Let’s get one thing straight about trick-or-treating: It is simply a means to an end. The end? Candy. Lots of it.
When I was a kid, I would sprint athletically from house to house to collect as much candy as I could before the night ended. I would sit up later with my sister, digging through our pillowcases of candy. We were overly competitive kids, so we’d try the sourest candies and see who could best hide a visible reaction to the pain we were experiencing.
Maybe it’s the cool breeze that has come through Baton Rouge recently or the racks of Halloween costumes lining storefronts, but I have been thinking about those sour candies a lot recently.
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The 225 Dine team wondered: Is it possible that sour candies have changed since our childhoods? Are kids out there experiencing the same tastes and reactions to sour candies as we did? Or in 2018, has the game changed? There was only one thing to do: We hit up candy aisles of several local grocery stores in search of new varieties and tried-and-true classics alike.
225 Dine rankings
Ranked from least to most sour (1 being the lowest, and 10 being the highest):
Haribo Sour Gold-Bears
Average rating: 1.8
A twist on a classic, Haribo Sour Gold-Bears kicks the average gummy bear candy up a notch with its sour coating. That said, the bears were not a real crowd-pleaser, or as sour as advertised.
Our thoughts: “This is like the LaCroix version of sour candy.” —Managing editor Benjamin Leger
“This is so weak.” —Staff writer Cynthea Corfah
Now and Later Sour Shell Shocked Fruit Chewy Bites Candy
Average rating: 2
We had high hopes for this candy due to its neon packaging, but ultimately were disappointed at its performance.
Our thoughts: “This is actually so sweet. There is no sour taste at all.” —Staff writer Cynthea Corfah
“The green one has a little kick at the very end.” —Contributing writer Dillon Lowe
“Its weird. I don’t like it.” —Editor Jennifer Tormo
Airheads Extreme Sourfuls
Average rating: 2.8
On the package, this gummy candy alerts consumers that the treat “starts sour” and “stays sour.” We disagreed.
Our thoughts: “I would say this is the worst candy so far.” —Contributing writer Dillon Lowe
“It tastes like when you have gum but it has lost all of its flavor.” —Editor Jennifer Tormo
“No, I did not like that.” —Contributing writer Kaylee Poche
Sour Patch Extreme
Average rating: 4.4
A sourer spin on the Sour Patch Kids we have come to know and love, the bag claims these candies are “#@$%*! SOUR” (their words not ours). While the staff admits these are a bit sourer than the Haribo bears, we think the packaging might overplay the actual tartness of the treat.
Our thoughts: “Still super mild.” —Contributing writer Dillon Lowe
“I actually like the sourness of this one.” —Staff writer Cynthea Corfah
“I appreciate the soft, gummy consistency.” —Editor Jennifer Tormo
Sour Skittles
Average rating: 6.8
These have been on the shelves for a while, so we hoped that meant they remained a true sour treat.
Our thoughts: “Oh hello!” —Managing Editor Benjamin Leger
“Honestly I think that was really sour, but maybe that was because I had the yellow one.” —Contributing writer Kaylee Poche
“Skittles deliver consistently!” —Editor Jennifer Tormo
SweeTARTS Extreme Sour Chewy
Average rating: 6.8
Another product claiming on its packaging to be “extreme.” We were skeptical at first, but most of us were pleasantly surprised with the sourness of the candy, which seemed to get more sour the longer we chewed it.
Our thoughts: “That extremed it for me.” —Managing editor Benjamin Leger
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Warheads Extreme Sour Hard Candies
Average rating: 9.75
We decided to end with a true sour candy classic: Warheads. These hard candies are known for their extreme tartness, but we wondered if their reputation would falter in the wake of our testing.
Our thoughts: “I spit it out. I mean, it comes with a warning of tongue irritation …” —Managing editor Benjamin Leger
“All the taste buds in my mouth are screaming!” —Staff writer Cynthea Corfah