Yahoo Finance Flavortown Spiked Fruit Punch Variety Pack Review: We Tried It So You Don't Have To
Flavortown just got more spiked than Guy Fieri's hairdo. That's because Two Roads Brewing Company recently launched three new flavored malt beverages (FMBs) in collaboration with the Food Network star and Mayor of Flavortown himself, Guy Fieri. These new beverages expand on the success of the original Flavortown Spiked Fruit Punch, which was first released in November 2023. We got to try the three new flavors compliments of Two Roads Brewing Company.
The recent additions include another hard punch, Tiki Town Tropical Punch, and two hard teas, Fidddy Fidddy and Tangerine-N-Tea. But before we tell you what we think of the taste and overall drinking experience, we'll run through everything we know about these new beverages. This includes when and where you can purchase them, how much they cost, and what's in them. Without further ado, let's hop on the next bus to Flavortown to learn more about these tantalizing new beverages.
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Where And When Can You Get It?
Although you can watch Fieri-fueled programming like "Guy's Grocery Games" and "Guy's All-American Road Trip" nationwide, Flavortown Spiked beverages are currently limited to a much smaller region. These drinks are only sold in the 13 states on the East Coast between Maine and Virginia, which is the current footprint for Two Roads Brewery products. They are available at a wide selection of groceries and specialty beverage stores, which you can browse using the brand's online product locator. Assuming the line sells well, there are plans to expand it into the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida.
Fortunately, Fieri enthusiasts are under no time crunch to seek out these beverages. These new flavors have been announced as permanent additions to the Flavortown Spiked lineup. Two Roads Brewery is also working on 19.2-ounce single-serve cans for all of its new flavors, so there may be even more Flavortown beverage options in the near future.
They Are Reasonably Priced
You can typically expect to pay a little more for a product made in collaboration between a brand and a celebrity chef. And this is indeed the case with the new Flavortown Spiked beverages. The MSRP is $15.99 for a variety eight-pack, though stores are charging closer to $17.99 at the time of writing. Either way, this comes out to less than $3 per can. You can get a 12-pack of a big-name flavored malt beverage like Mike's Hard Lemonade or Twisted Tea for about the same price, but the cost difference is nominal, especially for serious fans of "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives."
So are Flavortown Spiked beverages the best deal on the block? Obviously not. But it is important to remember the drinks are made by a craft brewery, unlike many of the competitors in the FMB space. For comparison, Mike's Hard Lemonade is produced by Mark Anthony Brewing, the fourth-largest brewery in the United States. Twisted Tea is made by Boston Beer Company, a major player in the alcoholic beverage industry that owns eight different brands. Don't get us wrong, though. It's totally fine to support any of these fine beverage makers. But when you buy Flavortown Spiked beverages, you're supporting a regional brewery that deserves a chance at national renown.
They Are Made With Real Fruit Juice
Since the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) doesn't require alcoholic beverages to include an ingredient list, we only know a few facts about the contents of these Flavortown Spiked drinks. For starters, they are made with real fruit juice. This should come as no surprise since this fact is mentioned multiple times on each can and in every piece of marketing out there. In fact, based on how aggressive Two Roads is about marketing the fruit juice content of its Flavortown Spiked Fruit Punches, you would think these beverages are the sole source of fruit within the Flavortown city limits.
Another key fact we know is that the beverages contain 6% alcohol by volume. This definitely tracks with our experience sampling them, as they have a serious kick. Since this product is categorized as an FMB, it's safe to assume it consists of a malt base. That is all we know about the contents of these cans other than flavor-specific ingredients. Speaking of which, let's get onto reviewing each flavor.
Tangerine-N-Tea Is The Best New Flavor
For the review portion of this write-up, we'll start with our favorite of the three new flavors: Tangerine-N-Tea. This flavor is described as "a TNT twist on the average hard tea." The name reflects this with an explosive pun that took us way too long to get. Although this is the first time we've tried an alco-punch that features these two primary flavors, it is good enough to have us wondering why there aren't more tangerine hard teas on the market already.
The flavor is tangerine-forward, with a slight sweetness that masks the bitterness of the Kenyan and Chilean teas. It is the smoothest and mildest of the new Flavortown Spiked options, which makes it ideal for sipping in the backyard on a warm day. The flavors aren't so harmonious that we would expect them to dethrone Arnold Palmer, but we definitely like this one more than the Fidddy Fidddy. We suggest pairing the Tangerine-N-Tea with diner food to appreciate its fresh twist.
Fidddy Fidddy Is Halfway There
No, that's not a typo. This tea/lemonade hybrid from the Flavortown Spiked line is spelled with three Ds as an homage to Fieri's hit Food Network show "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives." It is also a playful variation on his last name, hence why you'll find it on the license plate of his '68 Camaro in the show. To keep the wordplay flowing, we're firmly half and half on its flavor.
Simply put, it's not terrible but we've had better canned 50/50s than this one. The blend of refreshing Kenyan and Chilean teas and tangy lemon juice is faithful to the classic formula, but it is somewhat light on the citrusy flavor. Because it fails to strike that perfect balance, there's a lingering bitterness that dries the mouth. It also has a boozy taste that is hard to ignore. We know it's 6% ABV, but it doesn't have to taste like it. We suggest pairing the Fidddy Fidddy with food from a drive-in, as it's better for washing down a burger than sipping and savoring.
Tiki Town Tropical Punch Misses The Mark
Finally, we have the worst flavor of the new lineup: Tiki Town Tropical Punch. This flavor incorporates a blend of real passion fruit, orange, and mango juices to imitate classic tropical cocktails, though we have no idea which cocktail this alludes to. The fruit blend is simply inscrutable; we wouldn't even be able to tell you which fruit juices were used if it wasn't mentioned in the copy.
The flavors don't seem to mix at all, yet somehow a funky, boozy flavor still cuts through the mix. The result? Tiki Town Tropical Punch ultimately reminded us more of dorm room jungle juice than a tiki bar classic. Perhaps if you left a Mai Tai outside overnight in the rain we might see the connection, but otherwise, this flavor feels like a shot in the dark. We suggest pairing the Tiki Town Tropical Punch with food from a dive bar, as it's pretty much in the same category.
How Do The New Flavors Compare To The Original?
After these mixed reviews, you may be wondering how the new flavors compare to the original Flavortown Spiked Fruit Punch. Opinions will vary on this, but we'll take the original over the latest selection. Its blend of guava, orange, cranberry, and passionfruit juice is more cohesive and drinkable than anything else from this lineup. Plus, unlike the Tiki Town flavor, the classic actually tastes like a fruit punch.
The OG is light, zesty, and not overly sweet or boozy. Crucially, it tastes closer to its inspiration than any of the other flavors. Guy Fieri described this beverage as adult Kool-Aid, and it definitely fits the bill. It's easy to overlook the importance of a drink fulfilling the expectations it sets, but now that we've tried all of the Flavortown Spiked flavors, we truly appreciate a beverage that matches what's on the can.
Thankfully, you don't have to take our opinion as gospel. The Flavortown Spiked eight-pack comes with two cans of the original Spiked Fruit Punch, so you can compare the new flavors against the classic and rank these beverages for yourself. No matter how you feel about the taste, you have to applaud Two Roads Brewery and Guy Fieri's teamwork for trying something new in the flavored malt beverage space and not just making another hard seltzer.
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