Taste Test Dummies

Which Licorice is best? . Licorice is of course a flavor.    Although the original licorice was (probably) black, the term has been redefined by candy companies who realized fruity, squishy candies appeal much better to the average consumer.  This week, for the first time we are going to try out the strawberry version of licorice, even if it is in no way a representation of where the category bega...

Which White Cheddar Popcorn is best? This podcast has tackled many different popcorns; microwavable, caramel, orange cheddar, and (according to some on the team) white cheddar.  In order to settle this fiery debate some may suggest looking back at past episodes to confirm, but here at Taste Test Dummies we have had all rearview mirrors removed from our company cars, because we only look forward. ...

Which Grapefruit Raddler is best? Most types of alcohol have a narrow window of utility, for us the Grapefruit Raddler is a prime example.  When you want a refreshing citrus flavor but also don't want a drink that is very strong, a raddler is perfect. The only problem is how seldom the stars align.  This week we will be testing 3 options, so next time we find ourselves in this specific situation,...

Which Pineapple soda is best?  In the world of fruit sodas, everyone thinks of the basics like Orange, Grape, Strawberry. This week we try a fruit that has a surprising number of options, Pineapple. Will it end up being the best fruit soda? No, probably not. But we're going to figure out what the best option is in case we get a craving for Pineapple. This week's contenders are Fanta, Jarritos, Jon...

Which Anejo Tequila is best?  It has been quite a while since we first tried Silver Tequilas, and in that time we've both had fazes where we drink a fair amount of tequila.  Despite this, neither of us have tried much Anejo tequila.  Today we are going to try 3 of the most popular brands to see which is best, while also determining if the extra money for Anejoa Tequila is worth it. This week's con...

Which chocolate milk is best?  Chocolate milk is an odd beverage for us because there was a large stretch of our lives where we drank it nearly every day, but have seldom drank it since. Today we are going to dive back into chocolate milk to determine which brand is best, and if it deserves a place in our current lives. This week's contenders are Fairlife, Hershey, Nesquick, and Yoohoo.   Please l...

Which pre-made margarita is best?  There are 3 main categories of premade margarita, and I will do my best to explain the difference. There are cans that stay around the 5%-12% range, you can buy margarita mix which comes in a bunch of fruity flavors and stay around 12%-15%, then finally there are the cocktails in what looks like a bottle of liquor that are around 20%. Don't worry if you are lost...

Which Mini Chocolate Donut is best?  There isn't any substitute for a freshly made donut, but when I am in a gas station and want something sweet I often find myself looking at the mini donuts. I normally look for the chocolate flavor, so sorry to any powdered sugar fans out there. This week we will be trying out the 3 main snack cake brands' version of the chocolate mini donut: Entenmann's, Hoste...

Which Grape Juice is best?  We have already tackled many of the big juices out there; orange, apple, fruit punch, etc. But this week we get to a personal childhood favorite, Grape Juice.  Naturally, I understand the inclination to debate white vs purple grape juice but today we will just stick with the purple.  This weeks contenders are Juicy Juice, Old Orchard, and Welch's.  Please like and subsc...

Which Pre-Mixed Old Fashioned is best?  The already mixed cocktail market seems to be growing more popular all the time.  Margaritas started the trend decades ago, but companies have finally caught on that most popular cocktails could be packaged in the same way.  This week we will try out the go to whiskey cocktail for people who want to look fancy in a nice bar/restaurant, the old fashioned. Sid...

Which Chocolate covered Turtles are best?  As Mr. Gump points out, when you buy a box of chocolate, you don't know everything that will be inside.  This week we will sample one common offering that I would expect to see from three popular chocolate brands, so at least you will know which box has the best quality.  This weeks contenders are Demets  (Turtle), Fannie Mae, and Russell Stover.  Please...

Which Orange Juice is best?  "Last episode you did Pre-biotic sodas, you're telling me you haven't done orange juice yet?" I don't really appreciate the tone, but in fact we have not.  It has taken this long because neither of us are the biggest OJ drinkers but this week we finally get one of the biggest monkeys off our backs.  And to answer your next question, we can fit 14 monkeys on our backs....

Which Prebiotic Lemon Lime Soda is best?  There is a new fad in the soda world, and it seems to be growing fast.  This week we are trying out some of these new "healthy" sodas, which are officially marketed as Prebiotic or Probiotic.  The timing of our recording this episode was a bit unfortunate because after we tried out these sodas, my local grocery store started carrying 3 more brands.  For no...

Which Blue Cheese Stuffed Green Olive is best?  Olives are the type of food you just eat when you have a martini or a charcuterie board, but it also makes for a nice little snack. I have never really considered which Olives to search for considering I just buy the first one I see, but this week we are going to try three popular brands to determine which is best.  The contenders are Filthy, Mezzett...

Which Cream Soda is best?  We all know the basic Coke/Pepsi players on the market, but beyond the major brands there is a pretty large world of craft sodas.  The first flavors that come to mind as Root Beer and Cream Soda. We have already tried some Root Beers on the Podcast, but this week we are bringing back some of the competitors (and a new one) to see which Cream Soda is best. The contenders...

Which Chocolate Chip Protein Bar is best?  We like to remain humble but we need to get something out of the way that cannot be denied, Nick and John are a couple of swole beef-cakes.  Due to this, we've had plenty of protein bars over the years, but usually just pick something random based on price.  This week we will try 4 chocolate chip flavored protein bars to finally get a read on which brands...

Which Pumpkin Beer is best? The world has gotten to the point where beer sections only really include Lagers and IPAs.  Both options have their place in the world, but it's time to celebrate the one time of year when they have to make room for a third option, fall beers.  At the time of this release we are well past the season, but we are going to try 4 Pumpkin Ales just to relish in the season a...

Which Orange flavored energy drink is best? Fifteen years ago there were only a handful of brands that made an energy drink and they all tasted suspiciously like gasoline.  Flash forward to today and there are dozens of brands all making 5+ flavors.  This week we are going to find the best Orange energy drink because it is a flavor we both regularly overlook. .  The contenders are Alani, C4, and M...

Which Candy Corn is best? Candy Corn is the king of fall candies.  We all respect its supremacy while not loving the flavor, but now we will ask the important question, does the candy corn you pick matter?  This week Nick and John will try heavy hitters Brach's and Jelly Belly and compare them against a couple store brands from Candy Shoppe and Walmart.  Please like and subscribe and if you have a...

Which blended scotch is best? In a previous episode we tasted 4 different Johnnie Walker varieties and both Nick and John picked Black Label as their favorite.  This week we bring Johnnie Walker Black Label back to compete against a couple brands closer to their price point, Chivas Regal and Monkey Shoulder.  Please like and subscribe and if you have any suggestions, let us know by tweeting us @ta...

Which microwave dinner is best? It would be great to eat out at fancy restaurants every night, eating food prepared by seasoned chefs.  Unfortunately in this reality sometimes all you have is $5 and a microwave.  This week we are here to determine which microwave dinner brand is best, and more specifically which one makes the best Fettuccini Alfredo (with chicken and broccoli).  The contenders are...

Which cheese cracker with peanut butter is best? Not all pairings make sense on paper at first glance, chili powder and chocolate? Seems odd but actually a pretty good combination.  Apple Pie and American cheese? Sounds gross but people swear by it.  How about Cheddar Cheese Crackers and Peanut Butter? Well that's what we task ourselves with determining this week.  Does the combination make any se...

Which coffee region is best? I'm a pretty big fan of coffee, but normally I don't think too much about what I am buying.  I have a list of brands I prefer, and digging deeper a few specific blends that I like.  When I get to the store I hope one of them is on sale, and will just grab the cheapest.  Although this process has worked for me, I figured we needed to take coffee from 3 different regions...

Which Hot Buffalo Wing Sauce is best? In the past we have tried the "Hot" sauce from different wing restaurants, but this week we take a different the same category in a different direction.  We are getting boneless wings without sauce, and then adding different brands that you can buy in a bottle.  The contenders are Anchor Bar (hotter), Buffalo Wild Wings (Wild), and Hooter (Hot).  Please like a...

Which Asian Beer is best? Right off the bat, calling the category "Asian beer" feels a little too vague.  Many Asian countries produce beer known around the world, but where we live they are much harder to find.  So this week we are trying 5 beers from 3 countries trying to determine if the country of origin makes a big difference in the taste, and most importantly which beer is worth buying.  The...