The down-low on Flamin’ Hot Mountain Dew

Mountain Dew has been on a new flavor kick recently, with Purple Thunder (blackberry and plum) making its debut in April 2022 and Mountain Dew Typhoon launching on June 1, 2022.

But there’s another flavor that has been spotted on the shelves of major grocery chains all across America recently… Yep, you guessed it — Flamin’ Hot Mountain Dew.

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Is Flamin’ Hot Mountain Dew even real?

It sounds like a sick joke, like Lay’s nightmare cappuccino chips. Unfortunately (or fortunately?) Flamin’ Hot Mountain Dew is very real, and it’s available as of April 2022. You can snag a single 20-ounce bottle, or stock up with a 12-pack of cans.

It’s not the first time Mountain Dew has released a spicy mash-up. In 2020, they released a Mountain Dew-flavored hot sauce in partnership with Joel Embiid and iBurn.

What is Flamin’ Hot Mountain Dew? What does it taste like?

Flamin’ Hot Mountain Dew is the junk food mashup we never knew we needed. It’s just as it sounds: a sweet-and-spicy blend of classic citrusy Mountain Dew soda, with a Flamin’ Hot kick, reminiscent of your favorite spicy Cheetos.

What makes Flamin’ Hot Mountain Dew spicy?

These are the ingredients of Flamin’ Hot Mountain Dew: Carbonated Water, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Natural Flavor, Citric Acid, Gum Arabic, Sodium Benzoate (Preserves Freshness), Caffeine, Sodium Citrate, Yellow 5, Glycerol Ester Of Rosin, Calcium Disodium EDTA (to Protect Flavor), Yellow 6, Red 40.

So what actually makes it spicy? None of the ingredients give any indication, so we suspect that the “natural flavor” includes something spicy, like capsaicin. Capsaicin is the naturally occurring chemical found in chili peppers that makes them spicy — and it’s also the active ingredient in pepper spray.

How spicy is Flamin’ Hot Mountain Dew?

The reviews are in and Flamin’ Hot Mountain Dew is… not very spicy. It definitely has a bit of a tingle, but the tingle from the carbonation and the tingle from the spiciness intermingle and for some people, it’s hard to tell that it’s even spicy.

If you are new to spicy foods or have a very low tolerance for spice, you might find Flamin’ Hot Mountain Dew to be spicy. But if you’re a hot food fanatic like us, you won’t be impressed by the level of heat.

Is Flamin’ Hot Mountain Dew any good?

So that brings us to the million-dollar question… is Flamin’ Hot Mountain Dew any good? You’ll love this soda if you are a fan of both Mountain Dew and Flamin’ Hot Cheetos and if your expectations are that it will taste like a bit of each but not be incredibly spicy. If you dislike either component, this soda will definitely not be for you. And if you’re expecting something as hot as Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, you will be sorely disappointed.

Where to buy Flamin’ Hot Mountain Dew

Still dying to try Flamin’ Hot Mountain Dew for yourself? The good news is that it’s widely available in most grocery stores across America: you’ll find it on the shelves of Kroger, Walmart, and Target to name a few.

If you can’t find it at a local store or if, understandably, you’re lazy and want it delivered straight to your doorstep, it’s also available on Amazon in 12-packs and 20-oz bottles.