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Get ready to drink like it’s the 90’s (again) Zima is returning to shelves

ZIma 2017

Last summer, MillerCoors re-released the popular 90’s clear malt beverage ‘Zima’. It was an overwhelming hit. Incidentally, the article announcing it’s return is the #1 most read article in Beer Street Journal’s 11-year history.

The beverage hit the market around 1994, and was an instant hit. We think of it like an alcoholic Crystal Pepsi. (Which, incidentally, is also back on shelves.) Fans would soak Jolly Ranchers and Skittles in the bottles for interesting fruity variations. Not that we would know. We just turned 21 yesterday.

The malt beverage was sold with the tagline “Zomething Different.” Which obviously prompted drunk folks to try to pronounce everything with a “Z” in front of it. Think of it like the “WAZZZZZZZUP” Budweiser commercials that debuted in 1999. It got a little annoying after a while.

“Last summer, Zima was the ultimate comeback kid. People were picking up a six-pack to relive their 90s memories, to stock up for theme parties, or to just see what all the fuss was about. So, when it was time to decide if we were going to bring it back, we thought ‘why wouldn’t we?” – Dilini Fernando, senior marketing manager, innovation

The brand officially died in 2008 in the United States, but it never left Japan. According to MillerCoors, the brand still does extremely well there. The Citrusy clear alcoholic beverage is only 5% alcohol by volume.

Weren’t old enough to drink Zima before it died in 2008? Summer of 2018 is your chance (again). 6 packs of the hit 90’s beverage are hitting shelves now.

Jolly Rangers not included.

70 thoughts on “Get ready to drink like it’s the 90’s (again) Zima is returning to shelves

  1. It came in two versions. The first was clean, crisp, slightly tart, and high in alcohol. Then they reformulated it with more sugar and less alcohol. I drank the original (too) regularly, hated the reformulated sweet remake. Hope they bring back the original.

  2. Hopefully it’s not that citrus crap that they just stamped a Zima label on.
    Hopefully it’s the original formula.
    That stuff was SO goooooood!

  3. my heart was broken when they stopped making it. I can’t find a clear malt that compares!

  4. Omg i can’t wait. When is it coming out in Pennsylvania. I’m going to be 50 this year and want to have a Zima party.

    • Good grief. I met a girl long ago who prepared me an Amaretto and Fresca. It surprised me. It was actually tasty. Your mix could be tasty, too, but just like hers it sounds horrible.

  5. i loveddddddddd Zima it should come back and stay permanently i just may start to drink again LOLOL

  6. Awful. They changed it sometime in the 90’s. When it first came out it tasted like someone made alcoholic sprite.Now, it tastes and smells like beer. It changed… A lot.

  7. Fuk yea.. bring the 90’s nostalgia bak.. I don’t care.. i’ll fuks with the Zima on the 4th.

    • Your wrong. It IS the original formula. I am a die hard Zima fan and the newly released one OS the original

  8. I drank original Zima from 1993 to 1998 but then they changed the formula and made it too sweet which gave me a headache after just one. I just tried one of the new ones today and sadly it is the “new” formula and just too sweet. Nice try Coors but this new stuff is NOT the original. 🙁

  9. Never tried the stuff. I was always into the hard stuff. But now that i’m a bit older and i care more about my kidneys and well, it’s hot during the summers, i just might try this.

  10. Just seen ot today, and drinking one as I type. Loved the taste—–beats the hell out of all beers.

  11. Dang if every store I go to isn’t already sold out. I knew I should have bought cases instead of a couple 6 packs.

  12. it’s flying off the shelfs in northwest pa.in fact most beer distribitors are sold out.and hoping to get more soon.we too hope for some more at a lower cost hopefully

  13. and why we would like to see it at a lower cost.is hardly anyone is working in pa.taxes drove most all good companys with good paying jobs out of here.

  14. They should have never stopped selling it in the US I like beer but i love Zima stopped drinking regular beer when Zima hit the market. Everyone has there right not to like it but not sure what’s wrong with them Zima is the boom hope liquor stores start selling it instead of Walmart and hope they don’t pull it from the shelf’s again

  15. I sure hope it stays on the selve. My favorite drink in the 1990s. Even named a horse after it. ZIMA GOLD!

  16. I love Zuma I can’t find it anywhere. They took it back off the shelves. Bring it back please

  17. Reid

    Where can I purchase zima? My old high school friends are coming in town next weekend and they will flip if I have this. Any ideas? Your neighbor Robin

  18. I was drinking Zima before 1990. So your release date for it isn’t correct. I put green apple jolly ranchers in mine.

    • Maybe central Florida was a test market. I clearly remember it coming out before I graduated in June 1990.

  19. Its s womens drink, when i look back at ifrom when they came out in the 80’s with it theres much better out there what? women lol

  20. I hope I can still get these but can’t find them anywhere. I went to A bar here in Rome Ga (The Brew House to see a band that was there. Ordered it there. It was sooo good. Plz make them available again. Would be great for the Holidays

  21. I seen it at the grocery store last week. I was guilty of trying it last release out of curiosity. It really justs tastes like a worse version of a Smirnoff Ice but to each their own.

  22. I like the Zima citrus, but LOVED Zima Gold! I liked the bourbon flavor. How about giving it a try again?

  23. Who wrote this,? Zima wasn’t light on the alcohol.Zima always contained 4.9% alcohol. It’s delicious. Smirnoff ice is awful compared to Zima

  24. Please bring Zima back! I can’t drink anything else! Bring it to Rouses, Kroger, Walmart.
    Please bring it to the Lake Charles, LA area.

  25. Will Zima make another return for the summer of 2020? Push the other sparkling seltzer makes out the door and bring back the original and still the best to date. Thank you

  26. I am laying here in bed. My Doctors (4) have said my time on earth is very SHORT. I would like to have one (1) more bottle of Zima before I go. Over the years I have drank basically ANYTHING and EVERYTHING containing alcohol, from the best champagne from France down to Carling black label beer. If anyone has an idea where I could obtain a bottle of Zima, please, please respond. I have a birthday coming up in two (2) weeks and that would be the best present that I could receive on my 28th birthday. Thanks….

  27. Is Zima coming back? My husband and I use to drink it in the hot tub. He passed away recently. I’d like to try it one more time in a toast to the worlds best husband ever.
    Thank you.

  28. I hate Beer. When it came back a couple summers ago i was so giddy. Please bring back to USA more to the point Warren Ohio. Or tell me how to get it shipped from Japan. Thank you Rick an Patty

  29. Hello friends, the best beer that i ever drank was Zema Gold Beer. Then it was no longer on the shelves and it broke my wife’s heart and mine as well. Please manufacture and market Zema Gold Beer. this year. i will purchase enough to last all year. thank you kindly. I speak for a lot of other people who love it.

  30. I am a die hard zima fan and when it was released in 2018 I drove hours to get a case every where I could. I don’t understand why they stopped selling it in the USA. I would buy a truck load if I could.

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