Now it’s really time for “Zomething Different.”

On Monday, MillerCoors announced the discontinuation of Zima, the “malternative” beverage that launched in 1994. Seeing the headline on the wires, I took a mini-moment of silence for my once-beloved magic elixir.

First I had to process the flabbergasting news that Zima had miraculously survived all these years. And that there had been, at some point, a line extension, counting three flavors in “Z” family: Citrus, Tangerine, and Pineapple Citrus. Then, and not a moment sooner, did my fond remembrance really commence.

I was in college when the lightly carbonated Zima made the scene. Beer wasn’t really my thing, but here, like a gift from the alcohol gods, came a beverage priced like beer, but so much more enjoyable to imbibe. Clear, carbonated, and sometimes “cherry” (thanks to a jigger of grenadine), Zima did the trick just fine. (Yeah, I know: Totally ’Mo.)

Think what we will now, but back then this clear near-beer was my club companion. Zima in hand, weekend nights were spent on a former Moose Lodge‘s underlit multicolored dance floor straight out of Saturday Night Fever. So here, in honor of Zima’s passing, I present this video playlist, circa 1994-1995:

Nicki French – Total Eclipse Of The Heart
Livin’ Joy – Dreamer
Corona – The Rhythm Of The Night
Roula – Lick It (NSFW)
La Bouche – Sweet Dreams
20 Fingers – Short Dick Man (really NSFW)
Culture Beat – Mr. Vain
The Outhere Brothers – F.Y.I.T.A. (really, truly NSFW!)
Real McCoy – Another Night

And this forever-associated Fabulous favorite:

My original intent was to post an iMix with these tracks here, but the majority of these gems aren’t available for sale on iTunes (or via Amazon MP3). Isn’t the entire history of recorded music supposed to be available at our beck-and-mouseclick by now? Are we still living in the ’90s?

So cue the clips above and grab a cold Zima while you can. Production ceased on October 10, but bottles of the brew should remain on shelf through December.

After that, the ’90s are officially over.