Date Tested: June 9th, 2024

Competitors: Dr. Pepper [Original, Zero, Diet, Strawberries and Cream]

Test Description: Blind test, set up by third party – Unmarked containers each pre-filled. One may drink from any four in any order.

I have wanted to do a test of the Diets for a while. Diet vs Zero. What’s the difference? Are they different sweeteners? Do they taste different? Why do they separate people into such extreme factions? I set out to answer these questions.

I went to the gas station with the intention of buying coca cola products. But while there, being faced with the hundreds of sodie-pop options awarded to American consumers, I asked myself “why not do a beverage you would actually purchase for your home” (Readers may remember my very first taste test: The Cola Wars in which RC Cola won handily). Anyway, I put the cokes back and picked up some Dr. Pepper 24ozs.

First the elephant in the room: Strawberries and Cream. I saw this and was intrigued so I added it to the test. Naturally it was trivially easy to pick apart from the rest. But it was also very good. Both tasters ranked it the highest or tied for highest. It was a good mix of the classic Dr. Pepper snap and a retro creaminess. I was a big fan and would happily buy a pack of these.

As for the other three, I can confidently say given a 72hr Dr. Pepper abstention, It would be difficult to tell which one was given to me and impossible to tell the Diet and Zero apart. Aside, it turns out Diet and Zero both use aspartame as their sweetener and have a nearly identical ingredient list. What gives? Apparently a slightly different formula to make zero taste ever so closer to the Original is what separates the two. Do they succeed? Yes, I suppose so. Back-to-Back i can tell a slight difference and do prefer the Zero. It isn’t quite as aspertame-y (an almost lingering filmy feeling) and has more of the kick the Original Dr. is known for. However, as said above, if i didn’t have both in front of me, it would be very difficult to tell the two apart. I have no idea why such a subtle change warrants a completely separate bottling operation. I would be impressed if anyone could tell they were drinking the other. Regardless, the Original was the clear winner for me. I was able to consistently tell it apart. It is crisper and more refreshing and simply, it doesn’t have that weird after taste so integral to aspartame. Really, I’d be quite interested in a “real sugar” Dr. Pepper. At the end of the day however I didn’t like it *that* much better.

The question that now remains is if that difference in taste is worth the calories. The 24oz came in at a whopping 240 calories. Compared to zero for the, well, Zero, I am not sure the slight but noticeable difference is worth the 10% of my daily calories. I will have to sleep on it.

Long Live the Doctor