The Happiest Place on Earth?

I’m speaking in Orlando, Florida today, and yesterday I spent a day at Disney World with members (and friends) of the Secular Student Alliance at Valencia Community College!

Sounds wonderful, yes?! It was fun. No doubt about that.

However, the weather did not want to cooperate…

Jesus must hate us.

On the upside, we visited a place at Epcot Center called Club Cool, which offers free tastes of Coca-Cola products around the world.

There was a nasty little beverage called Beverly from Italy in the mix. No one should ever drink it. Unless your friends tell you to try it, in which case, you have to.

As luck would have it, a few high school students were there and they decided to take two shots each of that garbage.

I just egged them on and got out my camera.

Because that’s what good teachers do when students are about to do something really dumb.

Thanks to the SSA@Valencia for setting everything up. Even with our ponchos on for most of the day and our socks soaking wet, it was an awesome time:

…

Tuesday, it’s off to Troy, NY, for a talk at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. It’s close to Albany! So… um… be there!

Reginald Selkirk

Disney World, Troy, New York – really, what’s the difference?
Jeff

I’ve tried that ‘Beverly’ stuff in Epcot (I’m one of those Disney Dorks that travels there annually). I liken it to the type of thing you find in the back of the refrigerator that seems to be growing some form of penicillin on it…. you take a whiff, realize its two days past rancid and then call the wife over and say, “Honey, smell this.”
Verimius

Have you ever tasted Campari?
Verimius

I like Campari myself, mixed with club soda, or in a Negroni.
Secular Planet

I really liked the Mezzo Mix (from Germany) that I tried. My wife and were down there in Epcot three weeks ago.
NV

I’ve been going to EPCOT every year for a while now and I could’ve sworn that the cola place went away ages ago! So happy to know it is still there.
muggle

What’s the difference? I hear Disneyland’s fun. (Never been so I can’t really know.) Troy on the other hand is lame, real lame. It’s known around these parts as Troilet. Seriously, there ain’t much there other than RPI and Hudson Valley Community College.

Hemant, it’s killing me that I’m gonna miss you. Can I get a cyber hug instead?
David

I tried Beverly at the Coke Museum in Atlanta. By far, the most disgusting thing I’ve ever tasted! Makes for a good story that we tell often, though.
jose

Awww, I think I’m in love with the girl with the pink cap. I shouldn’t have looked at that pic.

btw, if you haven’t tasted Spanish Rioco Cola, you still have something to learn about really awful drinks. It’s not bitter or anything–just evily bad.
Ashley

Dammit!

I just finished up my time on the Disney College Program in December and I used to work at Club Cool. I would have been beyond excited to have seen Hemant! Why couldn’t you have come last fall? And so you know, Beverly isn’t really that bad. What is bad is when people spew it out of their mouths and then you end up moping it up off the floor. Most guests told me China’s smart watermelon was their favorite soda flavor.

How funny to see a video of the place I used to work ;P This brings back all those memories of build-a-cup and cleaning spills.
JustSayin’

I’ve tasted Beverly at Epcot twice and at the Coke Museum once. I feel compelled to try it at every opportunity if only to remind myself that there really is something in existence that actually tastes that horrible.
Dan Covill

Are you telling me that Beverly is worse than Moxie? (Oh, you’re probably too young to have encountered Moxie. Lucky you.)
Taazie

I was born and raised in Italy and moved to the US 5 years ago and I can assure that there is no such thing as Beverly in Italy.

The drink that Coke is trying to copy is called Chinotto, a ‘made in Italy’ drink that emerged from the Italian anti-conformism movement that challenged Coke’s growing popularity in Italy. Chinotto’s commercial said “C’e’ chi Si [there are those that yes – images of lame conformist people on screen], e c’e’ chi NO! [and those who don’t – image of rad different dude drinking chinotto]”

Chinotto does taste very different, but it’s great once you get a feel for it. The fact that Coke tries to appropriate a product that emerged to counter their nasty Obesity-In-A-Can pisses me off!
Jude

Just wait until we have the great debate between those that favour the “Classic” Beverly and those that prefer “New” Beverly.
Reginald Selkirk

Troy on the other hand is lame, real lame. It’s known around these parts as Troilet. Seriously, there ain’t much there other than RPI and Hudson Valley Community College.

You just need to learn about the interesting aspects of the region. I suggest a brief tour of the Ridiculous Food Society of Upstate New York
HP

I’ve never tasted Beverly, but according to the Wikipedia article, it’s flavored with quinine and grapefruit. Like tonic and Fresca, maybe? (Have you kids out there even heard of Fresca?) Maybe it’s my age, or habitual taste-bud abuse, but Beverly sounds pretty good from the descriptions. (I’ve been known to swig warm, diet tonic water, though, so YMMV.)

Add some London dry gin and a lot of ice, and Bob’s your uncle.
Kate

Beverly is 100000x worse than Moxie.
bernerbits

I tried the Beverly. Was there with my family – they intended to prank me with it, having previously tasted it themselves.

And while they sat there giggling, waiting for the look on my face as I downed this abomination, I took a gulp, nodded, and made a “not bad” face.

I liked it. Not sure what’s wrong with me, but I liked it.