Coke started tasting a lot more alike when Pepsi switched to corn syrup, so I was saddened by that. The remaining key difference from what I understand is that Coke uses orange as its citrus note, while Pepsi uses lemon.
June 23rd, 2009 at 6:18 pm
I never liked Shasta cola! I liked Shasta’s other flavors such as lime and orange. Shasta cola tastes like watered down Pepsi cola. The best tasting cola has to be Coke and its other flavor variations. My favorite is Coke and Lime.
July 7th, 2009 at 4:33 am
Shasta Cola is not sold enough to test with these. Even though Sam’s Cola is a store brand, I think you all should test it with coke and pepsi.
July 28th, 2009 at 3:37 pm
RC Cola should have been put in the mix. It’s hard to find but a lot of people prefer it over coke or pepsi!
August 12th, 2009 at 6:00 pm
pepsi,coke not as refreshing,it original main ingrediant was cocaine
August 24th, 2009 at 4:17 pm
If you ever do a diet cola run-down, I would totally suggest Safeway brand (or whatever supermarket name Safeway goes by in Mass…) diet cola. Haven’t tried their full-calorie, but for my money, their diet is the best in the game. Although I’ll grant that that’s because it’s super-ultra-almost-painfully carbonated, which might be more appealing to me than to most, because I’m a total carbonation freak.
September 12th, 2009 at 6:49 pm
I am a Pepsi girl but Coke is fine too. I think Pepsi tastes a bit more carbonated to me and it has a little bite which I love. Though I prefer Cheery Coke to Cherry Pepsi. Strange…
October 16th, 2009 at 11:51 pm
Agree with Russell above: Royal Crown Cola. Two of us in the small office where I work prefer RC. I just don’t buy it very often.
In fact, the last time was about, say, four years ago after I had a violent adverse reaction to some mushrooms (everybody else was fine — it was just me), the only things I felt like eating for a week were Zagnut bars and RC Cola.
I shun Coca-Cola. To me, it is just out-and-out awful.
October 23rd, 2009 at 11:08 pm
i like pepsi better just like a said with the mountain dew mello yello comparison mtn dew is from pepsi why do you think i said that. coka cola is ok and shasta ive never had it you should try rc thats royal crown from dr pepper/7up but any way pepi is the best depite the fact im from the south
November 15th, 2009 at 2:08 am
ooh ooh yes take sam’s choice, gt cola, and faygo
that would be interesting
November 15th, 2009 at 2:09 am
wait no not gt cola, I meant royal crown, my bad
gt cola is oke though
December 25th, 2009 at 4:57 am
While mostly drinking Coke products now(my roommates are so stuck on it now it’s ridiculous), I started with Pepsi, and will always be a “Pepsi Man” myself. Regarding the “Can versus Bottle” question, I would have to go with the can, hands down. Simply because I’ve always loved the fact that you can’t get that same “icy cold rush of carbonation” that you can get if you pop open a can, and slam it back all of a sudden, when you drink out of a bottle.
Not to mention the simple fact of the cost difference between the two…lol
January 17th, 2010 at 12:14 am
I can’t even vote for this! Because I go in between the two for my favorite! I don’t drink soda often, but when I’m craving a cola…it will be either for one or the other! Either I’ll crave the lemony bite of Pepsi or the sweet, syrupy Coca Cola. Either way, aren’t we blessed we can rely on these companies to deliver safe, quality products consistently? Unlike companies in some other countries.
March 18th, 2010 at 1:38 am
If there is one place left on earth where you can get Coke,Mtn.Dew,and a variety of fruit flavored sodas along with randomly assorted rootbeer and cream sodas it’s the Old 52 Store in Sabin,MN. Getting back to this though, Coke is often found around my house, and so does most of the Shasta flavors, usually something other than cola. You might see Pepsi about twice a year,and even then it doesn’t last long. And that is because I’m practically the only person in the family who drinks Pepsi. That being said, it isn’t usually really Pepsi or any form of it. If Pepsi products are in my house,it’s usually either Mtn.Dew or Pepsi Max. That being said,I have a question that you can all blab away at. How many of you consider any soda that is brown a cola who isn’t me? i.e. Coke,Dr.Thunder,Pepsi Max Cease Fire,and Pibb Xtra. Go ahead. Respond. Blab away.
April 30th, 2010 at 10:41 pm
OK,so why do you think Shasta is second rate? I’ve only had it every so often and it seems fine. Then again,Coke,Pepsi,RC,or any other cola aren’t usually around the house when there is Shasta in the house. And besides,I’m sure you’ll be happier when you try comparing Shasta to other sodas,specifically in something other than cola. (i.e. Cream Soda,Root Beer,Ginger Ale,etc.) Try an A&W vs Shasta Cream Soda battle and you might be more pleased with Shasta. It’s not that bad once its been in your house multiple times during the course of the year.