Food & Wine Festival is in full swing again at Disney California Adventure. From new menu items to new merchandise, the Festival this year is off to a great start. Specialty items have been popping up at various vending carts throughout the Park and some of the items have been hits, while others have been misses. We were hesitant to try the new Slow-Roasted Bratwurst and Beer Marshmallows. Would they pass the taste test? We’re setting the record straight.

Slow-Roasted Bratwurst on a Pretzel Bun – $8.00

First off, we’d like to appreciate that for $8.00, this is a decent sized bratwurst and pretzel bun. Considering how small some of the portions are at the Festival Marketplaces for the same price, we thought this was a nice plus. However, we had expected some sort of sauce or toppings to come with the brat and bun. None did, but there is the option of adding a packet of Spicy Brown Mustard to give this meal a little more pizzazz.

While the mustard did add a much needed “something” to the bratwurst, it was still a plain and straightforward meal. There was nothing special to this item at all. The pretzel bun was soft and cooked well, and the bratwurst was flavorful. But for $8.00, we probably wouldn’t buy this Slow-Roasted Bratwurst on a Pretzel Bun again. It was too plain for the money; we’d prefer to eat this with toppings, like sauerkraut or coleslaw.

House-Made Beer Marshmallows – $4.25

These are two chocolate-dipped marshmallows made with Karl Strauss Wreck Alley Imperial Stout, pretzels, and caramel. We couldn’t really taste the beer in these marshmallows and we doubt there is enough to generate any sort of buzz. However, only guests who are 21 years and older with a valid photo ID can purchase these beer marshmallows.

For those of age, you’ll like these Beer Marshmallows. They were small, but sweet and so easy to indulge on. The marshmallow has more of a creamy consistency to it. It’s less like a marshmallow and more like a Milky Way candy bar combined with a Snickers. These were great and for the price, we highly recommend giving them a try.

Once again, Food & Wine Festival specialty items continue to be hit or miss. We say skip the Slow-Roasted Bratwurst and stick with the Beer Marshmallows. You can’t lose with that strategy. Disney California Adventure knows how to make a great dessert.