The results are in on the final round of the Workplace Root Beer Showdown. After two rounds totaling 23 different brews, winners Frostie (Round 1, twelve points) and Abita (Round 2, twelve points) went head-to-head in a blind taste test. Fifteen of us sampled, and by the closest of margins Frostie got 8 votes to Abita’s 7. Next up: Grape Sodas including:

NuGrape
Boylan
Grape Crush
Shasta
Rock Creek
Uva-Va
Goya
Stewart’s
Salvavidas Uva
Welch’s
Tropicana Twister
?

Frostie...for the win!

For the heck of it, throw some Grapette from Walmart, some Grape Nehi and Fanta Grape in for the next taste test.

[ 07-15-2006, 02:21 AM: Message edited by: 01GTB ]

I wouldn't be surprised to see Tropicana Twister grape to take a high ranking in this one.

Grapette, nooooooooo no, Orangette sucked, why would'nt this stuff, lol
Finally found Grape Nehi, thanks Fusion;
So add Nehi to our list;
Still looking for M.F. Jones(Grape)
and yes Fanta will be included also, thanks.
DJ, I think Nehi in bottle or Welch's in bottle will come up on top, We will see..

You MUST be Grapico in the running! It's the best as far I'm concerned! If you don't have it, I can send you a bottle or can, for a trade of course [img]smile.gif[/img]

We have Grape Chek too (Winn-Dixie store brand)

Store brand grape sodas,,,,,no thanks,
we have had our share & experience of that,
no no thanks, lol
Trade? Like what?

It is nice that we are on a grape talk,
but about reactions to the root-beer challenge?

http://www.grapette.com/

Grapette isnt a "store brand" - it was a popular regional soda in the south in the 40's through the 60's and then fell on hard times, until Wal-Mart licenced it and had Cott bottle it. I think it deserves a shot in your contest.

I'm afraid Grapette would be a tough sell on the workplace soda tasting crew. The Orangette that was included in the Orange Soda Challenge was so dreadfully inferior to the others I don't think I could talk them into trying its grape counterpart. Thanks for the suggestions, but with the inclusion of Grape Nehi and Fanta, we have reached the 12 soda maximum for a single round test.

That's too bad. I personally do not know how you could have a grape soda taste test without it. I guess I thought these were blind taste tests But it seems to be already prejudged based on the fact you know people would hate it because it is related to Orangette. Or maybe because it has the Sam's logo on it.

I'm not a big grape soda drinker, so maybe I don't qualify. But I personally think Grapette absolutely blows Fanta out of the water. At least it has some character.

[ 07-18-2006, 08:06 PM: Message edited by: 01GTB ]

I don't think there is enough brand loyalty and preconceived notions about grape sodas to make a blind test necessary. We found that to be true in the orange and root beer tests, where the industry giants were beaten out by smaller labels. Remember - we're 10-15 guys/gals doing this at work as a social diversion, not some research firm looking for results we can sell to the industry. All that being said, we did do the cola test and the root beer final blind. Our problem (more than anything) is one of capacity. 12 sodas @ 2 oz. per = 24 ounces of soda. We've found that 12 is about as many as we can do without running into the "groan factor". I think we actually have 13 at this point and may have to drop one. I'm not sure Grapette as No. 14 is advisable, but I'll take a poll of the regulars and see if they are willing to do 14 in a single sitting. If not, Grapette and Shasta (another poor brand performer based on past tests) are going to be left off.