Take THAT, Caramel Coloring!

Who remembers clear Pepsi?  Okay, it was actually called "Crystal Pepsi," but who else remembers it?  I loved that stuff.  It was Pepsi, but without the dark coloring.  My teenaged mind thought it "felt" a little less "heavy" because of that.

Now up until the writing of this post, I assumed that was the only difference (the caramel coloring).  Apparently, I was totally misinformed as a child (no surprise there).  According to Wikipedia and Whit's Blog, Crystal Pepsi was also a caffeine-free soda.  What?!?  That's not the same at all!

Crystal Pepsi, during its brief lifetime (1992-1993), was marketed as a caffeine-free soda, in addition to being clear.  Moreover, according to some people, it tasted differently than regular Pepsi, too -- specifically, that it tasted like ass.  I don't remember that at all.  I remember liking it immensely.

During the early 90s, I did a horrible summer camp thingie where Monday through Friday we would live on a college campus, take classes, etc.  We only came home on the weekends.  Every Friday afternoon, the bus would drop me off at our apartment, and my mother would have stocked the fridge with (Crystal) Pepsi and the cabinets with Cheez-Its before she went to work.  I would lie on the couch directly in front of the window A/C unit and bask in the glorious coldness with my snack.

It's one of the few good memories I have from that stupid camp, and now you're telling me that I was hardly drinking Pepsi at all?!?  Curse you, Wikipedia!  And you, too, Whit's Blog, for ruining my childhood.

Fun fact:  Coca-Cola responded to Crystal Pepsi with its own new soda.  Are you ready for this?  They marketed Tab Clear for a bit.  Hahahahahahaha!