Tag: Nog

REVIEW: Limited Edition Good & Gather Plant Based Oatmilk Holiday Nog

Marvo 4 Comments

Good Gather Oatmilk Holiday Nog Carton

What is the Good & Gather Oatmilk Holiday Nog?

It’s a vegan way to get my nog on using my favorite non-dairy milk. It also doesn’t have artificial flavors or synthetic colors. Plus, its carton has all the holiday colors — red, green, white, and brown/tan. Oh, you say brown/tan isn’t a Christmas color? Well, a reindeer’s coat, Christmas tree trunks, and the bikini briefs Santa wears under his suit would highly disagree.

How is it?

Over the years, I’ve tried almost every non-dairy nog that uses either soy, almond, or coconut milks. While they aren’t as heavy as regular eggnog, they also aren’t as tasty. They provide a slight sunken feeling inside that’s similar to what happened when I got a GoBot in my Christmas stocking instead of a Transformer. But this Good & Gather Oatmilk Holiday Nog is tastier than any other non-dairy nog I’ve had.

Good Gather Oatmilk Holiday Nog Glass

With others, their flavors are an easy tell that they’re made with plant-based milk. But with this one, I think it could be handed out at a party and no one will realize it’s made using oatmilk. While the cinnamon and nutmeg flavors are in every sip, its taste isn’t as robust as regular nog, so those folks will probably think it’s cheap eggnog or something.

Although, now that I think about it, after they drink it, they’ll realize something is up because this holiday nog doesn’t make my stomach feel as if I just ate a small meal like a cup of eggnog does.

Anything else you need to know?

Despite giving the carton a quick shake before opening it, the first few pours had clumps. But after shaking it like I’m an excited 8-year-old trying to figure out what I got from Santa before unwrapping it, it poured nicely. The store-brand oatmilk nog has a pleasant creaminess that’s not quite as eggnog level, but it’s definitely not watery.

Conclusion:

Good & Gather’s Oatmilk Holiday Nog is the most enjoyable non-dairy nog that I’ve had. (Note: I haven’t had the chance to try the Chobani Oat Nog yet.) I hope it comes back every year so I can make it a holiday tradition to serve this to guests and tell them it’s eggnog.

Purchased Price: $3.49
Size: 1 quart
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1/2 cup) 70 calories, 2.5 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 85 milligrams of sodium, 11 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 11 grams of sugar (includes 11 grams of added sugar), and 1 gram of protein.

REVIEW: Chobani Oat Nog

Dustin 13 Comments

Chobani Oat Nog Carton

I am a lifelong eggnog fan. Whether it’s homemade or store-bought, I make a point to consume plenty of it every Christmas season. Upon seeing that Chobani released a new Oat Nog, my curiosity was piqued. Oat milk is my preferred nondairy milk substitute, so it sounded like a promising concept. As Chobani’s Oat Nog is vegan, there’s no egg in the product either.

I poured the Oat Nog into my festive vessel of choice and was dismayed by the consistency. It was much thinner than expected. I’ve had some oat milk varieties in the past that were decently thick and creamy, so I assumed the Oat Nog would be closer to that. Instead, it’s as watery as typical oat milk. Chobani manufactures an extra creamy version of its oat milk, so I don’t know why it couldn’t have aimed for a thickness closer to that.

Chobani Oat Nog Mug

I gave the Oat Nog a deep whiff and was stunned. It smelled exactly like eggnog. I started to feel optimistic again.

I took a sip of the Oat Nog and my taste buds rejoiced. It tasted remarkably close to the real thing. All of the standard, dominant eggnog flavor notes seemed to be there. I’m not sure what type of black magic trickery Chobani pulled off here, but it works quite well.

Chobani Oat Nog Closeup

There is a faint undercurrent of oat milk flavor, but it’s mild. It’s perfectly sweet without being domineering. As time elapsed, I noticed that there was a bit of an aftertaste in my mouth. It was an inoffensive flavor, but it’s one that I frequently notice when having oat milk. It seems like a fair trade-off.

Chobani Oat Nog Spice

I decided to try more of the Oat Nog, but added the all-important nutmeg this time. It brought further cohesion and authenticity to the drink. Unfortunately, no amount of nutmeg can combat the thin consistency of this beverage.

Chobani Oat Nog won’t replace traditional eggnog for me, but I can see myself substituting it on occasion. If you enjoy eggnog, but are avoiding dairy, this is a perfect solution. Likewise, if you find conventional eggnog to be too heavy, this should accommodate nicely. It effortlessly stands on its own, and I’m pleased that it was my first taste of anything nog-related this holiday season.

Purchased Price: $3.49
Size: 32 fl. oz. bottle
Purchased at: Fry’s
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1/2 cup) 90 calories, 4.5 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 55 milligrams of sodium, 12 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 9 grams of sugars and less than 1 gram of protein.

REVIEW: Fireball Cinnamon Holiday Nog

Marvo

Fireball Cinnamon Holiday Nog Carton

What is Fireball Cinnamon Holiday Nog?

From the makers of Fireball Cinnamon Whisky comes a non-alcoholic, cinnamon-flavored holiday nog that doesn’t have the warm spice listed in its ingredients. According to the carton, “Fireball Holiday Nog is rich and creamy, energized with the bold Fireball taste you love.”

How is it?

Well, I haven’t had Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey, so I can’t say if it has a bold Fireball taste. But the nog does have a familiar flavor.

Do you like Wrigley’s Big Red Gum? Do you swallow Wrigley’s Big Red Gum, seven years of digestion be dammed? If so, then drinking this will have your taste buds thinking you’ve poured a creamy, liquidized version of the gum into your mouth. So no worries about gum wads slithering through your digestive tract for seven years. Although, you’ve never had to worry about that.

While this nog’s flavor reminds me of Big Red Gum, and it’s from a whisky brand that claims its main product, “Tastes Like Heaven, Burns Like Hell,” it has no cinnamon burn. I don’t know if that’s from it lacking the ingredients that cause the burn or if the dairy in this instantly soothes it.

Fireball Cinnamon Holiday Nog Carton Closeup

I’m sure there have been other cinnamon-heavy nogs, but this is the first one I’ve experienced. And I have to say that I very much like its bold flavor, which I’ve been savoring from fancy whiskey glasses.

Anything else you need to know?

Fireball Cinnamon Holiday Nog Carton Firenog

Despite ownership of fancy whiskey glasses, I don’t drink alcohol. So I didn’t do what the carton, I mean, The Dragon recommends, which is add some Fireball Cinnamon Whisky to this to make a Firenog cocktail. (Wait. How come this nog isn’t called Firenog?) Its recipe calls for mixing one part Fireball Whisky with two parts of this creamy beverage. I imagine if you flip the ratio, it’ll turn you into the dragon that’s wrapped around the carton or make you feel like you did.

Also, note that it’s a “Holiday Nog.” So no eggs were used. But dipotassium phosphate was. I loves me some dipo-pho!

Conclusion:

Fireball Cinnamon Holiday Nog’s bold flavor might be a turnoff for some tongues, but I adore it.

DISCLOSURE: I received free product samples. (Thanks, Walmart!) Doing so did not influence my review.

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 1 quart
Purchased at: Available at Walmart
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 cup) 280 calories, 8 grams of fat, 5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 35 milligrams of cholesterol, 220 milligrams of sodium, 42 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 39 grams of sugar, and 8 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Silk Pumpkin Spice Almond Nog

Marvo 4 Comments

Silk Pumpkin Spice Almond Nog

I like almond milk. It gives me a break from soy milk, which gives me a break from regular cow milk, which gives me a break from soda, which gives me a break from water, which gives me a break from food, which gives me a break from having a conversation with someone who won’t shut up about The Walking Dead. I’m sure it’s a wonderful TV show, but I’m not going to watch it. So you don’t need to convince me.

I also like pumpkin spice and am not sick of everything being pumpkin spice-ified. So seeing my two likes together in one carton made me as excited as a Walking Dead fan minutes before a new season starts.

Silk Pumpkin Spice Almond Nog isn’t the first pumpkin spice product from the brand. It has a pumpkin spice soy milk, which I enjoy and have purchased a few times. Since Silk has added pumpkin spice to their almond milk, it wouldn’t be surprising if we see the autumn spices with their coconut milk, cashew milk, and whatever nut milk Silk develops in the future. My money is on Brazilian nut.

Silk’s Pumpkin Spice Almond Nog has wonderful scent. When I pulled back the safety ring and took a whiff, it was like what I imagine motorboarding two pumpkin pies would smell like. It has an orange tint that looks like the result of a Creamsicle that’s been completely melted into a puddle mixed with the tears of a child who’s crying because he or she dropped that Creamsicle. Its texture is about the same as almond milk, not as creamy as soy milk, but not as thin as skim milk.

But its texture is also a bit weird and I’m not sure how to describe it. I guess it has an artificial creaminess to it. Actually, now that I think about it, all Silk products, thanks to thickening agents and emulsifiers, have an artificial creaminess, but this nog seems different than the other products.

Silk Pumpkin Spice Almond Nog 2

While the beverage’s aroma reminds me of the Thanksgiving dessert staple, its flavor does not. The spices are there — with cinnamon being the strongest, followed by ginger and nutmeg — but instead of pumpkin pie, its taste reminds me of cinnamon pancakes drowning in Mrs. Butterworth’s or Aunt Jemima. Yes, that does sound tasty but not at all what I was hoping for and I did not enjoy it much.

Also, I don’t know if many people care about this, but this beverage is nutritionally empty. A cup of Silk’s almond milk has 45 percent of your recommended calcium and 50 percent of your recommended vitamin E. A half-cup of this provides no calcium or vitamin E. Almonds are a great source of vitamin E, so how could it not have any vitamin E?

If you need a non-dairy pumpkin spice beverage fix, there are other options. I know there’s Almond Dream pumpkin spice-flavored milk and Califia Farms has a pumpkin spice latte with almond milk, but I haven’t had them so I can’t compare. But I can compare it with the Silk Pumpkin Spice soy milk and I think the soy milk version is much better tasting.

(Nutrition Facts – 1/2 cup – 50 calories, 10 calories from fat, 1 gram of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of monounsaturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 80 milligrams of sodium, 8 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 8 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein.)

Item: Silk Pumpkin Spice Almond Nog
Purchased Price: $4.69
Size: 1 quart
Purchased at: Safeway
Rating: 4 out of 10
Pros: Free of soy, dairy, gluten, lactose, cholesterol, eggs, casein, and carrageenan. Smells nice. The Walking Dead (so everyone says).
Cons: Free of decent flavor. Provides no vitamin E, which is weird because it’s made with almond milk. Not as good as Silk’s pumpkin spice soy milk. Weird texture.

REVIEW: International Delight Very Vanilla Nog

Marvo 2 Comments

International Delight Very Vanilla Nog

Are you one of those weirdos who lets vanilla ice cream melt into a liquid before consuming? Well then, Mr. or Miss Melty Pants, I know of a product that will save you some time if you want liquified vanilla ice cream. No, it’s not a microwave oven. It’s International Delight’s Very Vanilla Nog.

Speaking of weird, it’s odd to see an International Delight product that has nothing to do with coffee. Although, technically, one could use ID’s Very Vanilla Nog as a liquid coffee creamer.

To be honest, it also feels a bit weird to call this product a nog.

I don’t want to use the fifth grade tactic of using a dictionary definition to make a point, but I feel I must here. According to my computer’s dictionary, nog is short for eggnog. Nog also “a small block or peg of wood,” so feel free to use the word “nog” as new slang for male genitalia that has shrunken from cold weather.

Anyhoo, if we’re to go by the definition, International Delight’s Very Vanilla Nog is not nog. It’s notg. It doesn’t have eggs, cinnamon, or nutmeg. International Delight does have a Classic version of their nog that, according to the ID website, has “a hint of sweet nutmeg flavor and notes of light rum.” But it has no eggs, so it’s also notg.

Not having eggs in a holiday nog that has dairy is like having Thanksgiving without the turkey, Christmas without mall Santas, and Black Friday without the YouTube videos of folks getting into fights over cheap crap at Walmart.

International Delight Very Vanilla Nog Closeup

While International Delight’s Very Vanilla Nog doesn’t have eggs or the spices associated with eggnog, it does have a couple of ingredients found in most store-bought eggnogs — delicious guar gum and carrageenan. Wait. Did I say “delicious”? I meant, necessary to thicken this beverage so that it’s the consistency of melted ice cream.

Now with all that said, I wish International Delight’s Very Vanilla Nog never goes away because it really does smell and taste like vanilla ice cream, and, oh my goodness, it makes eating things you usually consume with milk much better.

Cereal…better.

Hershey’s syrup…better.

Oreo dunking…better.

So International Delight should just drop the nog name so that they can sell it throughout the year. Call it Magic Milk. That’s probably taken, so they should go with a different spelling, like Majic Mylk. I mean, if International Delight can get away with calling their Very Vanilla Nog a nog, they can probably get away with alternate spellings.

(Nutrition Facts – 1/2 cup – 120 calories, 20 calories from fat, 2 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 105 milligrams of sodium, 20 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 18 grams of sugar, 4 grams of protein, and 15% calcium.)

Item: International Delight Very Vanilla Nog
Purchased Price: $4.49
Size: 1 Quart
Purchased at: Safeway
Rating: 7 out of 10
Pros: Smells and tastes like vanilla ice cream. Has a consistency similar to melted vanilla ice cream. Makes eating things you usually consume with milk much better.
Cons: It being called “nog” even though it doesn’t have eggs or spices. It’s weird this product has nothing to do with coffee. Getting a nog in cold weather.