Battle of the off-brands

October 2, 2006 —

This week, I was appointed taster for the poor. It wasn't wine that I was swishing around my palette. No, far from it. I had the privilege of sampling several of the finest generic colas ever made. It was tough deciding which brands to include in this taste test, but I managed to narrow it down to five - each with a price tag that would make any broke college student smile. But will any of these colas have the added benefit of good taste to go along with their cheapness?

Bubba Cola - 59¢

With a name like Bubba Cola, it's gotta be good. Right? Unfortunately, this beverage tastes more like Bubba than cola. And what is this "new flavor" that the bottle advertises? Really, this cola has no flavor at all. It's like drinking air. No wonder it costs just 20 cents more than a postage stamp.

Encore (Blue) - 67¢

Meijer tries its hand at cola with Encore v. 1.0. This alleged Pepsi knock-off just does not have the kick of the real thing. The bottle says you will "love it!" if you like Pepsi, but only if you like flat, tasteless Pepsi. It does go down smooth, though, which is a plus. A worthy attempt by Meijer to reproduce the real thing.

Encore (Red) - 67¢

Meijer Encore v. 2.0 tries to emulate the taste of Coca-Cola - poorly. Having never been a fan of Coke to begin with, I wasn't looking forward to this task. And drinking cola should never be considered a task. It's perfect if you like beverages that smell funny and taste like acid.

Sam's Cola - 58¢

Wal-Mart may be taking over the planet, but will it be taking over the cola industry? One taste of Sam's Cola will answer that question. While it's probably worth every penny of its 58 cent price tag, it's probably a better idea to just shell out a few more cents and get something that doesn't taste like it has more sugar than a box of pixie sticks.

Faygo - 89¢

The crown prince of generic sodas, Faygo, may seem out of place on this list. After all, Faygo products are sold everywhere - and for good reason. Faygo tops the competition with its standard cola. Nothing fancy here, just a drink that tastes good. And it still costs less than a dollar a bottle. Sorry Bubba, top nods go to Faygo.