Wash down those fireworks with a cold Mountain Dew Summer Freeze Zero Sugar

Oh boy, Fourth of July weekend is almost here. It’s time to swing by your grocery store and stock your cart up with summer classics like burgers, hot dogs (don’t forget the white hots!), a few cases of light beer ... and Mountain Dew Summer Freeze?

The summery seasonal flavor is back this year, with Pepsi finally releasing a Zero Sugar version of the Bomb Pop-inspired soda. (The lack of a Zero Sugar version of these fun limited-edition flavors is often a sticking point for us Mountain Dew fans. And even if there is a diet version, it’s often stocked way less than its full-sugar counterparts.)

I was pretty excited to spot Mountain Dew Summer Freeze Zero Sugar at my grocery store. Pepsi recently launched a throwback rebranding of Mountain Dew, refreshing the soda’s logo and launching a new visual identity across all the wide range of varieties, and Summer Freeze’s new look instantly caught my attention.

While I’m still begging Pepsi to bring Mountain Dew Code Red Zero Sugar back as a national release, let’s crack open a can of Summer Freeze Zero Sugar ...

Where I found it

I spotted a few 12-packs of Mountain Dew Summer Freeze Zero Sugar on an end cap a week before they showed up in the soda aisle at my Harris Teeter.

What I paid

A 12-pack of Mountain Dew Summer Freeze is normally $10.99 but there was some kind of sale going on that brought the price down to $5.49 a pack.

My thoughts

I don’t know what I was expecting to see when I poured a can of Mountain Dew Summer Freeze Zero Sugar into my trusty Genesee Spring Bock glass. Maybe I thought it would be clear or red?

Nope. It’s blue. An electric blue that I’m pretty sure doesn’t exist in nature. (And might not exist in food within a year or two either.)

According to Mountain Dew, Summer Freeze is “inspired by the classic red, white and blue summer delicacy, [blending] nostalgic frozen treat vibes with the bold citrus flavor you expect from Dew.” On top of that, the soda promises that “one sip and you’ll be transported back to the Best. Summer. Ever.”

That’s quite the promise. I’d definitely say that Summer Freeze invokes the flavors of a Bomb Pop. That’s obvious from your first whiff of the soda after opening the can. Does it bring me back to my best summer ever? What’s the rubric for that honor? The freedom of childhood during summer vacation, playing outside after dinner? The ignorance of the looming responsibilities of adulthood as you drove around with your friends, listening to the Spider-Man 2 soundtrack, a time before your beard would turn gray and the calendar pages would tear away at a faster and faster pace?

I’m sorry. What were we talking about? Oh, yes. Soda. Blue soda.

If I’m comparing Summer Freeze to other recent Mountain Dew limited-edition flavors, I’d rank it behind Mountain Dew Baja Cabo Citrus. That one was a more nuanced flavor. (I’m sad I only managed to snag one 12-pack of Baja Cabo Citrus before it disappeared.) Summer Freeze has zero nuance. It punches you in the face with pseudo sugariness. Summer Freeze isn’t here to be sipped.

Final verdict: BUY

Mountain Dew Summer Freeze Zero Sugar is fun. It’s not trying to be fancy. It doesn’t have a doctorate like Dr Pepper. (While we’re on the topic, what kind of doctorate does Dr Pepper have?) It’s a bright blue soda that tastes like Pepsi melted down a truckload of Bomb Pops.

It’s OK to like fun, stupid things like Mountain Dew Summer Freeze. I’m happy I bought a few 12-packs thanks to whatever sale I stumbled across at my grocery store.