What Is Nitro Pepsi and How Is It Different from Regular Pepsi?

There are two types of new food products that get rolled out these days. The first are the instant success stories that go from novelty item to perennial—the most classic example of this is perhaps the Taco Bell Doritos Locos Tacos. The second type is the kind that sounds exciting, makes a big splash, but never quite catches on, and genty fades into the night. One example of that might be the purple and green ketchup that Heinz unveiled in the early 2000s.

Of course, there’s no real way to tell what category a new product will fall into until after it launches.

Today’s topic is about one such new item: Nitro Pepsi, also known as Pepsi Nitro Draft Cola (and there’s also the Pepsi Nitro Vanilla version for those vanilla fans out there). This product is brand spanking new, having just hit shelves a couple months ago as of this writing.

So what exactly makes Nitro Pepsi so different from Pepsi classic? Let’s let the Pepsi website tell you:

“The easy texture. The mesmerizing cascade of tiny bubbles. The silky, frothy foam head. The unapologetically Pepsi taste. It sparks connection and conversation, all made possible by a unique widget technology placed at the bottom of every can that creates a distinctly smooth and creamy texture straight from the first delicious sip.”

If that’s all a little too adspeak-y for you, Nitro Pepsi is basically just Pepsi that’s infused with nitrogen instead of carbon dioxide. If you’ve ever had a Guinness beer, it’s a similar texture. The bubbles are smaller and the texture is smoother. Because carbon dioxide is also slightly bitter, Nitro Pepsi is even sweeter than regular Pepsi, which may sound delicious or slightly off-putting, depending on your sugar tolerance.

If you’re curious about how to drink Nitro Pepsi, the website has once again got you covered. The company recommends you chill the can, “pour hard into a glass,” and then the copy on their website accidentally repeats step two, so we’ll have to imagine it‘s supposed to say something like, “Gaze upon the smaller, effervescent bubbles and luxuriate in the sweet, smoothly delicious experience of Nitro Pepsi.”

Two other quick Q&As about Pepsi’s latest. First, is Nitro Pepsi an energy drink? The answer to that is a resounding no. The bubbles may be different, but this is still a bona fide soda. Second, is Nitro Pepsi alcoholic? Again, the answer is no. As noted, if you’re a Guinness drinker, the nitrogen element may be familiar, but this cola does not contain any alcohol.

Now that you know everything there is to know about Pepsi Nitro, go out and enjoy one yourself. What do you think? A novelty that won’t stand the test of time, or a game-changer that’s here to stay?