Soda Review: Manhattan Special

First of all, the name is a misnomer: Manhattan Special, the delicious espresso soda that Coca-Cola Blak only wants to be, and that no edgy stupid spelling can make it, is in fact a product of, (clears throat), BROOKLYN!!!

(Coke Blak. Jesus. Why not call it Coq Blaqqq if they wanted to go real CRAY-ZEE? Or perhaps Coke Blacc, which would have a built-in endorsement deal?)

Anyhow, this delicious product is manufactured in the middle of Italian Williamsburg, quick walking distance from the Lorimer L stop, although I don't think they give tours or give out t-shirts. (Much to the frustration of my friend Marcus...admittedly, I'd like one of those shirts too, but hey, y'know, I guess it's one of those "Never teach the Wu-Tang style!" things.)

Made of sugar (or Nutrasweet, in the decent Diet version), carbonated water, a lot of espresso, and the necessary amount of preservatives, Manhattan Special is not only delicious and nicely caffeinated, it's the perfect hangover coffee-like cure, combining the soothing carbonation of a soda with the proper recuperative power of the espresso you're not likely to be in shape to stomach. Another one of the reasons I sorta pity Manhattanites, Manhattan Special isn't widely available outside The Planet, much like the ridiculously good limited Winter edition Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout. It even comes in a decaf version. Why? I dunno. But for you baffling people who order decaf coffee and lattes and whatever, well, there you go. Just remember that you may die a little earlier than me. Oh, the irony.

So hooray coffee, hooray Brooklyn, fuck The New Yorker. Come to think of it, time to run down to Graham Avenue and get me a two-liter right now.

Manhattan Special: A
Diet Manhattan Special: B+
Decaffeinated Manhattan Special: Why?
Brooklyn Dark Chocolate Stout: A++