Mr. Pibb Is Back – Here's What's New About This Relaunched Old-School Soda

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For our younger audience, the name "Mr. Pibb" probably doesn't ring a bell, but in the '80s and '90s, this soda was the bomb. You can think of it as a stronger, spicier version of Dr. Pepper — take a sip and the first thing to hit your tongue is a prominent sweet cherry flavor laced with spicy notes of cinnamon, then comes a delicious aftertaste of caramel. If that sounds awesome to you, we've got good news: Coca-Cola is officially relaunching this old-school soda with a reformulated recipe and a new, fly look.

First things first, let's take a look at what's actually changing. According to Coca-Cola, this reformulation is built on top of Pibb Xtra (a spicier, more cherry-forward version of the original Mr. Pibb, which is no longer in production). They're juicing it up with 30% more caffeine — jumping from 40 milligrams to around 52 milligrams per 12 fluid-ounce can for extra buzz. That'll put it alongside Mountain Dew on our ranked list of caffeinated sodas. The new Mr. Pibb is launching alongside Mr. Pibb Zero Sugar, which swaps high-fructose corn syrup for acesulfame potassium while keeping the same bold flavor. And yes, both are getting a fresh design that looks a lot less... late '90s than the old Mr. Pibbs.

There's one potential sticking point, though: many Pibb fans felt the Xtra never quite matched the original's appeal, which is why it's had lukewarm sales since its 2001 introduction. We'll just have to wait and see if Coca-Cola's bet on added caffeine and updated branding pays off.

Even though Pibb Xtra can be bought on Amazon, you'll have a very hard time finding it in grocery stores — it's just never gained much traction. Your best bet for tasting this revamped version is to wait until it hits shelves in late October and early November. According to some initial intel from Foodbeast, the West Coast, Midwest, and Florida will see it first, before the soda flows to other regions throughout next year.

Now, one last question: why now? Why does Coca-Cola suddenly want to resurrect a relatively obscure brand? Likely because they're no longer allowed to distribute Dr. Pepper in California and Nevada markets, according to Bloomberg. For folks who like their soda fruity and spicy a la Dr. Pepper, they can opt for Mr. Pibb instead. So if you're in one of these areas affected by the "Dr. Pepper blackout," prepare to find Pibb as an option on your local soda fountains soon.