Pig Iron Cola

Today's selection is Pig Iron Cola. This bottle came from a random selection I bought from Galco's. In trying to find out more about this brand I visited the website listed on the bottle for Pig Iron BBQ, which is the home page for a Barbecue joint in Seattle, WA. There is no information whatsoever on their site about the cola and it doesn't even appear on the menu posted there. Even a Google search turns up squat.

**** The following paragraph was added 3/27 ****

I contacted Celeste Lucas from Pig Iron BBQ who tells me that they developed this drink with Orca Beverages in 2006 because they were no longer able to get RC Cola in glass bottles in their region. Celeste says, "We wanted a cola that had plenty of carbonation and was sweetened with real sugar, also needed to have a bit of a bite... not too sweet and that complimented our barbeque. We really like soda out of [sic] bottle, it tastes better and has a nostalgic feel." She also informed me that while it is primarily sold out of the restaurant, Orca also distributes it to the rest of the US.

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This is a cola with a greater than average carbonation level. When twisting the cap it's always nice to hear the gases within sound as if they were being released by NASA and it tingles nicely on the tongue. As for the taste, it is very much like Pepsi so no surprises with weird herbs or after tastes. I like a cola with a heavier beef or pork meal so I can imagine it goes nicely with a pulled pork sandwich or some brisket. I also find that the acids in colas cleanse the palate from heavy sauces well, I like to imagine they "burn off" the particles in the mouth rather than merely rinse them away like a lighter beverage. As for the packaging... What's not to love about an ugly pig winking at you? Now, if I'm in Seattle I'll have to try their BBQ with another bottle.