Root Beer Float Oreo Cookies

You may heard the news that there's a brand new Caramel Apple flavored Oreo cookie hitting shelves as we speak.  That's absolutely amazing and, believe me, that limited-edition flavor will soon be a Fall favorite on The Holidaze, but I'm not quite ready to roll out September and October just yet.  We still have a few more weeks of Summer left and, really, let's not rush it if we don't have to.  It hasn't been the hottest Summer on record, but we'll be shoveling snow and cranking up the heat before we know it so, in the meantime, let's kick back with something cool and refreshing.  

What do I have in mind?

Ohhhh yeahhh, baby!  There aren't many drinks that symbolize and represent hot Summer days on the boardwalk than an ice-cold Root Beer Float.  Man, when I was a kid, my Dad would take me to Dairy Queen on those scorching 95 degree days and we'd both end up choosing a giant Root Beer Float.  It's classic!  We'd take them back to the car, turn up the AC, and enjoy the time together.  My Dad was always more of an Ice Cream fan while I preferred the Root Beer.  There's something about the Ice Cream that makes Root Beer, and soda in general, taste so much better when together.  It's brain-freeze cold, soothing, refreshing, and delicious.  There's a reason why it has stood the test of time and still remains a favorite of all ages.  I haven't had one in a long time, but Nabisco is doing their best to get in on the action.

Root Beer is a popular flavor when it comes to replicating it in other products.  I've had Root Beer flavored jelly beans, vodka, bubble gum, ice pops, milk and cookies.  So, this concept really isn't anything new and was already done by Nabisco before with their Root Beer flavored Chips Ahoy cookies.  However, new or not, it was only a matter of time before we saw Root Beer Float Oreo cookies.  When it became clear that Nabisco was dedicated to continuing their line of limited-edition flavors, I knew we'd eventually see this flavor come to fruition.  Personally, it was one that I'd been waiting for and was happy to finally see come to life.  At this point, Nabisco is becoming predictable and that's making it even more fun.  Caramel Apple was one I assumed we'd see and, I'll go on record right now, Pumpkin Spice won't be too far behind.  I put 5 Holidaze bucks on it!

These Root Beer Float Oreo cookies smell and taste like Root Beer, but they're just not as good as I had hoped.  The flavor is present, but it's dull.  In my opinion, it should be a bit stronger and make more of an impact.  Previous editions have always gone above and beyond in terms of flavor strength.  I think the fact that Oreo cookies are traditionally harder than the soft, chewy Chips Ahoy, it makes them more difficult to appreciate when it comes to this specific flavor.  This one is weaker than what we're used to from Nabisco, but that doesn't mean they're bad.  Don't get me wrong, these are delicious and I put another X in the win column for Nabisco and the Oreo brand.  They're a great snack, just not one that I'd eat a lot of in one sitting.  They're no Fruit Punch Oreo, but they're tasty!

If you're really in the mood to bring your taste buds on a ride, keep your eyes open for another Root Beer flavored product - A&W Hubba Bubba Bubble Gum.  I'm a huuuuge fan of anything soda flavored and I'm all for a Coke/Orange Soda/Dr. Pepper flavored Oreo cookie, but bubble gum has always been soda's tag team partner.  Root Beer bubble gum is nothing new, but it's something I haven't seen in some time and was happy to find.  Unfortunately, it pales in comparison to the Dr. Pepper and Crush flavored Hubba Bubba, also in stores.  However, I do rank the gum higher than the Oreo cookies so take that for what you will.  Regardless, you're not going to go wrong with either of these Root Beer products.  I know I may have painted them in a bad light, but don't take it the wrong way.  These are delicious and the cookies, especially, are worth trying.  If you're a fan of Root Beer and Root Beer Floats, then this is surely something you want to jump all over.  You may not get everything you want from them, but you won't be disappointed!

Get them while you can because, like I said, we only have a few more weeks of Summer left.  Believe it or not, the Fall season begins one month from tomorrow!!  Whoa...

Chips Ahoy - Ice Cream Creations

I pride myself on creating unique graphic designs and banners for each of my posts, so ignore that disaster you see above and let it slide because of time constraints.  One, I have somewhere to be in a few hours and, two, these brand new cookies just can't wait to make their Holidaze debut.  Spending any more minutes designing a banner that pales in comparison to these products is just a waste of time and aint nobody got time for dat!

Today, on my lunch break, a few co-workers and I took a drive over to Target.  I couldn't tell you what they were looking for, but I knew what I was secretly going to search the aisles for.  Whenever I'm at a department store, I'm always scouring up and down in an attempt to find something new and post-worthy.  Sometimes I fall short, but this time I saw something different.  I wasn't expecting to have three cookie posts in a row, but this is worth the repetition.  I walked by the cookie aisle, saw these babies sitting there, and kept on walking.  Yeah, I ignored them as if they didn't even exist because I couldn't let these "manly men" think that I'm about that life.  These guys talk about cars and tools all day while I politely nod and pretend that I have an interest.  Meanwhile, I stared at the clock and counted down the hours before I could go back to Target and leave with new Chips Ahoy! Ice Cream Creations!

There are four different Ice Cream Creations flavors, but I only picked up two because the others didn't necessarily intrigue me.  I can tell you, now that I've tasted two, I may very well have to go back and pick up the others because, I'm not going to stall with this one... These are amazing!!

First, let's talk about Mint Chocolate Chip.  I don't know about you, but this is one of my favorite ice cream flavors so whenever I see a product released, whether it's candy, jelly beans, or potato chips, I'm going to pick it up and give it a try.  Usually, the taste is always on point because, let's face it, Mint Chocolate Chip is pretty hard to mess up.  Throw in mint and chocolate and, boom, you have yourself a hit.  With that said, I never go into it with high expectations because I wouldn't want to let myself down.  Chips Ahoy has disappointed me in the past, particularly with the Chips Ahoy Brownie Cookies, so I didn't want to go all in, especially with the Oreo editions still fresh on my mind.

Open the bag and.. wow.. the aroma is perfect enough to be released as a Yankee Candle.  I'd light it around Christmas to savor the scent, but these cookies should never be kept wrapped up to merely enjoy once or so a year.  No, as soon as you look at these cookies and let your senses start talking to each other, you'll find yourself in a whirlwind that can only be brought to an end with one single bite.  I'm not over exaggerating here, these smell delicious.  Immediately, Thin Mints come to mind and that can only mean good things for our taste buds.  In my opinion, Thin Mints are the perfect cookie when it comes to mint and chocolate.  Well, almost.  See, for me, I've always thought that they'd be better if they weren't so crunchy and more chewy.  Good news for those who agree with me -- Chips Ahoy Mint Chocolate Chip cookies are just that!

They're beautiful! Chewy chocolate chip cookies filled with green and brown mint chocolate chips.  I love how they're put together because they could have simply taken a regular chewy cookie and changed the chocolate chip flavor from chocolate to mint and called it a day.  But they didn't do that -- they went all out and made this look like it could be found in ice cream parlor.  If you walked into an ice cream shop and wanted to leave with a Mint Chocolate Chip cone, you'd most likely have something similar to what you see above.  That's going the extra mile, especially with the green chips, and I'm very happy to see that.  Because of that, I'm going to call it right now and call this St. Patrick's Day's official cookie.  Between the green chips and minty flavor, I'm sure it would go perfect with McDonald's Shamrock Shake.  I've never tried one (but will this year,) but am going out on a limb and making it official.  The Holidaze can do that.. right?

Now, the taste test and it's easy -- this is a 10/10.  No doubt, these are the best Mint Chocolate Chip cookies I've ever had.  In an attempt to describe these to you, I want you to think of what it would be like to bite into Entenman's Little Brownie Bites, but having them taste like Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream.  It's the perfect mix of flavors and texture that creates a junk food hit!  Chips Ahoy has a winner on their hands, here!

When I saw these, I tried not to dance in the middle of Target, but all I could hear in my head was Pitbull singing "Ohhh baby baby! Ohhh baby baby!"  Should Root Beer Float cookies make me feel that way?  Probably not, but you won't find any shame here, brother!  I will always go out of my way to find and try soda flavored food, even if I know they won't taste good.  Dr. Pepper gum?  Yup.  Orange Crush jelly beans?  You know it!  Mountain Dew cupcakes?  If I could find them.  Pepsi Cheetos?  Believe me, they're real, and I'll eventually find them.  So, in reality, Root Beer Float cookies aren't that out of the ordinary, but they're new to me and I might have freaked out more than I should have.  Luckily, it was all internal and my co-workers still have no idea how awesome I really am!

Now, I've heard of Root Beer flavored cookies before, but they're usually found in a bakery or made at home by creative bakers.  However, I've never seen them released on such a large scale by a company as big as Nabisco.  For that reason, I wasn't really sure what to expect.  Were they just cashing in on the idea of others without perfecting the recipe or did they hammer it down and knock it outta the park?  I was excited to find out and opening the bag only added to that excitement because it topped that of the Mint Chocolate Chip bag.  With very low expectations but extremely high hopes, I progressed further while still managing to tease myself.  This is why the rest of the world calls America fat... It's also why we are ;)

Just like the first scoop of cookies, (see what I did there?)  these also look like their respective flavor and I truly appreciate that.  The cookie is lighter and has multiple colored chips to match that of the float.  We have the brown and white representing the soda and foamy top.  It's awesome, not is only the beginning because, like I said, these taste a hell of a lot better than they look and smell and, believe me, that's saying a lot!

I love them -- absolutely love them.  Now remember, I love Root Beer floats and anything soda flavored so I'm very biased, but if you share my love for this flavor, then you're in for a real treat.  Chips Ahoy blew me away with this one because I honestly didn't think they could pull it off.  I never thought the Root Beer flavor could translate so well as a cookie, but I am happily mistaken and it's to all our benefit.  Obviously Root Beer Floats are liquidy and cold so there's going to be a difference in texture.  That goes without saying, but the flavor is spot on and you'll have your taste buds so confused they won't know what season it is.  That's what's so great about these Ice Cream Creations cookies.  They're for anytime of the year and even if they were meant for Spring, they're just as good on a rainy night in February.  These are two of my favorite products to be reviewed on The Holidaze!

Like I said, I didn't pick up the other two flavors - Dulce de Leche and Mocha Chunk - but because the first two were so awesome, I think it's only right that I support the misfits as well.  I didn't think they'd taste much different than caramel and coffee, but hey, even that may be worth the $2.50.  One thing I know for sure is that the two I did buy are a hell of a lot better than the last two Oreo editions I picked up.  I'm not saying they were horrible, but Nabisco did a much better job with Chips Ahoy than they did with Oreo.  But at the end of the day, all of our money is going to the same place as they laugh all the way to the bank.  Meanwhile, I'm sitting here with 4 bags of cookies and an overly full belly.  If you ask me, sounds like a win-win!

Buy them!!  If you see them, pick them up and thank yourself for it later.  These are that good and, if you have the extra money, pick up the other two as well.  Knowing what I know now, I'm willing to bet they're worth the price and I'll be getting them myself within the next few days.  In the meantime, I'll sit back and enjoy these as I hope for a Neapolitan flavor to debut in series two.  I have no doubt there will be more in what should become a very popular line of Chips Ahoy!

Spooky Cola

Last year, I talked about the lack of Halloween edition Cola's (2011 Halloween Soda's.)  I was surprised to see so little in terms of advertising and marketing when it comes to Pepsi and Coca-Cola branding their cans and bottles during the Halloween season.  Maybe they simply don't have to, because their loyal customers aren't going to jump ship over a logo, but who knows?  

Remember when Coke released their Polar Bear cans?  My God, I never thought I'd see such an uproar over a can of soda.  Is it diet?  Is it regular?  Oh no, I can't tell!!!  Seriously, relax, and maybe read the label.  That always seems to help.  I get that people don't want to be bothered with any extra effort throughout their day, and I agree that soda should require no effort at all, but why can't we all appreciate the creativity?  Those white cans were pretty awesome and I actually bought a few just because of the design.  I guess for every 10 people who flip out negatively, there's that one nerd who does the opposite!

Unfortunately, last year, there was nothing available for me to get excited over.  I didn't find anything, not even Mountain Dew Pitch Black or Jones Soda, so I had to make my own, custom, soda graphics.  A Holidaze reader, Shawn Robare, informed me that there were Halloween soda cans in store, and that's great, but I guess my area was all out.  BUT.. not this year!!

These are the mini cans that I heard about in previous years.  I think I've seen them once before, but it was well before I started The Holidaze.  Regardless, I found them this year and you really should have seen my face when I did.  

Whenever I'm at Target, I walk way ahead of my girlfriend because I can't wait to look at the Halloween stuff while she is usually focused on the make-up and clothes.  These cans caught my eye and I stood there pointing to nobody.  I had to tell her to come over and look at them!  She was excited, but probably more so for me than these cans.  

It's crazy how happy I get over these things, but this made my day!  Look at those Canada Dry cans!  There's a Mummy!! I don't know what a Mummy has to do with Canada, and I can only assume that those Lobsters have something to do with Canada, but it doesn't matter either way.  The fact that there is a Mummy at all, especially one that's giving us a smirk, its just awesome!

This one is my absolute favorite in both flavor and design!  First of all, black and orange are the two true Halloween colors.  After that?  Purple and green.  Now, I know the logo features blue, but it's close enough and, with that green leaf, we have everything we could have wanted from a Sunkist Halloween can!  Now, you throw in an amazingly designed Vampire and his bat brothers, and we've found perfection.  Ohh, and I didn't even mention that tiny tombstone in the right corner.  You know you've made a great product when the tombstone is an after thought.  Come on!

If you read last year, or clicked the links I posted above, then you saw the Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Cherry Pepsi, Code Red, and Coca-Cola designs I made myself.  Well, the new Sunkist can gave me an idea for a new Orange flavor and it will be revealed by the end of this post.  For now, we're moving on!

AhhrooooooooooooooT Beer!  That's the only correlation between A&W and the Wolf Man that I can find.  That and the fact that they're both brown.  The latter is probably the reason for this partnership, and I'm completely cool with that.  I love this can.  I would have made the Wolf Man look less like Wile E. Coyote, but it's a minor complaint.  We still have the spooky woods and full moon.  The fall atmosphere is depicted perfectly and it makes for one of the best cans I've ever seen.  It's playful, it's fun, and it's worth buying for decorative purposes, let alone for flavor!

The Sunkist Vampire is my favorite, but man this is a close second.  A haunted castle, lightning surrounding the can, and Frankenstein!  So awesome.  He looks like he's holding the 7-UP logo, but I can't be sure.  But it doesn't matter, I was sold after I saw the first can.  At this point, we're just getting bonuses here.

Now, I know I said my girlfriend wasn't excited as I was, but I think that might have been said a bit prematurely.  Because, as soon as I started taking pictures, she created this..

It's a Haunted Castle of Spooky Soda Cans!!  You have to give it up for the symmetry here!  We have 3 Canada Dry cans on the bottom, 2 Sunkist Orange cans in the middle, 6 Root Beer cans wrapping around those, and the lightning struck Frankenstein can up top!  I've seen champagne fountains before, and they're beautiful, but I think she's topped it.  These cans don't even need to pour and I'm already convinced that they belong at weddings.  All weddings.  All the time.  Let's take Halloween and make it a year-long celebration.  I'm in such a 'daze right now, that I'm ready to stay in this season forever.

The coolest part about these mini cans, and I assume this was the motive, is that they're perfect for Trick-or-Treaters!  I know kids usually want candy and candy alone, but this probably packs more sugar per sip than a bag of skittles.  Plus, I know what type of impact this will have on kids that truly embrace the Halloween season.  

I remember when Pizza Hut branded their entire store, boxes, and cups to represent the Universal Monsters.  I don't know how I old I was, but it's an image that stands out in my mind as one that really captured the spirit of the season.  Somewhere, there's a kid who's going to get a few of these cans and remember drinking them with their Mom, Dad, Brother, or Sister.  It's going to create a memory for somebody and that means more to The Holidaze than anything else.  To some, it's just a cool graphic.  But, to others, this is more than a piece of art.

Speaking of art..

Picking up where I left off last year, I created a new Halloween Soda graphic design label.  Looking at the Sunkist Vampire for inspiration, I went with Crush Orange soda this year.  If I were to produce my own Halloween version of this tasty soda, I'd definitely change the flavor and rename it "Blood Orange."  I changed the color of the logo and added dripping blood to the border.  Of course, it'd be a limited edition.  If I saw this in stores, it would be an immediate purchase.  I would probably buy a few 12-packs and just keep them sealed.  That's one of the perks of being able to work with graphics.  I'm able to make what we all want to see and share it with whoever reads this blog.  Hopefully you enjoyed this design and, once again, please check out last year's and let me know what you think.

2011 Halloween Soda

If you have any designs of cool product ideas you've had, share them with me @HolidazeBlog on Twitter and I'll post them on The Holidaze!  I'd love to see your work!