09/23/2005 Entry: "Mountain Dew Pitch Black II!"

Well, it's about time. I'd known about Mountain Dew Pitch Black II, the sequel to last year's spooky soda, for over a month now. Couldn't find it anywhere until last night. I was starting to get eBay-level desperate, and yes, people are selling it on there. Though saddening as it may be to hear that Pitch Black II lost its father's Halloween spirit, it's dark and macabre enough for us to play pretend. It's also more sourful than a lollimotive.

Chestnuts roasted by LemonWitch @ 09/23/2005 04:17 PM EST

I really enjoy Pitch Black II. I think I like it better than the original, but since I only had the original once (maybe twice), it's hard to recall. One of the coolest things is that the foam on top is blue (as you can kind of see in the spiffy video.) I tend to drink it out of the can or in some sort of opaque cup, but that shot of it in the glass (with it's purpley hues more evident than ever) made it look all the more tempting. I think I have one can left in the fridge...I think I may have to drink it now (in a glass with ice.)

By the way, great choice of music for the video. Without it, it would have just been soda (pop...whatever) being poured into a glass, but with it, it was ENTERTAINMENT.

Chestnuts roasted by Lori @ 09/23/2005 04:21 PM EST

Oh man - that music with the video was the funniest thing I've seen all week! I don't know why that video was so hilarious, but it was.
Anyway, when I first tried Pitch Black II, I didn't really like it too much, but upon subsequent drinkings it's starting to grow on me.

Chestnuts roasted by Gozer @ 09/23/2005 04:23 PM EST

Lori--In NJ, we call it soda. I worked in Center City (Philadelphia) at an internship this summer, and everyone said "soda." However, my best friend's parents are from Pittsburgh, and they say "pop." Used to drive us nuts!!!

Chestnuts roasted by Allison @ 09/23/2005 04:23 PM EST

Matt - the revised Jukebox is awesome! For more fall-y goodness, check out the band October Project. Their music just sounds like fall afternoons...

Chestnuts roasted by Jeff Mack @ 09/23/2005 04:35 PM EST

That was the best soda/pop/soda-pop video I've ever seen. If only there was an award category for that! I loved the musical climax timed with the ice emerging. And the background orange color tied it all in to Halloween.

Oh... and I like PBII.

Chestnuts roasted by Carri @ 09/23/2005 04:39 PM EST

can we all come together and call it a frosty beverage? it's time for this soda/pop nonsense to end and for us all to live together in peace and harmony.

PS-i'm from Pittsburgh and it's pop.

Chestnuts roasted by bitchpants @ 09/23/2005 04:43 PM EST

I like this year's go-around. I would have been happy with a comeback of last years' formula, but this truly is the giant ape juice for the rest of the millenium. So, what's up for next year? Pitch Black 3-D? With Pop Rocks?

Chestnuts roasted by kingklash @ 09/23/2005 05:29 PM EST

I haven't had Pitch Black OR Pitch Black II, but I think I'm going to go have to buy the 2nd one. And fyi, in Oklahoma, people call it coke even if it's not Coke. To wit:
Person 1: Do you want a coke?
Person 2: Sure.
Person 1: What kind?
Person 4: Dr. Pepper

Chestnuts roasted by Rosella @ 09/23/2005 05:34 PM EST

Video was nice however it doesn't look good for me with only 60 days left. I have no chance of trying the black stuff, but you guys enjoy.

Chestnuts roasted by Kdawg @ 09/23/2005 05:41 PM EST

I really love PB II. I wasn't impressed with the original since it tasted like just regular old grape soda (Same reason I'm not impressed with Livewire). But the added sourness makes it really delicious.

I do have to disagree with you on Holiday Spice, Matt. I LOVED that. I hope it returns (or at least a sequel) but I heard it probably won't. That's sad

Chestnuts roasted by JLAJRC @ 09/23/2005 05:57 PM EST

Not the soda vs. pop debate again. See 8/27's blog entitled "Back from Toronto" to fill those needs.
Haven't tried PITCH BLACK II yet but maybe it will break the rule of sequels not being better than the original. I already think your PITCH BLACK II was better than the FANTASTIC FOUR.

Chestnuts roasted by The Manimal @ 09/23/2005 06:00 PM EST

Where I'm at in OK its just Pop. Also I never saw Fantastic 1-3.

Chestnuts roasted by kingklash @ 09/23/2005 06:11 PM EST

That was the best movie i've seen about soda pouring since... the last movie I saw about soda pouring...

Chestnuts roasted by Mattman @ 09/23/2005 06:13 PM EST

One more props on the video. I had to jump to turn down the volume as to not wake up my wife in the next room.

I'm not a caffeine drinker myself, but I did just splurge and pick up some Milka brand chocolate drink powder (like Nesquick). Nice heavy chocolate flavor, but not sweet enough. Should work ok in baking. I guess in some things, the cheap, overly sugared crap you can find a the local markt wins.
Oh, and I'm making my own vanilla extract with vodka and vanilla beans. I was excited because it was the first time I've ever purchased alcohol. Woopdeedoo! Should be ready...in 6 months.

Chestnuts roasted by Mad Cow @ 09/23/2005 06:15 PM EST

Looks as though it might be pretty good, now only if I can find a freakin store that sells the stuff.

Chestnuts roasted by Texican @ 09/23/2005 06:37 PM EST

i need to get a hold of this drink maybe sometime soon also i can you add the theme to the candyman to your halloweeen jukebox

Chestnuts roasted by tru adam3000 @ 09/23/2005 06:43 PM EST

I would go look for some of this, but people fleeing the hurricane have totally wiped out every store in the area. All I could find today was Jewish bread (that's what it says) and reduced fat oreos.

Chestnuts roasted by The Wukong Effect @ 09/23/2005 07:13 PM EST

Man, Pitch Black II is all over the place in my local Walmart. I had to pull a bunch of bottles of it out to get to the Pepsi in the back of the cooler. I didn't have any desire at all to try it, since last year's version tasted so much like grape Dimetap to me, but if you all swear it's different, maybe I'll give it a second chance.

By the way, on a (un?)related note, they still make Raspberry Kool-Aid. In fact, it's one of the new invisible flavors, and I've been buying it pretty regularly for the past two months.

I guess this is the place to go for hard-to-find drinks.

Chestnuts roasted by TipoDeemin @ 09/23/2005 07:27 PM EST

Oh, it's definitely different -- that's not a "feeling," it's fact.

Chestnuts roasted by Matt @ 09/23/2005 07:33 PM EST

I swear bottled water tastes different. Stuff like Nestle or Danon (which I consider among the cheaper brands of water) and stuff like Evian (fancy, expensive, "foreign" water) tastes crappy. give me good old Dasani or Aquafina any day! I go to the movies and get the 1 Liter size Dasani before getting a soda that has an undertow.

That's just my opinion, and I could be wrong. Of course, this saying is hardly an original thought.

Chestnuts roasted by Allison @ 09/23/2005 08:24 PM EST

Can't watch the video yet, but I just found out the The Beach Boys are playing the Greek in LA this weekend..with JOHN STAMOS! Will they play Kokomo? Only time can tell

Chestnuts roasted by squee4242 @ 09/23/2005 09:07 PM EST

For some reason, I found the soda pouring video to be hilarious. It must've been the music...or something.

Chestnuts roasted by Shiru04 @ 09/23/2005 09:24 PM EST

I've had pitch black II and the original and I think II is better. The orginal pitch black (which I still have about 6 cans left over from last halloween. I also have 2 cans left of holiday spice, I know i'm a soft-drink pack-rat)tastes like regular grape soda with mountain dew mixed in. Pitch black II is the same formula only they added sour flavor in there. Pitch Black II tastes soooooooo much better when its cold. Its crap when its warm.

Ps. On a kool-aid side note, if any of you remember the kool-aid Blast-off flavor, Blue Moon Berry, which was my favorite flavor a few years ago, is the same exact flavor as the new Berry Blue, it is very very very good! Of course not as good as my recent shipment of sharkleberry fin. Sharkleberry Fin is my new favorite flavor, they should bring it back to the U.S. The new Berry Blue leaves me mouth blue.
TipoDeemin, I've only seen the new Raspberry once where I live. Also for some reason they've never sold black cherry kool-aid where I live, and its one of the oldest flavors!

Chestnuts roasted by Ghoul-aid Man @ 09/23/2005 09:38 PM EST

So depressing. I haven't gotten to try the new Pitch Black, and I'm being dragged out of bed before dawn tomorrow to take a ride in a hot air balloon. So it looks like I'm going to die a horrible smooshy death without ever getting to taste the sequel to the greatest Halloween-themed Mountain Dew knockoff in recorded history. Because, you know, based on what you've all been saying about the taste, it doesn't sound like something I'd be comfortable drinking before 6:30 AM.
But hey, if by some slim chance I actually survive, I know precisely how to celebrate.

Chestnuts roasted by Jedoc @ 09/23/2005 10:13 PM EST

That is a damn funny video!!! Love that song! Matt, what is that song?

Chestnuts roasted by Allison @ 09/23/2005 10:13 PM EST

My friend's parents used to serve me green kool - aid. Always tasted like TUMS to me... Trying it now its like heaven

Chestnuts roasted by Cotter @ 09/23/2005 10:16 PM EST

Regarding Matt's Jones Soda announcement from last thread:

Matt: Yes! Yes!! YES!!!! My whining finally pulled through, and I believe that this will now be the greatest X-E Halloween Countdown ever. I hope that article will be as good as the Jones Thanksgiving Gift Pack from last year (which I got greenlit on Fark). I can't believe everyone else is finding them too. I still need to get them myself.

Update: Still no Frankenberry or Boo Berry. Any new info would be awesome. And no one but 2 people noticed my Scooby-Doo thing from 2 threads ago.

Also, Isn't it good timing that we're only 2 blogs away from #666?

Chestnuts roasted by Invader Norbert @ 09/23/2005 11:21 PM EST

I just found a sample sized box of Triples cereal, from General Mills, circa who-the-hell-knows, but it still has the old nutrition guide label on it, if you know what I mean, not the boldly labeled Nutrition Facts label, but the really old one. It's fucking ancient!!

I found this in my parents cupboard, where there is also a bag of sunflower seeds that is at least ten years old, but there's no date on it to prove my gut feeling. But I distinctly remember having that bag in the cereal cupboard ever since like junior high school! Holy shit, parents man...parents. It's amazing the shit they keep around in dark corners!!

Chestnuts roasted by kidneyboy @ 09/24/2005 12:05 AM EST

I was at Walmart tonight and picked up a box of Count Chocula and a bag of Twix with glow-in-the-dark wrappers. It's so early, and yet I'm already in the Halloween spirit!!! Thanks to X-E! They had Frankenberry and Boo Berry too, but I wasn't too sure about eating blueberry flavored cereal...is it any good? I guess I could just pick the marshmallows out and eat them...

Chestnuts roasted by Somebody Else @ 09/24/2005 12:40 AM EST

Is Jones Soda a regional thing? Because I've never once seen it down here in any capacity.

But then, this is the land that time forgot, so that shouldn't surprise me.

Chestnuts roasted by The Wukong Effect @ 09/24/2005 01:13 AM EST

Well, I see Jones Soda in Wisconsin, so however that fits into your definition of regional, take it as you will.

Pitch Black both eye and eye eye can suck my balls, but Holiday Spice is reserved a special glow of hope for a repeat holiday performance.

In retrospect, I'm pissed up, and I wish this was the Saturday Night Thread!!

Chestnuts roasted by kidneyboy @ 09/24/2005 01:30 AM EST

Man, I couldn't stand the original. I'm afraid to try the New Hotness. >>;

*raises Bring Back Crystal Pepsi flag, is promptly beaten down*

Chestnuts roasted by ChibiSoma @ 09/24/2005 02:06 AM EST

oo ooh yeah!! I like the taste of Crystal Pepsi!!

I remember getting six-packs of cans and taking it on ski club trips when I was in 7th and/or 8th grade.

I'm having trouble doing the typing tricks right now...mmmm Jack Daniels Hard Cola. mmmmm THC.mmmmmm Crystal Method.

Chestnuts roasted by kidneyboy @ 09/24/2005 02:10 AM EST

Matt, I have a question which you prob. will think is crazy, but do you have an actual Corey Haim diary tape, or is it just a copy? I was just wondering. I bought mine at a video rental place located in a grocery store which was closing down. At the low low price of $2.49!

I was just wondering about the origins of your more-precious-than-gold tape.

Chestnuts roasted by kidneyboy @ 09/24/2005 02:17 AM EST

i got a bottle of this and a bottle of reg md i had a buy 1 get 1 free cap from my prev md bottle

Chestnuts roasted by tru adam3000 @ 09/24/2005 02:33 AM EST

md, like you mean Mad Dog 20/20? Oh fuck me, I puked off that sooo many times back in the day. Do NOT drink it warm while waiting for two sugarcubes to kick in. It will kill you.

Chestnuts roasted by kidneyboy @ 09/24/2005 02:42 AM EST

When I first saw advertisments for this soda sequel I instantly though of last year's countdown; and wondered, is Matt going to put on the gloves and step-up for round 2?

I have not personally tried this year's varietal (like wine) but I'm imagining it can't possibly beat the polished flavors of Holiday Spice Pepsi.

Chestnuts roasted by Review the World @ 09/24/2005 03:12 AM EST

Holiday Spice - For the Distinguished Palate.

Whoever said Mr. Boogedy, ROCK ON!!

Chestnuts roasted by kidneyboy @ 09/24/2005 03:51 AM EST

Why is that movie so funny??? Its the cutest thing ever. i just love when the ice cubes pop up though....

Chestnuts roasted by Karrie @ 09/24/2005 04:17 AM EST

md 20/20 holds very special memories in my heart.. but puking up banana red certainly isn't fun

oh & speaking of corey haim check out this link: http://www.pulse24.com/Showbiz/Top_Story/20050418-002/page.asp homeboy looks like he ate a village, guess he finally kicked

Chestnuts roasted by diamondzdigidul @ 09/24/2005 05:29 AM EST

I'll say this about Holiday Spice - I didn't hate it, but I certainly don't miss it. Plus, it certainly wasn't refreshing. Imagine coming home after a long workout and chugging a can of Holiday Spice. Ugh.

Chestnuts roasted by Gozer @ 09/24/2005 10:39 AM EST

Seriously, I am extremely picky when it comes to soda/pop/fizzy-lifting drinks... I happened to think Holiday Spice was awesome.

In fact, if not for that slightly strange aftertaste, I would put it at the top of my list as greatest flavor ever. I can understand why some people don't like it - it's extremely sweet and has such a distinct spice flavor (duh), but at least Pepsi came up with something innovative.

Incidentally, Holiday Spice tastes great as a mixer for whiskey (a la "Jack & Holiday Spice". If any of you have ever baked a ham with soda (ask your grandmothers if you think I'm crazy) this is also the way to go. Finally, for those of you looking for really weird holiday drink concoctions, try mixing it with a little eggnog. Delicious.

In any case, I'm done ranting about Holiday Spice Pepsi, especially since this we started the conversation about Pitch Black II.

I hope Pepsi does go for a second round, maybe tweak it to be well-loved by the soda/pop-drinking community at large.

Chestnuts roasted by Mr. Boligarky @ 09/24/2005 11:38 AM EST

Yeah, I wish I liked Holiday Spice, but I cannot tell a lie. I'm glad others did like it though. Hopefully that'll cause a Christmas sequel.

Chestnuts roasted by Matt @ 09/24/2005 11:44 AM EST

Some seriously high production values on that soda-pouring video. It feels like a commercial:

"Hi, we're Mannheim Steamroller. After a hard day of rockin' out EXTREME CHRISTMAS TUNES, we work up quite a thirst. So we kick back with a tall glass of Mountain Dew Pitch Black." (Triumphant cadential chords, ice emerges).

Chestnuts roasted by gadgetsgirl @ 09/24/2005 12:34 PM EST

It looks like a normal soda. But without CO2

Chestnuts roasted by Yelinna @ 09/24/2005 01:58 PM EST

Pitch Black is a far better sequel than Coke 2 (aka New Coke but i did see it some places called Coke 2). The strange thing is that i remember seeing Coke 2 only in Toronto back in '94 when my class went there on a field trip. Of course the coke sequel failed miserably in the US circa '85-'86 so perhaps new Coke was friendly to our neighbors up north? Maybe that was the vending machine that time forgot? Or was Coke 2 something that just never hit the states? Click to see new Coke and Coke II

Chestnuts roasted by phunqsauce @ 09/24/2005 02:08 PM EST

I found Coke II in Chicago just a few years ago, sold far and wide across the city. I've heard that it's since gone away, but apparently it's still available in select markets, mostly foreign.

Chestnuts roasted by Matt @ 09/24/2005 02:10 PM EST

Manheim Steamroller* has a Hallowe'en album out. Shop smart, Shop Wal-Mart.

*not affiliated with Camryn Manheim.

Chestnuts roasted by kingklash @ 09/24/2005 03:11 PM EST

THAT MOVIE WAS THE FUNNIEST THING EVER

Chestnuts roasted by Brandon @ 09/24/2005 03:40 PM EST

i seem to remember seeing or hearing something about them still selling that new coke down here, not too long ago maybe a couple of years

i'm not a big soda drinker so i don't pay attention to that stuff too much

Chestnuts roasted by diamondzdigidul @ 09/24/2005 07:03 PM EST

haha. Nice. I used to survive on Dew, so I've had Pitch Black. I wasn't really fond of it...but it was a thousand times better than Holiday Spice. I'm glad they brought it back this year.

Chestnuts roasted by Diana @ 09/25/2005 01:18 PM EST

DRINK AT LEAST 6 CANS OF THIS STUFF A DAY, AND YOU WILL SHIT A VIVID RADIOACTIVE GREEN! NO JOKE! SAME WITH PITCH BLACK 1, I WAS SHITTING LITTLE GREEN MEN FOR A WEEK. PURPLE FOOD COLORING DOES THAT TO YOUR POO. TRY IT!

Chestnuts roasted by GREEN POOP!!!!!!!! @ 09/26/2005 05:18 AM EST

Wow. And in CAPS, too.

Chestnuts roasted by Matt @ 09/26/2005 07:20 AM EST

I demand to know what the source of that music is! Where did it come from?

The world wants to know.

Chestnuts roasted by Alkzndr @ 09/26/2005 09:46 PM EST

Funny, Green Poop. I had the same effect from drinking a non-alcoholic Blue Raspberry Margarita from Chi-Chi's when I was in 11 (it was the flavor of the month in January 1994). I'm sure that was vital information. Yeah.

Chestnuts roasted by Allison @ 09/27/2005 04:09 PM EST

I once ate blue vanilla ice cream and had blue shits. I called in my girlfriend at the time to check it out.

Hmmm. I wonder why we're no longer together.

Frankenberry rocks. Check out the General Mills website to order some (I think they still do this).

Chestnuts roasted by Chris @ 09/28/2005 03:45 PM EST

I liked the original Pitch Black. Definitely better than Livewire, which to me always had a funny taste (To me, Sunkist is the ONLY orange soda to drink), but not as interesting as Code Red.

However, they caught my attention this time with Pitch Black II. The sour pounch they put in is powerful, but not in the repulsive, Pepsi Holiday Spice kind of way.

Chestnuts roasted by Booth @ 09/28/2005 10:25 PM EST