Nitrogen: this is the chemical that makes your drink foamier and, often, sweeter. It is also the stuff that makes those dramatic cocktails that emerge out of a cloud of smoke when the waiter places it in front of you at a fancy bar.
It has also been used in beer and coffee (more on that later) to make the drink both smoother and sweeter without adding sugar. Nitrogen, often shortened to "nitro," when used in the name of a beverage gives your drink a sort of silky, smooth mouthfeel while making it seem richer than it actually is,
Nitro feels like adding high-end whipped cream to your drink, but it won't cost you the same amount of calories.
What Is Pepsi Nitro?
While you likely won't get the same dramatic effect from popping open a can, Pepsi (PEP) is tapping into the nitro hype with its own version of a nitrogen-infused cola. The Nitro Pepsi is coming to the U.S. market on March 28 and, according to the company, will be a drink of "tiny bubbles topped off by a frothy foam head."
As with regular Pepsi, it will come in both regular and vanilla flavors.
"While soda has been a beverage of choice for so many consumers over the past century, some people still cite heavy carbonation as a barrier to enjoying an ice-cold cola," Pepsi's Marketing Vice President Todd Kaplan said in a statement. "With this in mind, we wanted to come up with a new way for people to enjoy delicious Pepsi cola, but with a new experience around the bubbles."
Where Have You Seen Nitro Drinks Before? Hint: Starbucks And Guinness
In the faraway year of 2018, Starbucks (SBUX) launched a line of nitrogen-infused cold brew coffee. While the original product came from a tap and was served as a menu option at the stores, it became such a hit that Starbucks expanded it to a canned version in black, dark caramel and vanilla sweet cream flavors by 2020.
At this point, nitrogen drinks are more commonly used to enhance beer and coffee — the super-foamy effect made it a better fit for drinks that are consumed on-site rather than at home or on-the-go.
Starbucks
But as public interest in liquid nitrogen grew, companies started to find ways to fit it into canned versions for the same foamy effect. Last year, beer company Guinness launched a coffee-infused canned beer with nitrogen. The Guinness Nitro Cold Brew Coffee uses a nitrogen-filled capsule to create the foamy head that many customers miss in canned beer.
Pepsi first unveiled its Nitro drink at the 2019 Super Bowl in Atlanta but did not launch it for widespread availability until now.
"Much like how nitrogen has transformed the beer and coffee categories, we believe Nitro Pepsi is a huge leap forward for the cola category and will redefine cola for years to come," Kaplan said.
