Friday, November 19, 2010

Sweet, Peach, But Not Terribly Special, Peach Bellini Is An Unnecessary Jelly Belly.

Peach Bellini Jelly Belly Jelly Beans - 10 lbs bulk
Click to buy directly from Jelly Belly!



The Good: Good flavor, Environmentally responsible bulk, Taste does not fade
The Bad: Nothing terribly different from the Peach Jelly Bellys.
The Basics: Peach Bellini is a strangely underwhelming favor from the cocktail Jelly Belly line which is ultimately not different enough from the regular Peach beans to be worth it.


For me, one of the definite benefits of traveling would have to be shopping. I never thought that would be true, but it sure seems to be that way for me. After all, right before visiting the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, I discovered a little shop in Erie, Pennsylvania which had several new-to-me Jelly Belly flavors in bulk which were not necessarily available in new assortments or in all markets. I was pretty excited about that and I spent more money there than anywhere else on the trip. One of the flavors I purchased was the new Peach Bellini Jelly Bellys. Truth be told, I've never had the alcoholic beverage this bean is based upon, but if this Jelly Belly is any indication, it's not that impressive of a drink.

For those who might never have had Jelly Belly jelly beans, these are easily the best jelly beans on the planet, packing a lot of flavor into a very small size. Unlike most jelly beans which are only vaguely flavored and are more based on colors, Jelly Belly jelly beans have a wide variety of actual flavors, like Very Cherry, Sizzling Cinnamon, Dr. Pepper, or their signature flavor Buttered Popcorn.

As part of their new Cocktail Creations mix, Peach Bellini fills the niche of fruity alcoholic beverages that are pretty true to their fruit roots. Who needs ten pounds of Peach Bellini flavored Jelly Bellys? I'd have to say all the girl drink drunks who love Peach Bellinis, but doesn't want alcohol poisoning. Anyone who might like Peach Bellini Jelly Belly jelly beans will likely find that this is the best way to get them in bulk in an environmentally responsible way for the least amount of money.

Basics

Peach Bellini is a flavor of Jelly Belly jelly beans. Jelly Belly jelly beans are approximately one half inch long by one quarter inch wide and they are roughly bean-shaped. These little candies are marketed to taste precisely like Peach Bellini - the alcoholic beverage - and if all a Peach Bellini tastes like is peach, then Jelly Belly has it made. The thing is, all of the other Cocktail Creations Jelly Bellys have a little kick to them; this jelly bean just tastes like peach. And because Jelly Belly already has a Peach Jelly Belly jelly bean, this certainly seems redundant.

Peach Bellini flavored Jelly Bellys are available in a wide array of quantities, but the largest quantity available is the ten pound bulk case. This is a decent-sized box with a plastic lining and while some might wonder why anyone would need a ten pound box, I say, "It's easier to eat these jelly beans than to drink ten pounds of peach bellinis!" I suspect that for most people, a ten pound case is a year's supply of these jelly beans.

Peach Bellini flavored Jelly Bellys are remarkably easy to recognize and distinguish from other Jelly Bellys, except in low lighting when they might be mistaken for Tangerine or Cantaloupe. Peach Bellini is a translucent orange bean without any additional colors added to it. It is a healthier, brighter looking orange than both Tangerine and Cantaloupe and its translucent nature prevents it from being mistaken for Orange Sherbet Jelly Bellys.

Ease Of Preparation

These are jelly beans, not mixing up Peach Bellinis! In the case of the ten pound box, one might want to put them in a candy dish of some form as opposed to always going into the box. Eat them from the box if you desire, but don't call me when you put on pounds faster as a result!

Taste

Peach Bellini Jelly Bellys have almost no aroma. This unnerved me when I opened the box, because usually the best Jelly Belly jelly beans have a bouquet to them and this jelly bean did not. With enough of them together, there is a faint citrus odor to the beans, but even by the handful, this is not a Jelly Belly with an extraordinary scent.

The initial contact with the consumer's tongue is sweet and the Peach Bellini flavor is the exact embodiment of peach. This tastes precisely like canned peaches, overwhelmingly sweet and peach-flavored without any tang that might come from actual fresh peaches.

But that is all. The Peach Bellini has the peach flavor, but nothing beyond. There is no kick at the end that might imply this was supposed to be based upon an alcoholic beverage, nothing beyond the sweet, distinctive flavor when the bean first hits one's tongue.

Nutrition

Again, these are jelly beans, so anyone looking to them for nutrition needs to understand they are not the drink they are based upon, they are a sugary snack! Jelly beans, even Jelly Belly jelly beans, are not a legitimate source of nutrition. These are a snack food, a dessert, and are in no way an adequate substitute for a real meal. A serving is listed at thirty-five beans, with each Jelly Belly jelly bean having approximately four calories. This means that in a single serving, there are 140 calories, which is 12% of your daily recommended intake.

The thing is, Jelly Belly jelly beans are not as bad as they could be in the nutrition area. They have no fat and no protein, but for those who have ever dated a Vegan, these are Vegan compliant because they contain no gelatin! Some more militant Vegans might object to the bee's wax in the shell, but generally these are considered Vegan compliant. They have only one percent of the daily sodium with 15 mg and they are gluten free! The main ingredients are sugar, corn syrup and modified food starch, so it's not like this is an all-natural food, but they could be far, far worse.

Storage/Clean-up

Jelly Belly jelly beans have a shelf life of approximately one year and I have yet to run across a stale Jelly Belly (though that could have something to do with a package never surviving a year around me). They remain freshest when they are kept in an airtight container (the bag in the bulk box is sufficient if it is kept closed) and they ought to be kept in a lukewarm environment. Storing them in hot places is likely to make the beans stick together and be gross. Kept in a cool, dry place, the beans retain their flavor perfectly.

As for cleanup, unless one allows the Jelly Belly to get hot to the point that the waxy coating on the bean melts, the dyes on these do not bleed or denature, so there is usually no cleanup necessary, not even washing one's hands after eating them (good hand hygiene is just smart basic health!). I've never had Peach Bellini Jelly Bellys stain anything.

Overall

Peach Bellini Jelly Belly jelly beans are one of the more lackluster Jelly Belly flavors. For sure, their taste does not fade with continual consumption, but I fail to see the point of a jelly bean that is so similar to one already established and Peach Bellini can be done without, so long as Peach remains worth having!

For other Jelly Belly flavors reviewed by me, please check out:
Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Assortment
Mojito
Sour Cherry

5/10

For other food reviews, please check out my index page!

© 2010 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.



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Peach Bellini Jelly Belly Jelly Beans - 10 lbs bulk Click to buy directly from Candy.com!

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