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People with a sweet tooth are always drawn to chocolate, candies, desserts, and soft drinks. Whenever we feel thirsty, we usually use water or cold drinks to quench our thirst. Soft drinks are often blended with various flavors to enhance their taste, and fruit extracts are often a mandatory ingredient in many soft drinks.
However, imagine what a carbonated drink would be like if food flavors were added to it. In Japan, the Land of the Rising Sun, this seems to have created a flavor so bizarre that it's considered one of the worst drinks ever made.
A Japanese beverage company has launched a controversial dumpling-flavored soda that many are calling "the worst-tasting drink ever."
A beverage company called Nagai Garden, based in Nikko City, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan, has introduced a bizarre soft drink that tastes like a steamed bun.
Traditional Gyoza dumplings are a staple of Japanese cuisine, but they've also inspired one of the world's most unusual beverages. One of Japan's most famous dumplings is the Gyoza, prepared with vinegar, oil, and soy sauce. Now, a company has introduced a Gyoza-flavored dumpling soda to the market.
The beverage, known as Gyoza soda or Gyoza apple wine, contains vinegar, garlic, ginger, and chili oil, which not only has a pungent smell but also an absurd taste. Special instructions are given to customers purchasing the drink. Buyers of Gyoza apple wine are instructed not to take the drink inside the store. Instead, they are encouraged to take a sip from the store.
First launched in 2019, this drink remains a hot topic of discussion across Japanese online forums.
A representative from another beverage company in Japan advised consumers via a news site that people should open the bottle outdoors. It's possible that the creators of this unusual beverage were imagining its smell and taste, but still wanted to experiment to pique customer curiosity.
The bizarre beverage has become a "Dare and Try" game in Japan, and as a result, it's experiencing a surge in sales. Customers who have bought and tasted the drink have shared their terrible experiences on social media platforms.
Clearly, the creators of this crazy drink never considered taste when working on it. They simply wanted to recreate the flavor and aroma of gyoza as faithfully as possible and pique people's curiosity enough to try it. Their plan succeeded, as in the three years since its market launch, the apple cider gyoza has become somewhat of a food icon, a challenge to one's friends.
The first scent customers smell when opening a bottle of soda is described as a mixture of chili oil, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger.
Customers complained that the first sip was sweet, but as the flavor lingered in their mouths, the spicy masala pepper flavor hit their throats, resulting in a slightly burning sensation. Another consumer on Twitter said they vomited after drinking the bizarre soda. Convenience store employees tasted the beverage and said it was the worst soda they had ever drunk.
From the countless horrific reactions from people, it can be concluded that the taste of fried dumpling soda is not for the faint of heart, and those who are drinking it as a form of entertainment must certainly have a strong digestive system.
Unfortunately, Gyoza soda is currently only available in Japan, so even if you're brave enough, you can't enjoy it while you're abroad.
