Zima Returning To Stores This Summer

(WWJ) - Remember Zima? It's making a comeback.

Amid of a wave of 90s throwbacks returning to pop culture and stores shelves, the lightly carbonated, clear alcoholic drink that launched in 1993 is back for a limited time.

Marketed as an alternative to beer, and a bit like a "cooler" (think Bartles and Jaymes), the malt beverage — which packed fairly modest 4.7 to 5.4 percent abv — tasted a bit like flat Sprite, with just a twist of disappointment.

Pretty popular for a short time among the early 20s crowd and moms looking for a buzz on a boat, Zima was discontinued in the U.S. in 2008 (although it's reportedly still sold in Japan where it's marketed as a nightclub drink).

Chicago-based MillerCoors announced early this month that Zima is set for a summertime limited release, beginning Fourth of July weekend, nationwide.

Spokesman Marty Maloney told the Business Journal they're looking to connect with consumers who are thirsty for 90s nostalgia.

"We got some of the people that worked on Zima in the '90s to recreate the look, feel and taste so that it is almost identical to the original," Maloney added. "People will be able to purchase it in a 6-pack and drink it out of the fluted bottle while tasting the refreshing citrus beverage they remember."

Maloney calls Zima a "90s legend"... What do you think?