The Twelve Days of POPmas Day 10: Orangina

This has been an exciting year for me in regards to soda/beverages. Not only did I get to enjoy such classic 90s revivals as Crystal Pepsi, Ecto Cooler and Clearly Canadian, but I got to cross a few off my wishlist like Irn Bru, Jack Black Root Beer, and Crispy Fish Balls! That last one is best left forgotten. Speaking of wishlists, another that’s been at the top for a long time is Orangina. While not exactly impossible to find in the states, it is pretty rare, and like Irn Bru is to Scotland, Orangina’s popularity really stems from France. This is also one recommended to me by many of my friends who know of my proclivities to enjoying a rare beverage.

Christmas in France you say?

I’ll be honest, I figured, like Scotland and England, Christmas in France would be pretty similar to the American traditions, especially since so much American culture is French based. And while the typical stuff - reindeer, carols and Christmas lights are all the same, there are some interesting differences. For one thing, the French don’t really do the whole Christmas tree thing. They prefer to dress up traditional nativity scenes. So where do they leave their gifts? Apparently children leave their shoes by the fireplace in hopes that the more doofy, French version of Santa, Pere Noel, leaves fruits, nuts and small toys in their shoes. Whoopty Shit. My parents would have had a hell of a time fitting a Sega Genesis in my size fives! (American problems). There’s also a change of tradition feasts, which in France can include lobster, goose, Foie Gras, oysters and a traditional 13 dessert medley - count me in! Instead of milk and cookies for Santa, the French leave a wine soaked yule log burning overnight in case the Virgin Mary stops by for a nip of port (seriously)! Finally, there’s some crap about finding a bean in your cake and becoming queen for a day or something, but I’ll be honest, I didn't think there’d be so much crap about French Christmas, and I kinda want to try some Orangina, so I’m going to go ahead and wrap this up right now. Joyeux Noel!

As someone who likes to collect some of the more rare or exciting bottles and cans I try, I was bummed to see this one had a tear in the label, and it’s not the popular 8oz bottle that’s shaped like an orange. This is the bigger 16oz version. So if I like this, I’ll definitely be hunting it down again. The history of Orangina reads like a social studies book, so I’ll give you the gist of it. Orangina first met the public when a Spanish doctor started distributing it in Algeria. Over time it became the most popular beverage in French North Africa. Jean-Claude Beton took over in 1947, tweaked the recipe to appeal to more Eurpoean and North American taste buds, and eventually moved the entire production to France in the 1960s. From there, Orangina’s distribution rights was passed around like a slow kid in prison. A total of 14 companies sell and distribute Orangina including Fosters, Dr. Pepper and Mott’s (where mine came from). Despite so many different companies carrying the brand, they all adhere to strict guidelines and the flavor remains the same regardless of origin of production. Orangina is also famous for creating the “shake me!” logo. Finally, like Irn Bru, Orangina ran into some controversy regarding their ads depicting “sexy” anthropomorphic animals in risque situations.

Alright, let’s get to my bottle. The label reminds me to gently shake and says that it is a Sparkling Citrus Beverage with Natural Pulp with 12% Juice and 2% Pulp. The other 86% includes the standard soda ingredients. Alright, I gently shook and opened the bottle to smell a what can best be described as a mimosa. Ok...here we go! Yea it pretty much tastes like a mimosa - champagne and orange juice. There’s some small orange chunks here and the aftertaste is decidedly metallic. It’s pretty good, but not the Earth-shattering experience I was hoping for. Like Irn Bru, I may have set my expectations a little too high for this one. Still glad to have finally tried it though! 3.5 out of 5 Rudolph Noses.

The Twelve Days of POPmas Day 7: Clearly Canadian Wild Cherry

Originally I was planning to pack my bags and head to Lebanon's Soda Country, but an unexpected nostalgic surprise awaited me when I got to my desk this morning. Thanks to my friend Kristin, I was gifted an authentic 2016 bottle of Clearly Freakin' Canadian!!! Much to say about this later, but since we're staying in North American for the day, let's talk Christmas in Canada, eh?

Just here to borrow some milk...and your eye juices.

In most ways, Canada is just like America. Founded by mixing different European cultures and languages, Canadians have their roots based off of borrowed traditions. The only real difference is that our ancestors landed here and said, "this is pretty sweet," but the future Canadian settlers decided it just wasn't cold and Moosey enough and there wasn't a Labatt's in sight, so they kept traveling north until they couldn't feel happiness or their toes. Christmas in Canada is pretty much identical to our Christmas in every way. Except in Newfoundland, where they have a creepy Christmas tradition that, thankfully hasn't made its way south of the border yet. On the days leading up to Christmas, townspeople dress in nightmare-inducing masks and go from house to house making loud noises and generally being a nuisance. The only way they will stop is if the homeowners recognize the ne'er-do-wells at their door. If they guess right, the creep takes off his mask and rewards the confused and frightened families with candy. I am not making any of this up. This is not a horror movie; it's Canada! 

Clearly Canadian! How did this one get away from me? I like to think I have my finger on the pulse of nostalgia, 90s, and soda, but I did not know this classic was back. I'm not even 100% sure I was aware it went away! I did a little research and apparently, due to a lot of dumb Canadian stuff, the business shut their doors for good in 2009. But it was the 90s where Clearly Canadian, and their red-headed stepchild Orbitz reigned supreme. Everyone drank the stuff! It was as popular, if not more so because it appealed to a wider audience, as Ecto Cooler. The Dawson drank it. Jerry Maguire drank it. Even those white people on Friends drank it. It was probably the first sparkling flavored water of its kind and has since birthed many imitators. And then in a silenced hush, it went away. Then, internet celebrities Rhett and Link helped sponsor a crowd funding campaign to bring it back. And it worked! Sort of. It was met with massive delays, price gouging and a lack of stock. The seven people who formed the new Clearly Canadian team were clearly in over their heads. As of December 2016, while the website is still active, Clearly Canadian is pretty much sold out everywhere, even Amazon, and there's no official word on whether or not it will return or, like Ecto Cooler and Crystal Pepsi, if this was just a 90s throwback limited time deal.

Which is why I am so excited to have a bottle in my hand today! I didn't know it went away per se, but now that I know it's back, and rare, I feel like I've won the soda lottery! I contemplated not opening it and saving it as a collector's item, but I couldn't deny my taste buds another 90s bath of goodness. It comes in the familiar glass, teardrop bottle of the 90s and I lucked out that my friend gave me my old favorite flavor, Wild Cherry. I twist open the bottle and the smell alone fills me with memories. I am a dorky fat kid playing video games and listening to Green Day all over again. As opposed to a dorky thirty-something playing video games and listening to Green Day... Let's dive in! The taste is awesome. Sparkling flavored waters of today have NOTHING on the original and best. Freaking Amazing! I am going to savor each sip while fantasizing about being the one Joey chooses over Dawson and Pacey. Five out of Five Rudolph Noses.