The Swiss Monster

This Monster energy coffee can, given to me yesterday, is now one of my favorite Monster cans in my collection.

It's a Swiss Chocolate flavored coffee, so the mountain behind the "M" and the coats of arms that run down both sides are very appropriate.

It definitely has the look of a can from Switzerland (with a little assumption on my part).  I love all the coats of arms on the can.  They add to the Swissness.

And with this morning's fog, it was the perfect time to feature this Swiss Monster.

Two New 16oz.

Two new 16oz cans from the last few weeks...

I did a post on my first three Bang cans back in December 2017.  

Now let's see what this week will bring.

One More Holiday Can

I've had this for a few weeks, but I thought I'd post pics of 2018's Sprite holiday can since I've already posted about Mtn Dew Merry Mash-Up, Coca-Cola's holiday can, and a couple Coca-Cola ornaments I got for Christmas.

 

I really like the design of snowflakes in what looks like carbonation bubbles. 

But it also reminds me of the old pixelated 8-bit video game sprites.  And yes, that wordplay was intentional. 

Now that the Christmas holiday season has passed, we have a little breather before we start seeing special edition Fourth of July cans.  But I'll be ready...

Another New Vintage Can

The last few years has had its share of vintage-designed cans from 7UP, Pepsi, Mtn Dew, and others.  A few weeks ago I found another can from that group.

This one is RC.  The main differences in this and its older design are the "Me and My" above the RC and the 1905 establishment date under the logo.











One of my oldest RC cans is this straight steel, pull top can from the 1970's featuring the RC-in-a-white-circle design.

Another is this 1987 aluminum can featuring a UCLA ad on the back.















So let's keep the new old designs coming...

Finally a Find

Last weekend I hit the road for a one-day road trip exploring antique malls and flea markets in the surrounding area.  It's not hard to find a lot of beer cans for sale at those places, but soda cans are usually a rare find.  But I finally hit a small jackpot tucked away under a shelf in a dark, cold corner of one of the shops.

There were no real treasures here, but I did see quite a few cans I knew I didn't have.  In the lot was one Budweiser beer can, so I added that to a large box of beer cans I got when I bought a lot of 700+ soda cans from a Craigslist ad a few years ago.

And the sign was correct, it was 22 cans for $2.95.  The cans were very dusty, some still had dark liquids and bugs in them, and a couple had dents that needed popped out, but overall it was a good haul.

Now they've been thoroughly cleaned up and look good as new and I look forward to featuring some of them in the coming weeks. 

Coca-Cola Ornaments

It's a little hard to believe, but after nearly eight years of collecting soda cans I just got my first soda-related Christmas ornaments last week.

My daughter got these two Coca-Cola ornaments for me as part of my Christmas gift from her.  They are covered with a frosty layer, I assume to make them look ice cold and tempting.  Or it could be to glitter in the lights among the dozens of other ornaments on the tree.

Regardless, these little beauties will now join all the Star Wars and Disney and Marvel (hmm, those are all the same company now) ornaments on the tree each year.

As they say, have a Coke and a smile.  Or two.

The Fruit Is Real

There has been a change in Crush can designs that may have happened a while ago, but I just saw it this week. 

A co-worker brought a strawberry Crush can to me and said, "You've probably got this one, but here you go."  Crush doesn't often change their design, so I told him, "I probably do have it but I'll check."  And when I checked, that's when I realized I didn't have this design yet.

New design

The difference is above the word "Crush."  This new can shows actual strawberries, as opposed to the older design which showed orange slices.  In fact, it didn't matter what flavor the soda was, the old design always showed the orange slice above the word "Crush."

Old design

Another difference is the splash behind the entire logo.  The old splash was a rounded, cartoony kind of splash.  The new design is a bit more "realistic" with a more liquid look to it.

I've confirmed on the Crush website that cherry and grape also show their respective fruit, but all other flavors seem to still show the orange slice.  How fruity.

2018 Coca-Cola Holiday Can

Christmas is almost here...  And I finally got the 2018 Coca-Cola Holiday can.

I find the design a bit minimalist with just the big red dot behind the Coca-Cola font and dark red and green stripes behind that.  But the can does somewhat remind me of a candy cane, so if that's what they were going for it worked.

There's also a "sip & scan" logo on the side of the can.  So I followed the instructions and went to the website on my phone and it was a page explaining Coca-Cola will donate five cents for each can scanned between 10/19/18 and 12/28/19 to Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, up to $100,000.

As of the writing of this post they are at 75% of their goal.  So make sure you go out and scan your cans.  There's only a couple weeks left to reach the goal.

Merry Christmas

Shasta Party

We have some new flavors of soda at work: orange, lemon lime, grape, and tiki punch.  These are the Shasta cans I brought home for my collection.

White Grape Peach

Someone gave this can to me a few weeks ago.  Unfortunately they had already drank it.  I was thankful for the new can for my collection, but this flavor sounds awesome!  I'm pretty sure this is the first white grape peach flavored drink in my collection.

Merry Mash-Up

Last week we had our first real snow of the season.  It was enough to cancel school, so we took the opportunity to get a jump on Christmas this year and we put up the Christmas tree and decorated the house.  Now Thanksgiving weekend will be a bit more pleasant since we don't have to do all that decorating "work."

And the tree was the perfect backdrop for my newest can... Mtn Dew Merry Mash-Up.  I had no idea this limited edition flavor existed until someone gave me a can.  And it's full, so I'll get to taste it, too.

This is a cranberry-pomegranate mash-up, two flavors I'm not a big fan of to begin with.  But who knows?  Maybe the combination of the two will be wonderful.

And with Christmas out of the way, now it's time for Thanksgiving!!  Bring on the buffet...

Destiny 2: Forsaken

I've mentioned a few times on this blog I'm a fan of the video game Destiny.  And Destiny 2.  So I was happy to get a Rockstar can with a Destiny 2: Forsaken promotion on it.  This is the first big expansion for the game, which released on Sept 6, 2017. 

Along the top of the can it mentions it's a Collectors Edition Can, but what I didn't notice until later is on the side it says this is can #3 of 8.  Wow.  Should the hunt begin?

And during this weekend's BlizzCon, it was announced the base Destiny 2 game is available for free on PC thru Blizzard's Battlenet.  Although I bought it on PS4 at release, I now also have it on the PC.

I'm not sure which is more fun, collecting Destiny cans or collecting the game on different gaming platforms...

The White Dragon

One of the coolest looking cans in my collection: Monster White Dragon Tea.  I love the black and purple on white.

There's an awesome Chinese dragon down one side of it, partially hidden by a text box with a history white tea.

And the other side has Chinese characters, of which I have no idea what it says.  Possibly "White Dragon Tea?"

Monster cans have had some of my favorite designs and looks in the last few years, and this was shot right to the top.  Keep 'em coming...

New Ski

Ski has not had many design changes since it was created in the 1950's.  I have a steel can from the 70's and a some aluminum cans consisting of the regular flavor, diet, and UltraRed (their cherry citrus flavor), but they all have the same two Ski logos as above.

So I was surprised to see this can sitting on my desk one day at work.

I had to do a double-take to make sure I saw that right.  Ski had a new design?

Checking the Ski Soda Wiki, it said cans with the REALS started showing up in 2009.  Where have I been?  Anyway, this design now sits with the other two designs in my collection.

Come back in 2043 when I discuss Ski's 4th logo design...

Pacific Pop

Fall weather has arrived in the Midwest.  But just a few days ago, the temperature was in the 90's which is WAY too hot for October.  And now, we're in the 50's with rain.  When I got this Monster Pacific Punch can, the theme was appropriate.  But now one may look back on the balmy days of last weekend and wish they were on a Pacific island away from this gloomy, dreary weather.  But not me, I love this!!!

But I'll feature this can anyway.  One side of the can has a little story about the drink, claiming the flavor is as deep and wide as the Pacific Ocean.  That's big flavor.

Also on that side of the can there's a nice graphic of a sailing ship and a large anchor, very "oceany."  On the other side is a mermaid and shark, which I believe is the first can in my collection to feature a mermaid.  Or a shark.

Last weekend when I got the can, we also used some Calypso Sands scented wax cubes in our wax burner to give the house an island-smelling atmosphere.

Oh, but that was last week.  This weekend is jackets and umbrellas.  Do they make a wet leaf scent for wax burners?

There's Passion In My Collection

I've posted about short road trips to Evansville, IN, before and the cans I did and didn't find.  Here is another such post.

I just got back from scouring the Evansville flea markets and antique malls and was surprised to see so many soda cans today.  I already have most of them, but there were a few I didn't have.  But at $5-$10 each, I just couldn't pay that for another Coca-Can with just a local ad on it.  Or a $10 soda can from another country.  And then I saw a can sitting on a shelf that jumped right out and said, "Buy me" and I said, "Ok!"

The can was a straight steel, pull top can of Purple Passion.  The Purple Passion I've heard of is alcoholic, but this can clearly states it's a "blended berry soda."  The best part was I had never heard of or seen this can before.  A rare find for me.

I cautiously turned the can over to see how much it was and to my surprise it was only $2.50.  SOLD!!

It's clearly from the 1970's.  I've found several sources online that list it from 1970-1975, so it was possibly one of those soda brands that stuck around for a few years and just never changed it's design.  

This picture doesn't do the can's colors justice.  In real life it's bright and vibrant, almost like something Jimi Hendrix would have requested backstage at his concerts.  Along the seam it says "By Canada Dry Corporation," so it was a specialty flavor of that brand.

The passion for collecting really returned today when I saw this can.  It's the first one I've bought in a while, but I'm sure it won't be the last.

Slim Mist

I was hard at work today when a co-worker came into my office with this slim Sierra Mist can.  It was still cold, had icy water drops sliding down the side of the awesomely green/yellow ombre can.

I wanted to pop it open and pour it down my gullet, but I had just eaten and was full.  So now it sits in my fridge at home waiting for a thirsty moment to arise.

And it's made with real sugar, so I know it's gonna be good.

End of Summer

Today is the first day of fall.  And here in the Midwest the clouds moved in, delivering a cold rain and leaving chilly temps behind.

But before I mention a summer can, I will tell of my trip to a local antique mall today.  As usual, I didn't see many soda cans at all.  And I'm pretty sure I already have the ones I did see.  But there were plenty of bottles to be found...

I did find some non-alcoholic O'Doul's cans, but they were in the shape of an old car.

So I chose to mention the Red Bull Summer Edition can a co-worker brought to me last week.  I posted in July 2014 about the first Summer Edition can Red Bull released.  Since then I've collected a few others, but there are just too many brands and collections to keep up with.

Although the website lists the Summer Edition to be Coconut Twist flavor, this one is Coconut Berry, which sounds absolutely terrible to me since I don't like coconut flavor.  But I like the matte white finish over the silver of the can.  It's a great-looking can for such a bad-sounding flavor.

Oh, and I welcome fall!!!!

Dews and Don'ts

Today's post will feature some recent citrus drink cans I've collected...

We'll start with the "real" one, the Mtn Dew Ice.  I didn't drink this, someone else did and gave the can to me.  But it appears to be their version of 7Up or Sprite.  The website says it's a clear, refreshing drink.  I'll have to take their word for it.

Next up is the Wal-Mart brand version of Mtn Dew called Mountain Lightning.  Again, someone else drank this and gave the empty can to me.  Most cheaper sodas with "Mountain" in the name are obvious clones of Mtn Dew, so that's how I'm classifying this one.












And finally we have a Big K branded soda called Citrus Drop.  I found this can on the side of the road, so the colors are a bit faded and the can needed cleaned up.  Big K used to have a flavor called "Lemon Lime," which I assume was a 7Up/Sprite clone.  But this sounds like it could also be that... or a Mtn Dew clone. 









Three cans, three different brands, from three different sources, yet they all seem somehow related in their flavors.  Who says we have too much choice nowadays?   :)

Guarana Antarctica

I got this can a couple of years ago from a lady who used to live in Brazil.  And it's about time to pop it open and taste it!

After a Google search, this is a Guarana-flavored soft drink with a mild apple flavor and berry aftertaste.










So what is a Guarana?  After another Google search I learned it's a climbing plant in the maple family whose fruit seed is about the size of a coffee bean... with about twice the caffeine as a coffee bean.




This drink was created in 1921 and is still going strong today.  An energy drink from yesteryear.