Random Suds Review: Wells Banana Bread Beer.

Time to review an import. That's right... our random review this time around will be Wells Banana Bread Beer. Brewed by the UK based Charles Wells Brewing Company (aka Wells & Young's Brewing Company), it's a favorite of the British beer-drinking populace. It is 5.2% Alc. by volume and created with fair trade bananas as part of the brewing process. As such, it supposedly has a remarkable flavor not normally experienced in an adult beverage. Is it true or just a bunch of hocus pocus? I'm going to find out.

As with all of my reviews, I will taste test the beer at two different temperatures -- cold and at room temperature. Here we go!

Cold:

• Very strong banana odor upon pouring it into the glass.
• Light fizz.
• No head to speak of.
• Initial taste revealed a bold, but not overpowering banana flavor.
• No bitterness at all to speak of.
• The background of the flavor profile is both nutty and bread-like, as one would hope.
• Much to my pleasure, the beer is not overly sweet or artificial tasting.
• Quite enjoyable and easy to drink!

At Room Temperature:

• Has developed a slight amount of bitterness, but nothing terrible.
• The bread-like nature has become more emboldened.
• The fizz has completely dissipated.
• As to the flavor, the banana has mellowed and isn't as fruity.
• Still perfectly acceptable to drink warm, just not as good as when cold.

And there you have it! A flavorful imported beer with an awesome taste. If you like banana bread, or just bananas, you will enjoy this beer from Charles Wells. Look for Wells Banana Bread Beer at your local specialty beer and wine retailer!

The Cadbury Creme Egg Ban.

Who doesn't love a tasty Cadbury Creme Egg? If you happen to find someone that does not, they are clearly not to be trusted. I digress, though.

Last year, a devastating change was made as to how many Americans and ex-pat Brits enjoy the sweet treat. Cadbury Eggs originally come from England, where they are produced by Cadbury UK. Under English food regulations, any item advertised as containing chocolate must possess at least 20% cocoa solids. In the United States, the same products are only required to have at least 10% cocoa solids. Up until last year, many American retailers would import British Cadbury Creme Eggs because they contain more chocolate, are larger and generally taste better than the American version. In the United States, Cadbury Creme Eggs are produced exclusively under license by Hershey.

Pictured here is a size comparison between the American Cadbury Creme Egg made by Hershey (left) and the original British Cadbury (right). See the difference?

A volatile lawsuit last year resulted in a ban on the import of many British chocolates, including the much loved Cadbury Creme Egg. Hershey claimed that the import and consumption of the original British version was 'confusing' for their consumers, as well as violated their exclusive right to produce and sell the Cadbury Creme Egg in the USA.

Long story short, Hershey didn't like the idea of Americans eating the original version instead of their own inferior product.

This isn't to say that the Hershey-produced Cadbury Creme Egg is bad; they still taste pretty darn good. Yet, they're not as flavorful as the original British version, which I've had the opportunity to try before. There is a dramatic difference. The Cadbury UK original has more of a creamy, robust chocolate shell. Alternatively, the Hershey version is much sweeter with a firmer shell.

All of the Cadbury Creme Eggs you'll enjoy this Easter season will be the Hershey version -- slightly smaller and with less actual chocolate. In the end, the American Cadbury Creme Egg consumer loses.

Pizza Hut's Hot Dog Bites Pizza - Gluttonous Absurdity At Its Finest.

It's the moment none of us have been waiting for...

Pizza Hut's revolutionary new Hot Dog Bites Pizza is available for your consumption. Don't you want to choke one down right now?

No, I didn't think so. Neither do I.

In the ultimate act of gluttonous absurdity, the folks over at Pizza Hut decided that what pizza needs is to replace the crust with mini hot dogs. Instead of a tasty, warm piece of pizza crust, you instead get stuck with what amounts to little more than twenty-eight pigs in a blanket. To top it off, your hot dog crust comes with yellow mustard dipping sauce.

Not garlic butter, but plain yellow mustard. Ugh.

Don't get me wrong, I love mustard... but it's not so appetizing with pizza. Two totally different realms of food, my friends.

This is the UK version of Pizza Hut's Hot Dog Pizza.

Just as disgusting as the US version, but in a whole new way.

This monstrous freak show of a dish was initially popular in the United Kingdom. Across the pond, the presentation of the hot dog crust is slightly different. Instead of mini hot dog bites, they simply insert the wiener straight into the crust. Can you imagine that? A stuffed crust pizza with a solid ring of low quality meat around the edge. I'm getting fatter just thinking about it.

I attempted to find nutritional information on Pizza Hut's website for the Hot Dog Bite's Pizza, but it was nowhere to be found. Perhaps their webmaster's heart exploded after eating one. Either way, this is assuredly not good for you. As if a standard Pizza Hut pizza wasn't already unhealthy, surrounding a pie with processed hot dogs covered in salt really sends it into the zone of things you should never eat.

Never... EVER... eat.