While it’s not quite the K-Cup showdown we had when Christine compared all of the Earl Grey K-Cups available for Keurig brewers, I got to thinking that writing side by side reviews of the two new hot cocoa K-Cups from Green Mountain was really the only way to do it.  I say this, because, as it turns out, apart from one being milk chocolate and the other being dark chocolate, the differences between the two new cocoa varieties are anything but night and day.

Before I get to the review I wanted to mention how excited I am about the Cafe Escapes lineup.  Both of the cocoa varieties I’ll be writing about are both very good, and represent a huge leap forward from the original Green Mountain Hot Cocoa, which I must admit, is probably the single biggest disappointment in the Green Mountain lineup.  The  issues with the original offering, I think, was that the cocoa mix itself didn’t completely dissolve, which resulted in a lot of coca mix left behind, and a lot of flavor being left out of your cup.  Thankfully Green Mountain has solved the problem with both of the new cocoa varieties.

Green Mountain just as easily could have called the new lineup “Coffee House Favorites”, because, for me anyway, these kind of new K-Cup beverages are exactly the reason (actually the only reason) I visit a coffee house these days.  It also shouldn’t be too long before new Cafe Escape flavors like Cafe Mocha and French Vanilla Latte (and some other flavors as well) are available.  If any of those new beverages (really looking forward to the mocha) turn out as well as the new cocoas, Green Mountain fans, and Keurig users in general, have plenty to be excited about.

Green Mountain Cafe Escapes Milk Chocolate Hot Cocoa

As you might guess, the Milk Chocolate variety is the lighter of the Cafe Escapes offerings.  Taste-wise it’s probably as close as I’ve come to that “like mom used to make” experience in a K-Cup.  Of course, there’s a better than average chance that what mom used to make came out of a single-serve packet, but I’m fine with that, because, well, I really like the stuff out of a packet.  In truth, my mother used to make her own cocoa mix using Nestle Quick, Carnation instant milk, some tiny marshmallows, and god know what else.  In reality, I don’t think it was any better that what comes out of a packet, but she really seemed to enjoy mixing it herself, so who am I to judge.  Whatever she mixed it was good enough.

I’ll never claim to be an expert on other people’s preferences, but my best guess is that the Milk Chocolate variety will prove to be the more popular of the two, as it tastes like what most of us think hot cocoa is supposed to taste like.

Green Mountain Cafe Escapes Dark Chocolate Hot Cocoa

It should come as no real surprise that the difference between the Milk Chocolate and Dark Chocolate varieties boils down to the differences between milk and dark chocolate.  How’s that for a bit of wisdom?  That’s why I make the big bucks.  Anyway…the Dark Chocolate K-Cups lack the sweetness of the milk chocolate variety, and have a less creamy flavor.   The taste, in my experience anyway, is unique in a hot cocoa beverage.  Not that it’s a perfect comparison by any stretch, but contrasting the two is a bit light comparing an unsweetened dark roast, to a light and sweet breakfast blend.  Each can be good in its own right, but neither is guaranteed to appeal to everyone.  What I’ve found after sampling each flavor numerous times is that my preference boils down to little more than my mood.  Yesterday I preferred the milk chocolate flavor, today I’m craving the dark.

What seems strange to me is that, for reasons I don’t completely understand, I love the milk chocolate variety with some mini marshmallows thrown in.  Put those same mini marshmallows in the dark chocolate variety and I find it almost undrinkable.  Go figure.  I guess the lesson here is that the dark chocolate offering isn’t supposed to be sweet, so don’t even bother to try and make it that way.  Of course, there’s a better than average chance it’s just me.

Final Thoughts

I’ll fess up to not having tried the latest Hot Chocolate offering from Gloria Jean’s, nor have I tried the Bellaccino hot cocoa K-Cups.  It’s quite possible either of those could be the equal of the new Cafe Escape offerings from Green Mountain.  I’ll leave the “which is best debate” until I’ve had the chance to try the others.  I can say, however, that Green Mountain finally has a quality cocoa k-cup available, which is a huge win for Cafe Express subscribers who, until now, have been limited to the previous sub-par cocoa offering.  I’m still very much a fan of Timothy’s White Hot Chocolate, but for those seeking a more conventional hot cocoa experience, you really can’t go wrong with Green Mountain Cafe Escapes Hot Cocoa.

Shameless Plug

Qwowi.com and the K-Cup Challenge rely on donations to keep the site up and running.  Well, actually, not donations per se, more like kick backs.  Basically how it works is you read one of my reviews, decide that you might like to try some Green Mountain Coffee, or Cafe Escapes Cocoa, or even become a Cafe Express subscriber (which allows you to save $2 off each box of Green Mountain or Caribou Coffee you buy).  Heck, maybe you buy a Keurig Brewer, or some other totally unique product from Green Mountain.  The point is, whatever you buy, Green Mountain is kind enough to give me a little something back, which in turn helps me to pay for things like web hosting, and a whole bunch of other website-related stuff.  Heck, if you buy enough coffee, I may be able afford a sprinkler system, which really has little to do with site maintenance, but damned if my lawn doesn’t look more like a waste bunker than a fairway.  So anyway, shop at Green Mountain, you’ll not only get great coffee, but you’ll also help make one small part of the world (my back yard) that much greener.

While you’re here check out all of the reviews in our K-Cup Challenge.