Taste Test Dummies

Which blended scotch is best? In a previous episode we tasted 4 different Johnnie Walker varieties and both Nick and John picked Black Label as their favorite.  This week we bring Johnnie Walker Black Label back to compete against a couple brands closer to their price point, Chivas Regal and Monkey Shoulder.  Please like and subscribe and if you have any suggestions, let us know by tweeting us @tastetestdummies or email us at nickandjohnpodcast@gmail.com.      SPOILER!  Below is a list of which scotch corresponds to which numbered glass it was in: 1. Johnnie Walker 2. Chivas Regal 3. Monkey Shoulder

Which microwave dinner is best? It would be great to eat out at fancy restaurants every night, eating food prepared by seasoned chefs.  Unfortunately in this reality sometimes all you have is $5 and a microwave.  This week we are here to determine which microwave dinner brand is best, and more specifically which one makes the best Fettuccini Alfredo (with chicken and broccoli).  The contenders are Lean Cuisine, Marie Callender's, and Stouffer's.  Please like and subscribe and if you have any suggestions, let us know by tweeting us @tastetestdummies or email us at nickandjohnpodcast@gmail.com.      SPOILER!  Below is a list of which pasta corresponds to which numbered plate it was on: 1. Stouffer's 2. Lean Cuisine 3. Marie Callender's

Which cheese cracker with peanut butter is best? Not all pairings make sense on paper at first glance, chili powder and chocolate? Seems odd but actually a pretty good combination.  Apple Pie and American cheese? Sounds gross but people swear by it.  How about Cheddar Cheese Crackers and Peanut Butter? Well that's what we task ourselves with determining this week.  Does the combination make any sense, and more importantly, who does it best? The contenders are Austin, Kebler, and Munchies.  Please like and subscribe and if you have any suggestions, let us know by tweeting us @tastetestdummies or email us at nickandjohnpodcast@gmail.com.      SPOILER!  Below is a list of which cracker corresponds to which numbered plate it was on: 1. Austin 2. Munchies 3. Kebler 

Which coffee region is best? I'm a pretty big fan of coffee, but normally I don't think too much about what I am buying.  I have a list of brands I prefer, and digging deeper a few specific blends that I like.  When I get to the store I hope one of them is on sale, and will just grab the cheapest.  Although this process has worked for me, I figured we needed to take coffee from 3 different regions and find out more specifically what types of coffee I enjoy.  This week we will try Coffee Beans from Colombia, Ethiopia, and Sumatra (they were all bought at the same local roaster).  Please like and subscribe and if you have any suggestions, let us know by tweeting us @tastetestdummies or email us at nickandjohnpodcast@gmail.com.      SPOILER!  Below is a list of which coffee corresponds to which numbered cup it was in: 1. Colombia 2. Sumatra 3. Ethiopia

Which Hot Buffalo Wing Sauce is best? In the past we have tried the "Hot" sauce from different wing restaurants, but this week we take a different the same category in a different direction.  We are getting boneless wings without sauce, and then adding different brands that you can buy in a bottle.  The contenders are Anchor Bar (hotter), Buffalo Wild Wings (Wild), and Hooter (Hot).  Please like and subscribe and if you have any suggestions, let us know by tweeting us @tastetestdummies or email us at nickandjohnpodcast@gmail.com.      SPOILER!  Below is a list of which sauce corresponds to which numbered plate it was on: 1. Hooters 2. Anchor 3. BWW

Which Asian Beer is best? Right off the bat, calling the category "Asian beer" feels a little too vague.  Many Asian countries produce beer known around the world, but where we live they are much harder to find.  So this week we are trying 5 beers from 3 countries trying to determine if the country of origin makes a big difference in the taste, and most importantly which beer is worth buying.  The contenders are Kingfisher (India), Kirin (Japan), Lucky Buddha (China), Sapporo (Japan), and TsingTao (China).  Please like and subscribe and if you have any suggestions, let us know by tweeting us @tastetestdummies or email us at nickandjohnpodcast@gmail.com.      SPOILER!  Below is a list of which beer corresponds to which numbered glass it was in: 1. Lucky Buddha 2. TsingTao 3. Kingfisher 4. Kirin  5. Sapporo 

Which Oreo knock off is best? The original creme filled chocolate sandwich cookie was released in 1908 by Hydrox, a couple years later Nabisco responded with Oreo.  Despite Oreo not being the original, they somehow ended up changing the snack game forever.  Although there are alternatives out there (including Hydrox being an Amazon exclusive) we are going to anoint Oreo king and compare them to 3 of their off brands to see if any of the little guys can compete with Oreo in a blind taste test.  This weeks contenders are Oreo, Trader Joe's, Wal-Mart, and Whole Foods.  Please like and subscribe and if you have any suggestions, let us know by tweeting us @tastetestdummies or email us at nickandjohnpodcast@gmail.com.      SPOILER!  Below is a list of which cookie corresponds to which numbered plate it was on: 1. Whole Foods 2. Oreo 3. Wal-Mart 4. Trader Joe's

This week we bring Joe back for another visit, and this time he chose to challenge our past results by making us retry some things we have had on the pod in the past.  We will jump straight to some FAQ: Q: What Items are being retried?  A: Tortilla Chips, Hot Salsa, Lemon Lime Soda, Lime Seltzer, Light Beer, Whisky Q: John and Nick are known to have the best taste buds in the world, what is the point of testing them? A: Correct Nick and John do have the best taste buds in the world, Joe was clearly having an episode so there is no point trying to get inside of his mind. Q:  Do you expect anyone to listen to this nonsense? A: Not Really. Any other question should be disregarded as bad questions.  Please like and subscribe and if you have any suggestions, let us know by tweeting us @tastetestdummies or email us at nickandjohnpodcast@gmail.com. 

Which Lime Beer is best? At first glance lime beers feels like a typical lager with a small maybe gimmicky change to sell more cases. Then the grueling summer months hit and suddenly the lime beer feels like a refreshing change.  This week we try to find another glimmer of hope in a long, hot summer by trying out 4 lime beers, and 3 of them advertise the addition of salt so we will also see if this is a welcome addition. This weeks contenders are Bud Light, Dos Equis, Modelo, and Shiner.  Please like and subscribe and if you have any suggestions, let us know by tweeting us @tastetestdummies or email us at nickandjohnpodcast@gmail.com.      SPOILER!  Below is a list of which lime beer corresponds to which numbered glass it was in: 1. Shiner 2. Dos Equis 3. Bud Light 4. Modelo

Which Gummy Bear brand is best? Nick, our senior sweet snack specialist, has always been a big fan of gummy snacks. But the combination of negative memories (unfair) and a plethora of other gummy snack options, gummy bears have never been his go-to option.  This week we give gummy bears their day in court to figure out which is best, and really if this category deserves our attention in the first place.  This weeks contenders are Albanese, Black Forrest, Haribo, and Lily's.  Please like and subscribe and if you have any suggestions, let us know by tweeting us @tastetestdummies or email us at nickandjohnpodcast@gmail.com.      SPOILER!  Below is a list of which gummy bear corresponds to which numbered plate it was on: 1. Black Forrest 2. Albanese 3. Haribo 4. Lily's

Which Brie is best? When you are feeling a bit charcuterie-ey Looking through the cheese options in a grocery store can be intimidating.  Normally Nick and John just look for sales and try to at least buy a cheaper option then forget what we purchased. But do you really want to live your life eating everyone else's leftover cheese?  Those of you who said yes can see themselves out. Those who stayed will get insights on which Brie is actually worth buying, instead of the guess and forget method.  This weeks contenders are Le Fromager, President, and Saint Angel.  Please like and subscribe and if you have any suggestions, let us know by tweeting us @tastetestdummies or email us at nickandjohnpodcast@gmail.com.      SPOILER!  Below is a list of which cheese corresponds to which numbered plate it was on: 1. Le Fromager 2. President 3. Saint Angel

Which American IPA is best? A while back the Hazy IPA hit a level of popularity which pressured Nick into bringing it as the first IPA on this podcast.  Now a year or so later, we find ourselves missing the good old fashion IPAs we originally fell for.  Today we are taking a strangely nostalgic trip through some of the American Style IPAs that used to be our go to (and only) option.  The contenders are Goose Island IPA, New Belgium Voodoo Ranger, Sierra Nevada Torpedo, and Surly Furious.  Please like and subscribe and if you have any suggestions, let us know by tweeting us @tastetestdummies or email us at nickandjohnpodcast@gmail.com.      SPOILER!  Below is a list of which beer corresponds to which numbered glass it was in: 1. New Belgium 2. Surly 3. Goose Island 4. Sierra Nevada

Which Diet Cola is best? Sodas with alternative sugars are becoming more popular all the time as it presents a way for the consumer to drink their beloved sodas, while still feeling good about themselves because they just consumed a  calorie free beverage.  Although health benefits are much more complicated than a calorie counter, here at Taste Test Dummies we fully endorse the "pretend this is good for me" methodology.  With this wishful thinking in mind, we will try out 4 Diet Colas this week.  The contenders are Diet Coke, Diet Faygo, Diet Pepsi, and Diet Rite.  Please like and subscribe and if you have any suggestions, let us know by tweeting us @tastetestdummies or email us at nickandjohnpodcast@gmail.com.      SPOILER!  Below is a list of which soda corresponds to which numbered cup it was in: 1. Pepsi 2. Faygo 3. Diet Rite 4. Coke

Which French Onion Dip is best?  On their own, a ruffled potato chip is a mediocre chip on a good day.  When you take the Ruffles and use them as a vessel to get dip into your mouth, we are looking at an entirely different story.  This week we are trying 3 pre-made French Onion Dips, the undisputed best dip to pair with potato chips (legally I am required to point out that my prior statement was a [correct] opinion, not a fact).  The contenders are Daisy, Dean's and Lay's.  Please like and subscribe and if you have any suggestions, let us know by tweeting us @tastetestdummies or email us at nickandjohnpodcast@gmail.com.      SPOILER!  Below is a list of which dip corresponds to which numbered bowl it was in: 1. Lay's 2. Dean's 3. Daisy

Which Tortilla Chip is best?  We've tried Salsa and Guacamole, but we haven't yet asked what the best vessel for these dips are, that is until today.  The tortilla chip is often overlooked in the dip formula, but small differences in texture, and salt level can make a surprisingly big difference.  The contenders for today are Late July, On The Border, Tostitos, and Xochitl.  Please like and subscribe and if you have any suggestions, let us know by tweeting us @tastetestdummies or email us at nickandjohnpodcast@gmail.com.      SPOILER!  Below is a list of which chip corresponds to which numbered bowl it was in: 1. Xochitl 2. On the Border 3. Tostitos 4. Late July

Which Orange sports drink is best?  Our first round of sports drink was with a more obscure flavor (grape), but this time we are getting back to one of the original flavors.  Non-Gatorade versions of lemon lime proved hard to come by, and Fruit Punch is disgusting, so the obvious choice was to try out Orange flavored sports drinks.  The contenders are Gatorade, Ghost, and Powerade.  Please like and subscribe and if you have any suggestions, let us know by tweeting us @tastetestdummies or email us at nickandjohnpodcast@gmail.com.      SPOILER!  Below is a list of which sports drink corresponds to which numbered glass it was in: 1. Ghost 2. Gatorade 3. Powerade

Which canned Paloma cocktail is best?  The cocktail in a can idea seems to be getting more popular all the time so it's time to try out a second offering.  The problem with the canned Paloma specifically is how simple it is to make, so is it even worth buy it premade?  Today we put 3 already made cocktails to the test, and later on try our own creation.  The contenders are Cazadores, Cutwater, and Fresca.  Please like and subscribe and if you have any suggestions, let us know by tweeting us @tastetestdummies or email us at nickandjohnpodcast@gmail.com.      SPOILER!  Below is a list of which paloma corresponds to which numbered glass it was in: 1. Cutwater 2. Fresca 3. Cazadores

Which Jelly bean bag is best?  This week in celebration of Easter candy being at the store, we are going to try out some bags of jelly beans that are available for the holiday.  Nick (somewhat controversially) excluded Jelly Belly because they are available year round and have too many flavors to compare to the other bags.  Some may disagree with this decision, but obviously those people are incorrect.  Now onto the bags of beans that did make it to the show.  The contenders are Brachs, Jolly Rancher, Skittles, Starburst, and Welch's.  Please like and subscribe and if you have any suggestions, let us know by tweeting us @tastetestdummies or email us at nickandjohnpodcast@gmail.com.      SPOILER!  Below is a list of which candy bean corresponds to which numbered bag it was in: 1. Skittles 2. Welch's 3. Brachs 4. Starburst 5. Jolly Rancher

Which Dark chocolate with sea salt and almonds is best?  This week we try out some dark chocolates.  Every brand seems to have random ingredients added to their products, but the sea salt and almond variation seems to be rather popular although this specific combination is not something either of us have much experience with.  Today the contenders are Chocolove, Ghirardelli, Lily's, and Theo.  Please like and subscribe and if you have any suggestions, let us know by tweeting us @tastetestdummies or email us at nickandjohnpodcast@gmail.com.      SPOILER!  Below is a list of which chocolate corresponds to which numbered plate it was on: 1. Chocolove 2. Ghirardelli 3. Lily's 4. Theo

Which Irish stout is best?  Which Irish Red Ale is best?  This week we do something a little different and do two head to head matchups of different Irish beers in a celebration of St Patrick's Day.  We both try Irish Dry Stouts from Guinness and Left Hand, as well as Irish Red Ales from Killian's and Smithwick's.  Please like and subscribe and if you have any suggestions, let us know by tweeting us @tastetestdummies or email us at nickandjohnpodcast@gmail.com.      SPOILER!  Below is a list of which beer corresponds to which numbered glass it was in: 1. Killian's 2. Smithwick's 3. Guinness 4. Left Hand