96. Generic Dr. Pepper

Dr. Pepper is my favorite. First sold in 1904, it’s famous for its 23 flavors and unique, sharp taste. I love it. It’s made in Plano, Texas, and my Texan cousin introduced me to it when I was 12. Ever since I’ve been intrigued.

:the real deal:

The cheapest way to buy soda these days is most definitely investing in a large, rectangular case of the generic stuff, usually for under $2. So Mr. Curtis and I have been on a quest to find the best generic Dr. Pepper. So far we’ve tried Safeway Select’s Dr. Skipper, Shoppers’ Food Warehouse’s Dr. Chill, and Safeway Refreshe’s Dr. Dynamite. Curtis says he’s had Walmarts Dr. Thunder, and it’s the best, but I never have and you can’t believe everything you hear – now can you?

:just one of many:

We tasted each drink warm and cold, to see how they stood up. Dr. Skipper had a nice pop to it, with a lot of phosphoric acid, but a wet aftertaste. Dr. Chill was very flavorful, but less sharp. Dr. Dynamite has been the best, so far. The flavor is very complex, even warm, and the traditional plummy taste of Dr. Pepper is preserved.

But the quest continues. We’ve only tried three kinds of Dr. Pepper knockoffs (Mr. Pibb doesn’t even count, for the record). Have my readers tried any others?