Big Red Zero
(Source: Artwork via Big Red; Photo Manipulation by BevReview)

Per Becky Ozuna at Big Red, Big Red Zero will be replacing the current Diet Big Red offering. The press materials state that "we've tweaked our diet formula to bring you the sweet, smooth Big Red taste you know and love… with zero calories."

Diet Big Red vs. Big Red Zero
(Source Images: Big Red. Comparison by BevReview)

When you compare the ingredient lists side-by-side, you'll note there are differences. Probably the most obvious is that while Diet Big Red was artificially sweetened by sucralose and Ace-K, new Big Red Zero features 3 sweeteners: sucralose, Ace-K, and aspartame.

Big Red Zero
Carbonated water, citric acid, natural and artificial flavors, sucralose, sodicum benzoate, caffeine, malic acid, Red 40, acesulfame potassium, aspartame, phosphoric acid, and acacia gum

For a 20 oz. bottle, there are 0 calories, 30 mg sodium, and 0 g carbs (0 g sugars).

Diet Big Red
Carbonated water, sucralose, natural and artificial flavor, caffeine, sodium benzoate, Red 40, malic acid, and acesulfame potassium

For a 20 oz. bottle, there are 0 calories, 50 mg sodium, and 0 g carbs (0 g sugars).

Of course, we've never reviewed Diet Big Red, so unfortunately we are unable to perform a side-by-side flavor test to see which is the preferred taste. No doubt you'll have to discover this on your own.

Production can next to the Beverage Tree

Having been sent production samples, the full artwork and labeling was not in place, though those were provided separately. Through the magic of Photoshop, we've situated a can of Big Red Zero near our famous "Beverage Tree". It looks a lot better than a generic silver can, that's for sure!

Of note is that Zero borrows from the established color of "Zero" drinks that Coke first popularized: black. This is a nice branding improvement from the look/feel of Diet Big Red. It's not exactly innovative, but the message is clearly understood.

Production can samples of Big Red Zero

So that's the market positioning of Big Red Zero. How about the taste? Our original review of high fructose corn syrup-sweetened Big Red described the drink as follows:

Your beginning sip is subdued, but as Big Red washes over your tongue, the extreme sweetness of the drink really stands out. At this point, the bubble gum-ness of the taste becomes apparent as it flows off into a sweet aftertaste. It's syrupy overall, attributed to the non-natural flavor selection and the use of high fructose corn syrup. Overall, the experience is about what you would expect from a red creme soda-type flavor. Very sweet, gum-like, and syrupy.

With this as our basis, I wanted to see how the Zero version compared, especially for those looking to shave calories from their beverage consumption.

The first sip of Zero is pretty much on par with the original. Very sweet. The initial flavor (red creme, bubble gum) was also present. And then that expected artificial sweetener aftertaste kicked in. I'd say it's quite noticeable if you aren't familiar with the taste and texture of diet beverages. If your mouth has already been desensitized to such things, then you are really going to love Big Red Zero, because the flavor profile is pretty accurate. It's the tradeoff you get when you go the diet route, unfortunately (something even the newer stevia-sweetened drinks haven't perfected).

If you are a standard Big Red connoisseur and jump over to Big Red Zero, it may be more shocking for you, as is typically the case with a full calorie vs. no calorie drink comparison. Big Red has such a unique flavor already, so my gut is that we're going to have polar opposites who either love or hate this new rendition. There will be no middle ground.

For a zero calorie drink, Big Red Zero lives up to the name of the original. Heck, it even still packs a lot of caffeine at 3.12 mg/oz. The use of sucralose, Ace-K, and aspartame is hard to miss, but if you can overcome the artificial sweetener perceptions, than you are in for a treat.

Official Website: BigRed.com

We reviewed Big Red not that long ago, and found that its passionate fans often disagreed with our take that it had a "strawberry bubble gum" flavor. Hey, that's fine! I think we'll all agree that Big Red's marketing angle that it's "Different" is valid. How you describe what that actually means seems to lead to much debate. The Retro take on Big Red adds yet another layer of flavor interest around the drink.

(Source Images: Big Red. Comparison by BevReview)

Retro is available in 20 oz plastic bottles, 12 oz cans, or the version we sampled, 12 oz glass bottles. All but the glass bottle version note that this is a "Retro" flavor, complete with more nostalgic-themed graphics packages. (Kudos for printing directly on the glass bottle vs. using a cheap sticker!) As we typically associate with these types of premium-priced products, the callout of "Real Sugar" is advertising the differentiator. However, just like Pepsi/Dew does with their Throwbacks, Retro doesn't quite define what "real sugar" means. Is it cane sugar? Beet sugar? A combination? While it doesn't say on the packaging, the press release for Retro Big Red states that it's made with pure cane sugar.

I'd argue the flavor profile of Retro Big Red is pretty close to the original. As noted in our first review, "you can definitely smell that bubble gum/strawberry scent. As for the flavor, your beginning sip is subdued, but as Big Red washes over your tongue, the extreme sweetness of the drink really stands out. At this point, the bubble gum-ness of the taste becomes apparent as it flows off into a sweet aftertaste."

The primary difference is in the aftertaste and overall "cleaness" of the drink. Regular Big Red, sweetened with high fructose corn syrup, really felt syrupy and fake. The flavor hung negatively with you long after you sipped. Big Red has a very sweet flavor already, so that's going to stick around, but with the use of cane sugar, it's more of a crisp "cutoff," if that makes any sense. Flavor is there, then it cleanly fades away. Thus, we'd argue that the primary Big Red flavor profile is still present, with vast improvement on the finish.

Retro Big Red
Carbonated water, sugar, natural & artificial flavor, Red 40, citric acid and caffeine

Our 12 oz bottle contains 150 calories, 30 mg sodium, and 38 g carbs (38 g sugars). Caffeine content breaks down to 3.12 mg/oz, or 38 mg for the entire bottle.

Official Website: BigRed.com

The blue-colored take arrived in 2008. Looking at the packaging, you aren't told what it's supposed to taste like. Is it berry? Some sort of raspberry? Maybe it tastes like blue ketchup! The packaging design follows the sample simple "splash" motif introduced with Big Red (and no doubt, will be revised to reflect the updated logo/look that arrived in 2011).

Open up the bottle and you are greeted by a sweet smell, like creme soda. We described Big Red as "red creme soda with a strawberry bubble gum flavor." Taking a sip of Big Blue, it's probably more like a pure creme soda, minus the bubble gum part. While the drink is still very sweet, it doesn't taste as syrupy-sweet like Big Red (even though, per the Nutrition Facts, it actually contains more sugars). My wife remarked that it reminded her somewhat of cotton candy. Overall, it would seem that the blue coloring doesn't really indicate flavor, because there doesn't appear to be a berry-like essence in this soft drink.

(Source: US Patent and Trademark Office)

One indication of this drink's "description" might be found in the trademark filings with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Alongside the official trademark for "Big Blue" (#77385043), there is an abandoned filing by Big Red for "Big Blue Cream Soda". (#77443343). Maybe they didn't like branding the drink as a "Cream Soda" and wanted to keep the flavor mysterious. (Incidentally, I also found a trademark filing for "Big Red vs. Big Blue" (#77787590). Some sort of contest? A combination drink? Deathmatch?)

In general, I feel that Big Blue is more subdued when compared to Big Red, and in doing so, tastes predictably more like what you'd expect from a cream soda. The blue color is really misleading, as drinking it blindly would not really hint at the color. The drink is substantially sweet, but not substantially special. Try it out of curiosity, but then find something better.

Big Blue
Carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, sodium benzoate (preservative), citric acid, artificial flavor, caffeine, and Blue 1

A 20 oz. bottle contains 325 calories, 75 mg sodium, and 80 carbs (80 sugars). Caffeine content is 3.15 mg/oz, or 63 mg for the entire bottle.

Big Red was created in 1937 as a type of red creme soda, originally under the name Sun Tang Red Cream Soda. The drink was first produced in Waco, TX. While it's been around a while, it hasn't had the national recognition and footprint that other beverages have enjoyed, especially outside of its home in the South.

Believe it or not, Big Red Inc. is actually the 8th largest carbonated soft drink company in the United State (per Beverage Digest, "Top-10 CSD Results for 2010"). If you are curious, slots 1-6 are owned by Coke, Pepsi, Dr Pepper Snapple, Cott, National Beverage, Hansen's, and Red Bull.

The company is independent, though Dr Pepper Snapple Group purchased a minority interest in 2008, and is currently Big Red's largest distributor, handling around 80% of the company's volume (per DPSG press release). Joining Big Red are other flavors, such as Big Blue, Big Peach, and Big Pineapple.

The parent company also has a few divisions, one of which is All Sport, the sports drink brand once created by Pepsi and then later sold when PepsiCo got their hands on Gatorade via purchase of Quaker Oats. Another division, North American Beverages Products, cranks out NuGrape, Nesbitt's, and other soft drink brands, which were acquired by Big Red in 1999. In that same year, Big Red made a $7.95 million offer to buy Jones Soda, which was later rejected.

(Source Images: Big Red. Comparison by BevReview)

Earlier this year, Big Red went through a packaging redesign to update their look (and frankly, they didn't change much). They also launched an ad campaign called "Tastes Good To Be Different," including their first television commercials in over 25 years. The TV ads are running in Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Houston, Indianapolis, and Tampa. It's obvious they are trying to get the word out to growing markets.

(Source: Big Red)

The bottle of Big Red used for this review still featured the older packaging design, but the stuff inside tastes the same. The red creme soda elements harken back to other bubble gum-like flavors we've reviewed, including Jones Blue Bubble Gum Soda, Barq's Red Creme Soda, and Pop Goes the Bubble Soda. Upon twisting off the cap of the 20 oz bottle I had, you can definitely smell that bubble gum/strawberry scent, specifically that type of gum that had a powdery residue inside the wrapper.

As for the flavor, your beginning sip is subdued, but as Big Red washes over your tongue, the extreme sweetness of the drink really stands out. At this point, the bubble gum-ness of the taste becomes apparent as it flows off into a sweet aftertaste. It's syrupy overall, attributed to the non-natural flavor selection and the use of high fructose corn syrup (another product from the company, Retro Big Red, uses real sugar). Overall, the experience is about what you would expect from a red creme soda-type flavor. Very sweet, gum-like, and syrupy. Those who are fans of the strawberry/creme soda experience will be pleased.

Unlike a lot of other fruit-flavored soft drinks, Big Red contains caffeine, 3.12 mg/oz or a little over 63 mg for the entire 20 oz bottle. Nutritionally, the same size bottle also contains 250 calories, 50 mg sodium, and 62.5 carbs (62.5 sugars). Ingredients are: Carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, natural and artificial flavor, Red 40, citric acid, and caffeine.

A&W Float comes in a contoured glass bottle, decorated with an attractive label wrap design (similar to how Coke labeled Coca-Cola BlāK), complete with a bottle cap that can be twisted off without an opener. The bottle proclaims "a creamy blend of rich A&W and ice cream flavor." As this is branded as an A&W drink, you know that it comes from Cadbury Schweppes. They argue that it's "rich, creamy, and so delicious you won't believe it comes in a bottle!"

Of interest is the ingredient breakdown, which actually doesn't contain any high fructose corn syrup. In fact, it starts off with filtered carbonated water, sugar, and skim milk. Not a bad way to go. You don't need to refrigerate this drink when you first buy it, however it should be kept in there after opening (and it's recommended to serve it chilled). Cadbury Schweppes claims that it has a 6 month shelf life. The rest of the ingredient list includes 2% or less of each of the following: cream, pectin, natural and artificial flavors, phosphoric acid, caramel color, propylene glycol alginate, acacia gum, and nitrous oxide (creates foam). It's gluten-free and considered Kosher.

Cadbury Schweppes notes on the official website for this drink that "the Floats concept was one of the highest scoring product ideas from our Discovery Innovation Group. This group is challenged to find and create new ideas across our brand portfolio."

It should be noted that while this is a grand product idea, it's definitely not one to try if you are on a diet. A single 11.5 oz. bottle contains 260 calories, 20 mg. of sodium, and 63 g. of sugars, but is caffeine-free. It packs quite a bunch of calories for a small serving.

Upon opening a bottle of A&W Float you do note a familiar root beer scent, hinted with quite a bit of caramel overtone. The drink itself looks like coffee that has been heavily diluted with a lot of cream and sugar; a cloudy, light brownish tone. Basically, it looks like a root beer float when all the ice cream has melted.

As for the taste, well, I had high hopes for this beverage… but they were let down. Yes, there's an inkling of root beer float experience, but it totally tastes fake. There's almost too much caramel flavor and lot of syrupy-ness. The aftertaste just sort of lingers on the tongue in not a pleasant way. The "fake float" elements pretty much drown the positive flavor associated with A&W Root Beer, which makes for a disappointing experience for either a root beer or a cream soda.

It's not a horrible drink, but it's also not a great one. It just tastes so artificial that you shouldn't even bother. Great idea, horrible execution.

I haven't seen this around too much in the Chicagoland area, though I know it's possible to obtain. I actually bought my bottle somewhere in South Carolina a few months ago. I don't think the age really mattered in this case. According to that illustrious bastion of knowledge, Wikipedia, "for decades, this was the only other product under the Barq's brand name, long known in New Orleans as Barq's Red Drink."

Well, yes… it is red.

This drink is actually very red. (Red 40, to be exact!) It has a very sweet scent. In fact, it smelled a lot like Jones Soda Cream Soda. Upon first drink… wow, was this stuff sweet! Of course, it also initially tasted like cough syrup. But when you got beyond that, you had this super sweet red syrupy drink in your mouth… followed by a super sweet red syrupy aftertaste. It still wasn't as sweet as Jones clear cream soda entry, however.

The drink itself isn't something very different from other beverages we've tasted. There is no Barq's "bite" here. It's sweetened with high fructose corn syrup. And it has an influx of bubble gum flavoring, sorta like Jones Blue Bubble Gum Soda. The packaging itself is rather boring as well.

I can't say I'm much of a fan of Barq's Red Creme Soda. You aren't missing anything if you not try it. Barq's should stick to root beer!

With her permission (and degree in biology with a minor in chemistry), I'd like to share this explanation:

Your post compared HFCS with pure cane sugar, but I think there was still confusion about the differences. HFCS is produced from pure corn syrup by an enzymatic process which converts some of the glucose molecules that corn plants produce (their form of sugar) into fructose molecules (a different form of sugar).

Most HFCS's are actually a mixture of pure corn syrup (100% glucose) and HFCS, and the percentages of each vary depending on the desired use of the mixture. Sugar cane plants produce a different kind of sugar than corn does, namely sucrose. The difference is that glucose is a single 6-carbon ring, while sucrose is actually made up of two rings, one 6-carbon ring and one 5-carbon ring.

Your explanation of "inverted cane sugar" is on the money, and so your question about whether inverted cane sugar is better than HFCS is a valid one. The truth is, both fructose (the 5-carbon sugar) and glucose (the 6-carbon sugar) are cyclic hydrocarbons, and as a result, your body breaks them down in similar processes.

However, the sugar molecules that the human body manufactures for energy by its own processes (from things like the carbs we eat) are always glucose. Therefore, in humans, the metabolic path that breaks down glucose is more efficient than the one that breaks down fructose. Also, if I had to venture a guess, the Jones Soda people may have a few environmentally friendly types in their organization who understand that our addiction to all things corn is not healthy for our bodies, our economy, or our environment

Thanks again for the additional explanation, "Ali"!

But if you aren't familiar with this Seattle-based brand aside from their holiday-oriented promotional stunts, you'd be missing out on a lot of regular-but-unique flavors to enjoy — like the previously-reviewed Jones Bubble Gum Soda. As of late, Jones Soda has been making a lot of news in the beverage world. Back in December, they announced that they were making the switch to pure cane sugar from high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) as the sweetener in their main line of drinks. (As you'll note from our review of Kosher for Passover Coke, this is a good thing!) Then in May, Jones Soda beat out both Coke and Pepsi for exclusive beverage rights at an NFL stadium — Qwest Field — in their hometown.

Jones Soda isn't available everywhere, but distribution is growing, especially beyond their home territory of the Pacific Northwest. The company has had agreements with Target and various grocery stories to carry both their bottled and canned products in various capacities. They've also inked deals with more niche locations such as Barnes & Noble and Panera Bread. In fact, at the latter is where I found my first cane sugar-sweetened bottle of Jones Soda.

While dining with a friend at a local Panera Bread, I picked up a bottle of Jones Cream Soda. Right away, you know that something is different with the new cane sugar-sweetened versions of the drink. Instead of being greeted with the standard "Jones Soda Co." on the label, it now reads "Jones Pure Cane Soda". Obviously, they want to stand out in the crowd… and rightly so. Making a drink with cane sugar is more costly due to tariffs and subsidies in the United States that hurt those who use real sugar while benefiting others that utilize corn-based disgustingness. Perhaps that's why my bottle of Jones Cream Soda mentioned that it was a "Product of Canada". Is that how Jones is able to pull this change off affordably?

The bottle I had seemed to be Panera Bread-specific. In fact, a few years ago Jones launched a website that enabled Panera Bread employees submit photos for consideration on the front of bottles sold in these locations (Jones Soda is known for the always changing customer-contributed photos on their beverages). The description on the back of my bottle read:

At Jones, we thought it would be fun to have the people who make Panera Bread such a great place take the photos for our labels. Check out all the different photos on the labels taken by the same great people who make great bread. So from all of us — smile, relax and enjoy! Thanks. www.panerabread.com

The photo on the front of a young girl scrunching up her nose was shot by Christine Friend of Ballwin, MO as part of Series 13 in the Panera Bread Photo Contest. (Click to see more!)

Let's talk a little more about this move of Jones Soda to "Pure Cane Soda". According to the ingredients, the sweetener is actually "inverted cane sugar". What the heck is inverted cane sugar? Wikipedia forwards this phrase to "inverted sugar syrup" defining it as a "sucrose-based syrup treated with the glycoside hydrolase enzyme invertase, and/or an acid, which splits each sucrose molecule into one glucose and one fructose molecule. This combination is sweeter than an equivalent sucrose solution by weight so it can be used to reduce the quantity of sugar in a recipe." It mentioned that honey is a common household product that features inverted syrup.

I'm no scientist, but this would seem to indicate that Jones' version of "pure cane sugar" leans more on the sucrose end of the spectrum, while HCFS obviously hints towards fructose. I've no clue what that means. In fact, from what I've been able to search online, it seems that there is not much difference in the way the body breaks down sucrose vs. HFCS. So is this whole change over to "Pure Cane Soda" a clever marketing sham? Or is there actual science to support it? Enquiring minds want to know! (UPDATE: A reader chimes in with more explanation.)

So, enough about the technical aspects of Jones Soda. How does the new formulation taste? Upon opening the bottle, the scent was very sweet… hinting at cotton candy (that seems to be the theme this summer… see Pepsi Summer Mix!) Amy commented that it smelled like "something I'd actually want to drink". Given the history we have with the odd-flavored Jones Sodas, that's a good thing. Also notable was the clear coloring of the beverage. Typically a cream soda has some sort of beige hue, but not in this case.

Then came the first sip… Wow, is this drink sweet!

It's definitely liquid cotton candy, leaning more towards that taste and less towards an actual cream soda flavor. There was a little bit of the cream evidenced in the aftertaste, but not much through the entire tasting experience. It starts out sweet, stays sweet, and then finally ends creamy.

In our opinion, this drink was just too sweet. Having never tasted the non-cane sugar version of Jones Cream Soda, I can't say how this matches up. However, one wonders if the change in sweetener is cause for this jump in sweetness. To me, a cream soda should be more mild, not packed with intense sweetness.

But hey, it's caffeine free and if you live in Michigan, you can get a 10 cent refund on the bottle! But I don't think I'll be trying this particular flavor again.