For a long time, Mountain Dew was my vice. The green, sugary, citrus fizz delivered the caffeine kick I needed at lunch, or sometimes breakfast. I’d probably only sampled three or four from the growing endless line of flavors, some of which are regional or business exclusives.
Geraldine DeRuiter, aka The Everywhereist, tried 21 Mountain Dew Flavors.
Mtn Dew has a following so devoted it makes Catholicism seem like a casual hobby. Fans of the drink post photos of their collections online, bottles and cans in a Lisa Frank array of hues. I stare at a picture taken in someone’s wood paneled basement, in a subreddit specifically for Mtn Dew enthusiasts (because the internet, for all its faults, has guaranteed us this: no matter how esoteric our passions, we need never feel alone). Meticulously arranged, some have been custom made, because the beverages in question are only available in fountain drinks. Other fans weigh in, inquiring where to purchase rarer bottles. I try to understand what would propel someone to buy a stale, questionably-stored bottle of Mtn Dew from eBay.
Three weeks later, I’m doing it myself.
