It’s no secret that Mountain Dew Pitch Black is a favorite Mountain Dew Flavor amongst both Mountain Dew fans and even the casual Mountain Dew drinkers at Sporked. Unfortunately, Pitch Black has been discontinued in Canada and the United States. So, when I got the news that Mountain Dew Pitch Black had just dropped in Poland in 500mL cans (16 oz), I knew I had to track it down. Thanks to the Dew Drinker Discord, I was successful!
Is Poland’s Pitch Black just as good as North American Pitch Black? Or does it fall flat—much like Malaysia’s version of Pitch Black, which lacks carbonation and is punished heavily by artificial sweeteners? Read on to find out!
Pros: This sure is Pitch Black alright! This Polish version of the Mountain Dew flavor is definitely close enough to the American version that I think any Pitch Black fan will get that feeling of nostalgia as they sip. The black grape flavor is unmistakable and punches you in the face. It’s difficult to dislike anything that is Mountain Dew Pitch Black related.
Cons: That said, this international Mountain Dew flavor is trying very hard to make me dislike it. When I initially poured the can out, I noticed good levels of carbonation—unlike Malaysian Pitch Black. However, that carbonation was gone after a sip or two. I even tried recarbonating the soda in my SodaStream (the user’s manual of the SodaStream advises you not to do this), and the added carbonation was still gone in a matter of 20-30 seconds. This drink will just not stay fizzy! Additionally, this Polish version of Pitch Black uses a combination of sugar and artificial sweeteners (Ace-K and Sucralose), which is something that folks in the Mountain Dew community refer to as “half diet.” While I am always happy to give half diet drinks a try and there are some that I love, Polish Pitch Black is significantly weighed down by these artificial sweeteners.
Verdict: The dream and the vision for Mountain Dew Pitch Black are definitely there, but they’re being crushed by artificial sweeteners that knock it down several pegs. If you typically enjoy zero sugar drinks (and drank Mountain Dew Pitch Black Zero Sugar when it was on shelves), you may be happy with this. However, I’m a little disappointed. I think it’s worth trying for the sake of the beautiful 16oz can alone, but I will not be buying this again.
Born and raised in the city that produces DUM DUMS, Tyler Bowers is a writer, a content creator, and a social media influencer. In addition to running the @TeamSupernovaFB social pages, he streams on Twitch (most notably completing Demon's Souls without dying), and is an avid lover of traveling and trying new foods. Tyler is an advocate and enjoyer of Faygo--especially Faygo Grape, Cream Soda, and Firework. He dreams of one day doing a Mountain Dew-themed Good Mythical Morning episode with Rhett & Link, and he will stop at nothing to get Pepsi to #BringBackSupernova.
Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!
Tyler Bowers
Justine Sterling
Matt Crowley
Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!