Review of Jolly Good Soda

When I was growing up, pretty much everyone in this part of the country was familiar with the Jolly Good brand of soda. Since it was affordable and you could mix and match the varieties, it was pretty much a staple at birthday parties, sleepovers, etc. And, when it stopped being produced some time ago, I was actually pretty disappointed as a result.

This is why, when I heard it was being made again and would be sold in select stores (Piggly Wiggly in this area), I made every effort to not only buy this product, but to buy all five of the flavors (Grape, Cherry, Orange, Cream Soda and Sour Pow'r), mostly to see if it was as good as I remember it.

As it turns out, and my family will agree with me on this, it is actually better than I remember it.

To tell you the truth, when I first purchased this soda, I was expecting to be disappointed. This is mostly because many other things (mostly movies) I remember from my youth weren't as good the second time around. And, when I saw this drink in the more modern, taller/skinnier cans, that doubt only increased.

However, after officially trying all the flavors, I can honestly say this soda brand is as good as, if not better than the major brand alternatives. The soda is sweet, without being too sweet, perfectly fizzy and is very refreshing. And, at just 39 cents per can (as compared to about 75 cents per can for other brands), is still more affordable.

The best part for me, however, is the fact my family, who up until its return, had never had the opportunity to try it before, love it too. My daughters think the Orange is the best they ever had and my wife (who grew up on the East Coast and had never even heard of the brand) found she loves the Sour Pow'r variety (grapefruit and lime) and agreed with me when I said the Grape soda is the best I've tasted. The fact they like it as much as I do means I'm able to successfully share one of my childhood memories with them.

As I mentioned before, this was released in only a limited number of stores. However, if you have the opportunity to try this product, I do highly recommend it. Chances are you'll switch from some of your other brands.

My Grade: A