Update: Click here to read our Mountain Dew Johnson City Gold review
Johnson City Gold is the latest beverage from Mountain Dew, but it’s not like the Mountain Dew flavors we’re all used to. It’s malt-flavored. But before you alcoholics get excited, it’s also non-alcoholic.
So what’s up with Johnson City in its name? Mountain Dew got its start Johnson City, Tennessee. So sorry, Johnson City, Kansas; Johnson City, New York; Johnson City, Oregon; and Johnson City, Texas, it’s not named after any of you.
The “first batch” of Johnson City Gold will be available later this month for a limited time in select Kroger stores across the Midwest, and in 7-Eleven stores in the test markets of Denver, Colorado and Charlotte, North Carolina starting September 1, 2012. The “second batch” will be available everyone in the U.S., but not until 2013. Although, before the second batch is shipped, you’ll probably find entrepreneurial souls on eBay who would be willing to ship a can to anywhere else in the U.S. for an inflated price.
Before the second batch is released, you can re-name the product and re-design its packaging to best represent one of six regions in the U.S. – South, Southwest, Northwest, Northeast, Great Plains and Great Lakes. Yup, just those regions, so Dew fans in Hawaii and Alaska can suck it!
Oh wait, I’m a Dew fan in Hawaii.
From August 9-16, fans are encouraged to suggest a name that would best represent a malt-flavored DEW tailor-made for their region of the country. One product name, per region, per day, can be submitted, names will be voted on by fans, and finalists will win custom-made gear featuring their suggested product name. From September 19 – October 10, artists can upload label designs that represent the fan favorite product names. Winners will each be awarded a digital camera, with a chance to see their design commercialized in 2013. Go to the Your Malt Dew website to enter your suggestions.
If you’re one of the lucky folks to get your hands on Johnson City Gold, let us know what you think of it in the comments below.