Crystal Pepsi ...Excuse me?!

WhoWhatWhereWhenWHY?!

What were they thinking?

No really…. What were they thinking??

For some reason, Pepsi ignored the historic concept; “If it ain’t broke, no fix it.”

In 1992, Pepsi tried to jump on a fitness bandwagon and introduced Crystal Pepsi to the masses. They wanted people to think that because it was “clear,” it was healthier. I don’t blame pepsi for thinking this though… This was the same time that soap and cleaning products were also introduced in “clear form.” I guess you can say there was a Clear-Craze… or something.

Ah, the Superbowl commercial for Crystal Pepsi…. Van Halen’s “Right Now!” With crazy sporadic images of Crystal Clear Pepsi flying all over the screen.

The best part about crystal pepsi, is it confused the consumer. Consumers who enjoyed a “Cola” would obviously buy a dark product. People who prefer Un-Cola would obviously buy a clear product (7-up, sprite, etc.) So Crystal Pepsi didn’t appeal to anyone…. My dad lived off of Pepsi, and he hated Crystal Pepsi. What is funny, is it taste exactly the same. If you say it tasted different, you’re lying, or are confused. It had the identical ingredients.

Not much more to write about Crystal Pepsi… other than it was a joke. But I must admit… I enjoyed drinking it.

Comments

Just had a bottle of Not See Kola (yes, a bad third reich pun). It tastes pretty much how I remember Crystal Pepsi tasted. It's a bit expensive though, since it's largely only mail-order (I don't know if any stores at all have it in stock). Here's a review.

http://thecinemasnob.com/2011/05/20/brad-tries-not-see-kola.aspx

god, brings back such great memories. but the taste was so awful, i would like to try it again tho. see if my tastebuds changed. thumbs up for nostalgia alone

I loved this stuff as a kid. It actually did taste slightly different to me. They really need to bring it back.

I remember this it really awesome Pepsi should make this stuff again, I live in Mexico now and pepsi is making a blue pepsi and when i saw it it made me remember the good old 90's when their was crystal Pepsi, those were the days

I think the only reason clear pepsi would have tasted remotely different vs regular pepsi was crystal pepsi's lack of caramel coloring. I remember this pepsi fondly. Funny enough is that the pepsi twist that they released sometime well after the 90's sort of tasted like crystal pepsi, but with a caramel-ish taste to it.

I liked the concept because we need less dyes in our foods as is. One things for sure, clear pepsi won't stain your teeth like coke or regular pepsi will, am I wrong? I miss the stuff soo much! Damn you pepsi-cola! Now your making me drink Mt Dew Voltage! well... that ain't soo bad....

i miss this stuff, alot

I loved clear pepsi. It was the best back then. They ought to bring the clear pepsi back!

I used to love this stuff. My girlfriend doesnt believe me that they actually made this shit..jajaj I dont know about the rest of you but to me it did have a different taste than the dark one..

O.K soda was the best! It tasted like that cheap orange hard candy that you get at halloween. Crystal pepsi tasted like flat coke.

hey! I remember that stuff. (of course I only have a really vauge memory of it, since I was like three years old when it came out.)
I honestly don't remember ever drinking that stuff.
I never hear much about it anymore, or see it in stores...
I wonder what happened to it?

that soda was a favorite back in the 90's.

i loved cyrstal pepsi. i think about it all the time. i almost bought a case off ebay. what about ok soda?

I honestly don't ever remember drinking the stuff but it sounds interesting!

I remember crystal clear pepsi. And I also remember the commercial. But here is one for you. Does anybody remember the skit that Saturday Night Live did on Crystal Clear Pepsi. They did a skit with the van helen song and they had crystal clear gravy. It was a great one. I dont know why I remember stupid stuff like that but I guess you can never forget good times, no matter how long ago it was. laters

I loved probably one of my favorties soft drinks. But I remember it was dommed when I went to the super market with my grand mother. And i saw all the Crystal pepsi case after case and no ones was buying it but me. GOD DAM I should have bought it all.

I remember it tasting slightly different but I liked it.

i never tried the citrus version i dont think... and i remember the OG CP tastin different than regular Pepsi...

its kinda funny coz this the one and only pepsi i liked and will ever like. oh and i hated that commercial sooo much!!! i had that stupid song stuck in my head for a good year.

I remember this experiment quite well and to be honest I really did like it.I would like to see on the shelves one more time even if it's for a short time. Maybe a small Pepsi promo called Retro Week or something.

uhh i def remeber it tasting different..it was gross...im not lying

I remember I drank some and it made me sick as a dog, definately scarred me for a long long time. I like to know my corn syrupy soft drinks have some color to them.

My aunt went to a local mall in Florida and the Pepsi test crew was giving out samples of Crystal Pepsi. They gave her a 6 pack to take home. She drank one bottle and gave the rest to me. I in turn gave out 4 of the last 5 bottles to my friends on the oath that they would not drink them. Most of them drank them later that night but I still have mine unopened with the little white test market label. I show people the bottle, which is still clear, and I still get asked if the bottle is fake.

did somebody just said you can still buy unopened bottles on ebay?? lol! man, that must probably taste as flat as dharma beer (for you lost fans).

hah, so in germany it was just released after it flopped in the US. we only had the crystal pepsi with the citrus taste- and I can remember that I really liked it. in the short period of time in which it could be bought I hardly drank anything else than chrystal pepsi

crystal pepsi ruled!! i believe you can still buy unopened bottles and cans on ebay

I remember they had a raspberry-flavored Pepsi as well, not just a citrus one.

^^ as stated above... in the first picture on this article -- The can on the left was the first Cyrstal Pepsi released. Can on the right was the new "citrus flavored" version. Yack.

Well, according to wikepedia, when Crystal pepsi was first released, it had the same taste as original pepsi -- When it flopped, they reintroduced it with a citrus flavor... which was awful and in turn, did it in.

It tasted exactly the same you say? Yet on one of the picture, it is clearly written "NEW CITRUS TASTE!"

Heeheeh, seriously, one was clear pepsi, the other, repackaged 7Up. XD

Everything with 'Crystal' in it's title just sounds healthier though. Thats why I only ever used Crystal Meth, though Ice sounds healthy too.

I don't remember any "health" component to Crystal Pepsi's advertising campaign. Additionally, I hope consumers aren't so brain dead as to be "confused" by a different colored soft drink.

I remember when the Simpsons came out in Australia at the start of 1990, there was a huge promotion which included 'The Simpsons' Clear Cola'...Does anyone else remember that?

Ha, I just saw a thing about this on "I Love the 90s."

Well now people would kill to have some! Do you know how much it's worth on EBay???

Crystal Pepsi was the nastiest drink I had.

The addictive drug in Pepsi is what is in most soft-drinks, caffene, and that has no color.

Which is the least harmful of the two then? Crystal or black? Perhaps the addictive drug they put in classic Pepsi had to be taken out of Crystal Pepsi to make it clear, hence it never took off!

I tried Crystal Pepsi once and thought it tasted like rubbish. Apparently it did not have the same ingredients if it was clear. That lack of the ingredient that gave it colour clearly did change the taste. I prefer Pepsi over Coke at any time and Crystal Pepsi was one of the biggest flops on the market.

"Crystal Pepsi" was actually released on January 31st, 1993. Not 1992.

I do remember having a Crystal Pepsi one time. I remember going to "Red Girrafe" (A video store) and they had a little cooler/fridge by the checkout with different 20 oz. soda's and I saw a Crystal Pepsi and tried it. I don't remember if I liked it or not, I was probably only 6 or 7 at the time

I've never try'ed clear pepsi B4 so i cant say nething

crystal pepsi I remember to be bland but I was six in 92-93 and the only person in my family who actually drank and enjoyed this stuff was my health and fitness crazed aunt.

Pepsi Blue was blech, and Crystal Pepsi was AWESOME!

Pepsi Blue was better & God how I miss it

Doesn't it make you wonder though? If it is the exact same ingredients then does that mean they ADD the black colour? If so, why???

Apparently people wanted to drink brown sludge more than what looked like water

Blue Pepsi I remember well, but I barely remember it. It was out in stores, but I never really had a taste of it to form an opinion.

It's like they introduce new flavors every year, but they never last. I'm surprised Vanilla Pepsi/Coke has lasted as long as it has.

As for Crystal Pepsi... I honestly remember it tasting different than regular Pepsi. I could have sworn it had a more watered down/seltzer taste than regular Pepsi, and I'm not fooling myself... I'd rather have a drink with no artifical coloring, but it just didn't seem kosher.

It seems like they always put out new soda varieties, and most of them fail.

Pepsi Blue was gross. I didn't know Crystal Pepsi tasted the same... What about Pepsi Jazz? That stuff is so wrong.

i liked it too untill they changed it. it is still better then some of the newer ones they have out there.

Oh yeah That was allways wierd to me I heard one company made Clear Beer LOL OMG It Rymes anyway I remeber that stuff I think I hated Blue Pepsi I hated the taste.

Yeah - I liked CP. Up until they changed it to that citrus flavored crap.

My favorite was the BLUE pepsi.

I remember this stuff.... I tasted great the first few weeks- then they changed the formula!!!!!! AWFUL.
Great story though!!!!

heck yeah i ruled!!! i thought it tasted a little different.

Chrystal Pepsi was no where near the original pepsi taste wise, but it did taste like the smell of Mop N Glo lol!

I remember loving crystal pepsi. I did notice it tasted just like the original but I enjoyed the clear look. I made it seem like I was drinking a healthier pop. I was sad to see it leave.

I remember hearing about how it was in New England for months before it got to Ohio. It was a cool novelty at first. I had a friend who drank that crap like water. His parents also let him drink O'Douls Non-alcoholic beer when we were in grade school. WTF

I myself am not a Pepsi fan, I'm a die hard must have Coca Cola fan, but great article, BTW I do rember crystal pepsi, but never got one.

A lot of people insisted it tasted different, but it was totally psychological. Me being the Coke fan that I am, I thought it tasted just as bad as regular Pepsi. And how I hate it when people call it "Crystal Clear Pepsi".

I don't remember crystal Pepsi.

Crystal Pepsi was still better than New Coke. At least it tasted like the original product we all knew and loved...

same thing with pepsi blue. they did not need to release it. and it tasted bad. just casue coke was doing vinilla coke doesn't mean you ahve to release a crappy blue drink. im still waiting on a black licorish one.