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.

Fresh Faces

To celebrate more than thirty years of hip-hop music, Sprite has released its "Fresh Faces Series" cans available only this summer.

I got my hands on one of the six cans in the set.  They are 16 oz cans and feature a cool green brick wall in the background.  The gold band at the top is a nice touch, too.

The can I have is the one that lists the five artists being highlighted.  But the coolest cans are the other five, each showing one of the artists in the set.

You can read more about the promotion here. 

Call of Duty: BO4

Fall is getting close, which means another Call of Duty game is about to release.  This year's offering is the 4th installment of the Black Ops series, aka Black Ops IIII.

And as always, Monster energy drink is doing a promotion for the game with their Black Ops IIII branded cans.

Last weekend was the closed beta for those who have pre-ordered the game which featured a few multiplayer maps.  In a few weeks the next beta will be available, that one giving a sample of their battle royale mode.  And on October 12, the game will be released.

This can was given to me by a co-worker a couple of weeks ago.  I had no intention of getting the game, but as it draws nearer and the hype-train pulls out of the station, I'm starting to get an itchy trigger finger.

Recycling Day

I will begin this post by clarifying the cans mentioned in this story are NOT from my collection. 

As far back as 2015 I mentioned in a post that my kids decided to recycle cans they gathered for some extra money.  Word spread, friends and family started donating a can here, a can there, a bag here, a bag there...

And this was my garage a few days ago.  My parents had also started to keep cans to recycle and had a smaller pile of bags in the corner of their garage.  And with the possible purchase of another car soon, I needed my garage back.  So my dad loaded their bags on his trailer and came to my house where the kids loaded our bags on the trailer.  Then we took a family trip to the recycler.

We counted roughly 100 bags in total.  Almost all were aluminum cans, but there were about a dozen bags of tin cans people from church had brought to us.  The recycler said they took tin as well.

The main machine they used was this red beast.  The bags were emptied into the hopper on the right side (#1 in the pic).  A belt carried the cans up to the top and dropped them into rolling baskets (#2).  We filled more than a dozen of those baskets.  The rolling baskets were then gathered on a scale built into the floor (#3).  The white bags are the tin cans being weighed on the scale.  After the cans were weighed, the rolling baskets were rolled to a machine on the far right side of the pic (#4) and the can were dumped in and crushed.

It took quite a while.  It was a very hot and humid day.  The recycling place was filthy and the dirt road and parking lot were muddy from recent rain.  There were sweat bees and wasps buzzing us the whole time.  But the kids didn't mind any of that because at the end of the trip they had a check to split.

I forget the exact numbers, but we had over 200 pounds of aluminum @ $.45/pound and around 100 pounds of tin @ $.08/pound.  It was a pretty good day.  Each kid got over $55 and I got my garage back!

Epilogue: We are no longer in the can recycling business.

Alcohol @ Work?

Ok, that title might contain a little click-bait.

Recently I arrived at work and sitting on my desk was this can of Seagram's.

I've only known Seagram's to be an alcoholic drink, but upon closer inspection I noticed this was a can of ginger ale. Alcoholic cans often have very cool designs, and this looked like one of those.  But since it's ginger ale, it made its way into my collection.

And again this week I got to work to find this can of "beer" on my desk.

But it's ginger beer, not beer beer.  I Googled this particular brand and they only carry two flavors, this one and a diet ginger beer in a cool blue can.  I checked my collection and sure enough, I already have a Barritts can but that one is an older extruded steel can.

I love having variations of cans, and this is a good example of a can design not changing much in many, many years, but being just different enough to warrant keeping both cans.

This only leaves one question... when's Happy Hour?

Updates from This Week

Sure, I got some new cans for my collection this week.  But the ones I want to mention are updates to previous recent posts:

Update 1 - Michael Jackson Diet Pepsi

Update 2 - Coca-Cola summer cans

Update 3 - Diet Mist TWST

More to come...

Sierra Mist with a Twist

Maybe I've been under a rock.  Maybe I've had blinders on.  Maybe I just don't pay as much attention to soda as I could should.

Last week a co-worker brought a funky green can to my office.  The design looked like something from the Brady Bunch Hour back in 1976-77.  I noticed a small yellow lemon that said TWST.  Hmm, some new hipster beverage?  Then I saw it said Mist TWST.  A quick check with Google and I had all the answers.

PepsiCo's Sierra Mist came on the soda scene in 1999 and used high fructose corn syrup until 2010.  Then it became Sierra Mist Natural when they replaced the HFCS with sucrose, aka table sugar.  

In 2016, they reverted to the high fructose corn syrup and changed the name to Mist Twst.  And that's the can I was given.

But in breaking news, just this month they are returning to the 2010 formula using real sugar.  And they are changing the name once again to... Sierra Mist.

My head hurts.



7/27/18 UPDATE

Earlier this week someone from church dropped off a bag of cans for me to recycle.  I always check to see if there are any I need for my collection and what did I discover?  A Diet Mist TWST, just days after I wrote this post about the brand I'd never heard of.