Sweet Watermelon

The weather's been warmer here lately and I'm ready for spring.  On second thought, I'm ready for summer.  My sister put in and underground pool last year and I'm ready to go swimming.

And this can of watermelon soda makes me want it to be summer even more.  This is Kroger brand Mercado Sandia.  A quick Google translation shows this means "watermelon market".  Weird.

My daughter brought this to me from college on her last visit home.  Even hours away from home she's always on the lookout for a new can for me.  I guess I raised her right.

And in the background is a painting she did a few summers ago.  Que apropiada.

Another Code Red

I really like the new Mtn Dew can designs from the last few years.  This one is no exception.

It's the newest Code Red design.  And the can kind of tells a story.  On the left side of the logo there's a huge red dinosaur-beast monster that looks like he's about to attack with a giant cherry.  Or is he stealing them?

On the other side are the good guys coming to defend the cherry-laden city.  A red emergency light is flashing and air support is on its way in the form of a jet and helicopter.

It's obvious Code Red is a cherry-flavored soda, something you couldn't tell in previous designs (here and here).

I hate to say it, but I think the "monster" cherry taste is going to win this time.  (What?  I'm a dad)

Strawberries & Cream

My daughter came home from college for the weekend.  She brought a few cases of this because it's at the college she attends but not in this area yet.

Strawberries & Cream Dr Pepper.  Everyone who's had it so far has said it's very good.

There are some things they don't teach you in college, such as watching for new cans your dad may not have in his collection.  Looks I've taught her well...

Monster Trash

A while back I looked in a trash can at work and saw this heart-wrenching scene:

It was a Monster energy drink can I didn't have in my collection.  After putting on some gloves and making sure the coast was clear, I saved the can from it's terrible fate at the bottom of some landfill.  

The combination of black and yellow is one of my favorite color combos, so after a good cleaning at home this is the treasure I ended up with:

How funny is it that the top of the can says "Recover"?  I literally recovered it from the trash.  And it certainly went thru a "Rehab" on its journey from trash pile to can collection.

The back of the can is full of good information.  Most cans don't have this many icons.

And that's my Monster Trash story.  Inspiring, isn't it?  Go save a can today!

Stocking Stuffer

I usually don't collect bottles for my can collection, but I made an exception for this one.  

This was one of the items in my Christmas stocking last month.  It's Jelly Belly brand 7UP jelly beans.  It's a nice companion to the Jelly Belly drinks from last summer.

I could use a little snack.  Bottoms up!!

Fruit Quake

Yeah, I'm dragging Christmas out too long, but here's another new can I got during the holidays.

Mtn Dew has been releasing limited edition holiday flavors for a few years, and this year's flavor was Fruit Quake.  Yeah, a fruitcake-flavored drink.  I didn't try this, but I'm half-intrigued by the thought of it and half-disgusted.

And in case no one's said it lately... Merry Christmas!!!

Mtndew Christmas!

Another of the Christmas gifts I got this year was a Mtn Dew ornament.

And to show its size:

It's not a new addition to my can collection, but it's a good addition to my ornament collection.

Hello Christmas

Many posts for this blog can come from the gifts I received this year for Christmas, and I'm going to start with this one.

It was rather obvious this present was of the aluminum can variety, but who knew what was inside that wrapping paper?  My kids.  This was one of the gifts from them.

Hello Christmas!  I love novelty cans, and this Hello Kitty certainly falls into that category.  I don't drink soda, so not only did the kids have the pleasure of giving me a good gift but they'll also be the ones to drink it and let me know what they think.  The can will be bottom-opened, of course!

And this was just the beginning.  I look forward to dragging this holiday out for a few more weeks here on the blog.  It's the gift from me that keeps on giving...

M E R R Y

C H R I S T MA S

Polar Winter is Here

The weather here in the Midwest has turned a bit cooler lately, but in another week the temperature is supposed to drop to the single digits.  Not only is the first day of winter close, now it's feeling polar!

Speaking of Polar, this week I saw this delicious-looking can of raspberry pink lemonade Polar sparkling seltzer'ade and had to buy it!  It's a fancy can with its simplistic design, and the vibrant colors breathe a little warmth into the otherwise chilly feel of this season.

But most importantly, it tastes good!  

Low Sodium Trash

The annual inventory is currently underway where I work.  It involves a team of people (including myself) counting every piece of equipment and stock in the building.  And depending on what items I'm counting it may take me to areas I've never been before.

It was in one such new area that I glanced in the trash can and saw a pile of these earth-tone beauties:

This is definitely a newer design from the V8 cans I have in my collection, so with my gloves on I picked up the can on top of the pile and cleaned it thoroughly in the nearest restroom.

I am not a fan of vegetable juice, so there's no way I would even see this in the store and buy one.  But as a reward for doing such a great job during inventory, I'll take it!

The Yellow Wingcan

Mmmm, another yummy flavor of bubly sparkling water.

This one is pineapple and comes in an attention-grabbing bright yellow can.  I saw this at the store yesterday and realized I hadn't tried pineapple yet.  So now I've tried it and it's as good as I expected.

And as with all bubly flavors, there's a witty little saying on the side of this can.

"I feel the need, the need for speed bubly!"

Diet Thanksgiving

A few days ago it was Thanksgiving in the United States.  At one of the meals I noticed this:

A 16oz. Diet Coke can out in the wild.  I was quick to ask if they were going to keep the can.  And they were even quicker to reply, "No".

So I walked away with a full belly and a new can for my collection.

Anyone Want Ice Coffee?

We woke up yesterday to our first snow of the season, which provided a nice backdrop for this week's new can.

This is my second Coca-Cola coffee can, the first one being Vanilla-flavored.  This one is Dark Blend.  And as with the first, I didn't drink this but someone just saved their empty can for me.

There is a third flavor, Caramel.  So now I'll just wait till someone drinks that and gives me the can since I don't care for flavored coffee.  I prefer my coffee like a Coke Zero can... black!

Winter Spiced Can

I stopped by someone's house a few days ago and noticed this can on their table.  And now the can is mine.

Halloween was just a couple of days past when this holiday-themed can already appeared in stores.  This is winter spiced cranberry Sprite.  I'm not a fan of cranberry so I didn't taste this one, but I've heard this has great flavor.

And with this limited edition can already in my hands, the holiday season of can collecting is off to a good start.  Now to watch for those cans with turkeys on them!

AHA, A Good Treat

My family holds an annual autumn weenie roast and this year's was just a couple days ago.

It was good food and a good time.  And I walked away with a bowl of good candy.

I also got a new can of AHA sparkling water; Pineapple + Passionfruit.

This is another good flavor from AHA.  No trick here, only a good treat.

Dreamworld

I gave someone a ride yesterday and when they got in the car they handed this to me:

It's the new limited edition Coca-Cola Creations drink called Dreamworld.  This is the small 7.5oz version.  Although the can claims it's "dream flavored" they didn't think so.  And they aren't the first person to tell me they're not a fan.

Google says it has a fruity candy smell, like Skittles mixed with Coca-Cola, but the taste is more of a citrus flavor.  I read one comment online that said they thought it was similar to Marshmello's limited edition Coke.

Regardless of whether the taste is a dream or a nightmare, the can is cool!

AHA, I've Discovered a Great Flavor

This was found at a local store:

And it's good.  This is AHA brand of sparkling water.  And the flavor is a delicious blackberry lemon.  What caught my attention are the complementary colors of yellow and purple, you don't see those on a can very often.

I'm a big fan of lemonade, especially when other flavors are combined with it.  There are a few flavors that shouldn't be mixed with lemonade, but this is one that works.  And I don't think I have many blackberry-flavored beverage cans in my collection.

Plus, with no sweeteners and no sodium this is a no-brainer of a drink.  Try it.

And More Oranges

Last week I got a can for another orange-based-flavor...

Clear American is a Cott Beverages Inc brand of sparkling water sold at Walmart.  It's one of the better-tasting sparkling water brands, in my opinion.

After my post about Mango Orange Sunkist last week, it was funny to get this mandarin orange can.  But I can assure you next week's post will be about a can that has nothing to do with oranges.

Orange you glad this is the last post about oranges for a while?

When Life Gives You Oranges

Yesterday I took a small road trip and went to several flea markets.  In a back room at of one of them were some beer cans for sale.  And by "some" I mean many, many.  And by "many, many" I mean a ton of beer cans.  But no soda cans.

But that's ok because I still ended up with a new can; mango orange Sunkist.

 

Like my great-grand-uncle-in-law used to say:  "When life gives you oranges make mango orange Sunkist."

Very Cherry

This week was a cherry week.  Two new cans to show:

One can is the new Cherry Coca-Cola design.  The other is cherry-flavored bubly.  

And as bubly cans always have a funny saying on them, so does this one: