More Sparkle Than Flavor, Grapefruit Bubly Sparkling Water Underwhelms!

The Good: Does not taste bad, Good ingredients
The Bad: More carbonated than it is flavorful, No nutritional benefits
The Basics: Bubly Grapefruit Sparkling Water is thoroughly unimpressive on the flavor front, making for a tough sell for those who want an actual flavored sparkling water.


I get excited by seeing how familiar, powerful, companies attempt to diversify their product lines in order to compete in saturated or changing markets. When it comes to beverages, there are few companies that are as big as PepsiCo, so when Pepsi rolls out an entirely new product line, I find myself intrigued, at the very least. Pepsi, responding to consumer concerns about corn syrup and the lack of nutrition in soda pop, seems to be spreading into the bottled and canned water markets. My first experience with Pepsi's new, non-soda pop, product lines is their Bubly Sparkling Water. My wife found us a six-pack of Grapefruit Bubly, which seemed like an excellent choice for me as grapefruit is one of my favorite flavors.

Unfortunately, while this Bubly Sparkling Water is incredibly well-carbonated, it is not particularly flavorful. Bubly Grapefruit Sparkling Water is a reasonably-priced sparkling water that is unfortunately unremarkable for those who want something that is actually flavorful.

Basics

Bubly Grapefruit Sparkling Water is a canned sparkling water that is sold at grocery stores, as part of Pepsi's expanding beverage line. Each 12 oz. aluminum can houses the clear liquid. The cans are brightly

The 12 ounce can represents a single serving of Bubly Grapefruit Sparkling Water.

Ease Of Preparation

Bubly Grapefruit Sparkling Water is a clear liquid in a bright pink aluminum can. Preparation is as easy as opening the can by using the traditional tab to cut into the top and open the metal can. I recommend refrigerating the can first as its full flavor potential is reached by having it cool.

Taste

The aroma of the Bubly Grapefruit Sparkling Water is fairly light. The scent of grapefruit is very mild and by the time one is actually able to smell it, odds are the carbonation will have deposited many droplets of water into the consumer's nose! This beverage does not have a strong scent at all.

The Grapefruit Bubly is very mild on the flavor front as well. While the beverage is fairly heavily carbonated, it is a quite a stretch to actually find grapefruit flavor in its flavor palate. The grapefruit flavor manifests most as a slightly sour, somewhat citrus, finishing taste as one swallows the last of the drink.

There is no real aftertaste from the Grapefruit Bubly, either.

Nutrition

As a sparkling water, one might expect this to have unpronounceable ingredients related to its carbonation. However, Bubly Grapefruit Sparkling Water is made entirely of carbonated water and natural flavor. There are no other or unpronounceable ingredients in this and Pepsi, with its Bubly imprint, seems to be trying to make a strong differentiation from its soda pop division on the ingredients front!

Nutritionally, Bubly Grapefruit Sparkling Water is not enough to live off of, but it could be worse. Bubly Grapefruit Sparkling Water has no calories, no carbohydrates, no protein and only ten milligrams of Sodium (a statistically insignificant amount). Bubly Grapefruit Sparkling Water has no fat, nor any other nutrients.

Storage/Clean-up

Bubly Grapefruit Sparkling Water comes in an aluminum can and I could not find an expiration date on my can. One imagines that if it is kept sealed, this beverage will remain fresh indefinitely.

This drink is clear and no matter what it gets on, it will not stain or leave any residue once it evaporates.

Overall

Bubly Grapefruit Sparkling Water is an unimpressive entry into a fairly saturated market, making for a drink that is impossible to recommend.

For other beverages, please check out my reviews of:
Maine Root Blueberry Soda
Trader Joe's Peppermint Hot Cocoa
Teavana Samurai Chai Mate

2/10

For other food and drink reviews, please visit my Food Review Index Page for a complete listing of all the foods I have reviewed!

© 2018 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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A Satisfying Soda: Henry Weinhard's Black Cherry Cream Soda!

The Good: Very good flavor, No bad ingredients in it
The Bad: Expensive, Light on carbonation, Short shelf life
The Basics: Henry Weinhard's Black Cherry Cream Soda does what it promised by delivering a soda pop that effectively balances the flavors of black cherries and vanilla.


It has been a while since I found a new-to-me soda pop brand that I am eager to try. It did not take me long looking at the shelf of a grocery store I was in recently to find a soda that I got excited to pick up. That soda was Henry Weinhard's Black Cherry Cream Soda and taking the risk on it turned out to be a good investment! Henry Weinhard's Black Cherry Cream Soda was pretty good!

Basics

Henry Weinhard's Black Cherry Cream Soda is a premium soda and my wife and I found it locally in soda aisle. Each 12 oz. glass bottle houses the dark red-purple liquid and they are sold as a six pack. The bottles look good; despite never having heard of Henry Weinhard's before, the bottles look very professional.

The 12 oz. bottle is a single serving of Henry Weinhard's Black Cherry Cream Soda and it is very easy to drink it down in a single sitting.

Ease Of Preparation

Henry Weinhard's Black Cherry Cream Soda is a liquid in a clear 12 oz. bottle. Preparation is as easy as opening the bottle by popping the bottle cap off and drinking the liquid inside. I recommend refrigerating the bottle first as its full flavor potential is reached by having it cool.

Taste

Henry Weinhard's Black Cherry Cream Soda smells strongly of fruit. The dry, pleasant flavor of black cherries is aromatic in the Henry Weinhard's Black Cherry Cream Soda. The cherry scent from the Henry Weinhard's Black Cherry Cream Soda is enough to invite the consumer to take a deep sip of the beverage.

On the flavor front, the fruity taste of cherries explodes int he mouth the moment the drink touches the tongue. The sweet and distinct flavor of black cherries washes over the tongue, making a delightful initial taste. The drink finishes dry, with the clear flavor of vanilla, which embodies nicely the flavor one expects from cream soda. The blending of the two flavors makes Henry Weinhard's Black Cherry Cream Soda a decent embodiment of both promised flavors!

Henry Weinhard's Black Cherry Cream Soda leaves a slightly sweet aftertaste on the tongue that lasts for only two or three minutes after the last of it is consumed.

Nutrition

As a soda, one might expect this to have many unpronounceable ingredients. However, Henry Weinhard's Black Cherry Cream Soda is made primarily of carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup and natural and artificial flavors. There are no unpronounceable ingredients in this, which is nice.

Nutritionally, Henry Weinhard's Black Cherry Cream Soda is not enough to live off of, but it is good. Henry Weinhard's Black Cherry Cream Soda has a whopping 42 grams of sugar. With 180 calories per serving, Henry Weinhard's Black Cherry Cream Soda has no fat, nor any other nutrients.

Storage/Clean-up

Henry Weinhard's Black Cherry Cream Soda comes in a glass bottle and has a cute, distinct label. The bottles we picked up this week would have expired on February 5, 2018, so this drink does not have a very long shelf life. As well, despite getting it just a few days ago, my bottles of Henry Weinhard's Black Cherry Cream Soda were not overly carbonated. This was not at all a fizzy drink!

This drink is a translucent red-purple color, but if it gets on light fabrics it will certainly stain them. Consult a care guide for your clothes, though I suspect even light clothes will be able to wash the soda right out. As well, the drink wipes off surfaces easily with a cloth, assuming they are impermeable.

Overall

Henry Weinhard's Black Cherry Cream Soda is quite good and a decent way to get both promised flavors in a cream soda!

For other soda pops, please check out my reviews of:
Virgil's Black Cherry Cream Soda
Sprecher Cream Soda
Stewart's Orange 'N Cream Soda

8/10

For other food and drink reviews, please visit my Food Review Index Page for a complete listing of all the foods I have reviewed!

© 2017 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Enduringly Delightful, Flying Cauldron Butterscotch Beer Satisfies!

The Good: Incredible flavor, Not as unhealthy as most sodas, Not overly carbonated.
The Bad: Expensive.
The Basics: Flying Cauldron Butterscotch Beer is an intriguing and accurately-flavored butterscotch cream soda that is perfect in almost every way!


Every now and then, my wife and I are out and I notice something that immediately catches my eye and captures my attention. Recently, we were out and I saw the four-pack of Flying Cauldron Butterscotch Beer and I was instantly intrigued. My wife, perhaps knowing that Harry Potter fans might be buying it up even though it no longer used "Harry Potter" or "Butter Beer" in its name - though Flying Cauldron originally licensed the drink under that name -, insisted I not wait until the drink went on clearance to try it.

I am so happy she made me get it, even at full price!

Flying Cauldron Butterscotch Beer is a smaller-label butterscotch flavored cream soda and, regardless of its name, is both wonderful and non-alcoholic, making it a big hit with me.

Basics

Flying Cauldron Butterscotch Beer is a boutique soda and my wife and I found it locally in the organic section of our local grocery store in a four-pack for over $8.00, which is a bit much for me on the price front. Each 12 oz. glass bottle houses the golden amber liquid, which is the beverage. The bottles look good, though I noticed that a few of mine have slightly lopsided labels, which only seems to confirm the fact that this beverage is not mass manufactured as some huge enterprise.

The 12 oz. bottle is a single serving of Flying Cauldron Butterscotch Beer and it is very easy to drink it down in a single sitting.

Ease Of Preparation

Flying Cauldron Butterscotch Beer is a liquid in a clear 12 oz. bottle. Preparation is as easy as opening the bottle by popping the bottle cap off and drinking the liquid inside. I recommend refrigerating the bottle first as its full flavor potential is reached by having it cool.

Taste

Flying Cauldron Butterscotch Beer smells powerfully of butterscotch. Anyone who loves butterscotch candies will instantly recognize and appreciate the aroma that emanates from this beverage. The sweet, buttery scent is aromatic and distinct and prepares the consumer perfectly for the flavor of the beverage.

On the tongue, the Flying Cauldron Butterscotch Beer is sweet and strong, with a smooth vanilla finish to it. The initial flavor is buttery and sweet, exactly like one expects from butterscotch and in the drink form it is quite intriguing. The cream soda aspect comes in more as an aftertaste as the sweet and buttery butterscotch flavor fades into a dry vanilla cream soda flavor. Neither flavor fully overwhelms or dominates the palate, making for a very balanced and uniquely-flavored drink!

Despite the cream soda flavor being slightly dry - as one might expect from vanilla flavoring - the Flying Cauldron Butterscotch Beer does not have a very dry aftertaste at all. The aftertaste turns back into a sweet flavor that does not linger very long after the last of the drink is consumed.

Nutrition

As a soda, one might expect this to have many unpronounceable ingredients. However, Flying Cauldron Butterscotch Beer is made primarily of purified carbonated water, cane sugar, and vanilla extract. There are no unpronounceable ingredients in this and Flying Cauldron seems committed to providing ingredients that are recognizable and good!

Nutritionally, Flying Cauldron Butterscotch Beer is not enough to live off of, but it is not as bad as most soda pops. In addition to being gluten free and dairy free (making it - as near as I can tell - Vegan compliant), Flying Cauldron Butterscotch Beer is GMO free. Each bottle - which constitutes a single serving - has a comparatively mild 30 grams of sugar (9% of the RDA of sugar). With 120 calories per serving, each bottle of Flying Cauldron Butterscotch Beer has only 5 mg of Sodium as well. Flying Cauldron Butterscotch Beer has no fat, nor any other nutrients.

Storage/Clean-up

Flying Cauldron Butterscotch Beer comes in a glass bottle and there is no clear expiration date on the bottle. We bought it fresh in a place with good foot traffic, so I know it was fresh; it is so good I cannot imagine it sitting around long enough to go bad!

This drink is a translucent amber color, but if it gets on light fabrics it will certainly stain them. Consult a care guide for your clothes, though I suspect even light clothes will be able to wash the soda right out. As well, the drink wipes off surfaces easily with a cloth, assuming they are impermeable.

Overall

Flying Cauldron Butterscotch Beer is an impressive embodiment of its promised flavors. For its quality, it is fairly priced, though I could always stand for it to be a little less expensive, regardless of how good it is!

For other soda pops, please check out my reviews of:
Virgil's Black Cherry Cream Soda
Maine Root Ginger Brew
Northwoods Black Cherry Cream Soda

9/10

For other food and drink reviews, please visit my Food Review Index Page for a complete listing of all the foods I have reviewed!

© 2017 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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R.W. Knudsen Caramel Apple Sparkling Apple Juice Unfortunately Underwhelms!

The Good: Comparatively not overly expensive
The Bad: Overly carbonated, Sharpness in the aroma, Sour, Not accurately flavored
The Basics: R.W. Knudsen Caramel Apple Sparkling Apple Juice is a good idea that is executed in an unimpressive way for what it is supposed to be.


2017 got off to an unfortunate start for my wife and I. We picked up some treats in order to ring in the New Year with a little celebration and the two foods we got for it were not very good at all. We decided to do a little Not-Wine And (what turned out to be Not) Cheese Event and neither were overly good. The cheese portion of our celebration was Williams Smoked Cheddar (reviewed here!), which I realized too late was a cheese product, not an actual cheese, but we thought we knew what we were getting into with the R.W. Knudsen Caramel Apple Sparkling Apple Juice bottle we picked up.

R.W. Knudsen Caramel Apple Sparkling Apple Juice is very carbonated and not at all caramel flavored and the sour flavored and sharply scented making for a less thrilling beverage.

Basics

R.W. Knudsen Caramel Apple Sparkling Apple Juice is a bottled flavored apple juice that is sold at grocery stores. Each 25.4 fl. oz. glass bottle houses the translucent brown/orange liquid, which looks just like apple juice. The bottles look unremarkable, but professional and uniform.

The glass bottle represents about three servings of R.W. Knudsen Caramel Apple Sparkling Apple Juice and that is what we got out of the bottle.

Ease Of Preparation

R.W. Knudsen Caramel Apple Sparkling Apple Juice is a liquid in a clear 25.4 fl. oz. bottle. Preparation is as easy as opening the bottle by twisting the bottle cap off and drinking the liquid inside. I recommend refrigerating the bottle first as it brings out more of the flavor than at room temperature.

Taste

The aroma of the R.W. Knudsen Caramel Apple Sparkling Apple Juice is strongly one of apple juice. The caramel scent does not come out at all; this is a very apple-scented beverage. The apple scent is strong and somewhat reminiscent of vinegar . . . there is something subtly off in the apple aroma.

As for the flavor, the Caramel Apple Sparkling Apple Juice is very sparkly and tastes like apple juice. The apple flavor is entirely sublimated to the carbonation and the juice flavor comes out only after the carbonation bubbles off the tongue. The R.W. Knudsen Caramel Apple Sparkling Apple Juice does not taste at all like caramel; it is slightly sour and fruity, but not at all sweet or buttery like what one expects from something supposed to be caramel flavored. The Caramel Apple Sparkling Apple Juice becomes more sour, even as it gets flatter, undermining its value.

The R.W. Knudsen Caramel Apple Sparkling Apple Juice has a vaguely caramel aftertaste after all of the product is swallowed and gone from the mouth. This apple juice transitions from sour to slightly dry on the tongue in an aftertaste that lasts for about three minutes after the last of it is consumed.

Nutrition

As a Sparkling Apple Juice, one might expect this to have unpronounceable ingredients related to its carbonation. However, R.W. Knudsen Caramel Apple Sparkling Apple Juice is made of sparkling filtered water, apple juice concentrate, and natural flavor. There are no other or unpronounceable ingredients in this and R.W. Knudsen makes natural sparkling juices!

Nutritionally, R.W. Knudsen Caramel Apple Sparkling Apple Juice is not enough to live off, but it is not as bad as soda. R.W. Knudsen Caramel Apple Sparkling Apple Juice has 110 calories, 28 g of which are carbohydrates, 15 mg sodium and no protien. R.W. Knudsen Caramel Apple Sparkling Apple Juice has no fat and the only mineral listed on the label is 2% of the RDA of Calcium! Like most juice concentrates, there are no other nutrients, not even vitamin C in this drink!

Storage/Clean-up

R.W. Knudsen Caramel Apple Sparkling Apple Juice comes in a glass bottle and I was surprised by how long it lasted. The bottles we bought in late-December for the New Year's celebration had a August 3, 2018 expiration date!

This drink is lightly colored and if it gets on anything that is light colored, it will stain. Consult a fabric guide for getting juice out of fabrics if it gets on something.

Overall

R.W. Knudsen Caramel Apple Sparkling Apple Juice is sour, over-carbonated and less flavored than it could be . . . but at least it was inexpensive!

For other beverages, please check out my reviews of:
Paradiso Wild Berry Italian Mineral Water
Stephen's Gourmet Pumpkin Spice Hot Cocoa
Ayala's Lemongrass Mint Vanilla Herbal Water

1/10

For other food and drink reviews, please visit my Drink Review Index Page for a complete listing of all the foods I have reviewed!

© 2017 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Initially Intriguing, Objectively Indistinct, Sprecher Cream Soda Is Pleasant, But Pricy!

The Good: Does not taste bad (the honey IS distinct!), Well-carbonated
The Bad: Expensive, No real nutritional benefits, Somewhat mild flavor
The Basics: Sprecher Cream Soda is a bit overpriced for its surprisingly mild flavor.


A few days ago, I left my little town to see Doctor Strange (reviewed here!) on a much better screen than my local theater's screen and I used the opportunity to go shopping for things I cannot find in my small town. One of those things I was eager to pick up were new to me food and drinks and my wife started her holiday shopping (and giving!) for me early by picking me up a four-pack of Sprecher Cream Soda. Sprecher Cream Soda was a bit of a splurge for us and it is my first experience with the Wisconsin-based beverage maker.

Sprecher Cream Soda is good, but it is hardly distinct or intriguing to the tongue. Given its higher cost and its high carb/calorie count, it is a tougher sell for me.

Basics

Sprecher Cream Soda is a "fire-brewed" soda, though I have no idea how that translates into the flavor. We found the Sprecher Cream Soda at Target and even there is was comparatively expensive. Each 16 oz. glass bottle houses the pale tan liquid and we found ours in a four-pack for over $5.

The 16 oz. bottle is two 8 oz. servings of Sprecher Cream Soda, though it is very easy to drink it down in a single sitting.

Ease Of Preparation

Sprecher Cream Soda is a liquid in a brown 16 oz. bottle. Preparation is as easy as opening the bottle by popping the bottle cap off and drinking the liquid inside. I recommend refrigerating the bottle first as its full flavor potential is reached by having it cool.

Taste

Sprecher Cream Soda has a very light aroma to it. This cream soda smells faintly of vanilla and honey. There is very little scent to this cream soda.

On the taste front, Sprecher Cream Soda is sweet and mild; the flavor is not very potent. In many ways, Sprecher Cream Soda tastes like carbonated caramel if it were a beverage! What is distinct about the Sprecher Cream Soda is the honey in it. Sprecher Cream Soda utilizes Wisconsin honey as one of its ingredients and one can taste the honey as a sweet, intriguing flavor that pairs with the drier primary flavor. The best description I have for the flavor is that Sprecher Cream Soda tastes like a cola made at half-strength and then flavored with honey. Sprecher Cream Soda is interesting, but it is not the most distinct primary flavor for a cream soda, though it does not taste bad and the finishing flavor is sweet and intriguing.

Sprecher Cream Soda has a mildly sweet aftertaste that becomes dry for a few seconds before it disappears altogether!

Nutrition

As a soda, one might expect this to have many unpronounceable ingredients. However, Sprecher Cream Soda is made primarily of carbonated water, glucose syrup and maltodextrin. There are no unpronounceable ingredients in this and Sprecher is proud of including Wisconsin honey in their cream soda.

Nutritionally, Sprecher Cream Soda is not enough to live off of, but it is good. In addition to being gluten free and caffeine free, Sprecher Cream Soda has a surprising 33 grams of carbs. With 130 calories per serving, there are 40 milligrams of sodium in this. Sprecher Cream Soda has no fat, nor any other nutrients. What is odd is that the 16 oz. bottle is consider two servings!

Storage/Clean-up

Sprecher Cream Soda comes in a brown glass bottle and there is no clear expiration date on the bottle. There is what appears to be a batch code, but I was unable to find an expiration date on the bottle or the cardboard carrier.

This drink is a translucent tan color, but if it gets on very light fabrics it will certainly stain them. Consult a care guide for your clothes, though I suspect even on light clothes one will be able to wash the soda right out. As well, the drink wipes off surfaces easily with a cloth, assuming they are impermeable.

Overall

Sprecher Cream Soda is good, but hardly the best cream soda I have ever tried. While I usually prefer my cream sodas to have a stronger vanilla flavor, Sprecher Cream Soda has an interesting honey flavor that makes it worth trying, even it it's not one I would stock up on.

For other cream sodas, please check out my reviews of:
Virgil's All Natural Cream Soda
Faygo Cream Soda
Jones Cream Soda

6/10

For other food and drink reviews, please visit my Food Review Index Page for a complete listing of all the foods I have reviewed!

© 2016 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Sit Back And Drink It In: Northwoods Black Cherry Cream Soda Is Delightful And Fruity!

The Good: Wonderful flavor, Not as unhealthy as most sodas.
The Bad: Expensive, Slightly less carbonated than most sodas
The Basics: Northwoods Black Cherry Cream Soda is richly flavored, sweet, and well worth trying, even if it fizzes out quickly!


I have been living in Michigan for over four years now and it surprises me how little of the "native cuisine" I have actually tried and reviewed. Northern Michigan is filled with open land, farms, fruit, cheeses and all sorts of delightful foods. Recently, I went out for the day and decided to try something new. The something new and today that took the form of trying Northwoods Black Cherry Cream Soda. I am a huge fan of cream soda and I have come to love flavored cream sodas. Finding a balance between the vanilla flavor - which is definitive for cream soda - and fruit flavors can be a real tough thing. Michigan gets it absolutely right, though, with the Northwoods Black Cherry Cream Soda!

In fact, what surprised me more than the $2.00/bottle price tag or the perfect flavor balance of the Northwoods Black Cherry Cream Soda is that it is less carbonated than most soda pops. Pouring the Northwoods Black Cherry Cream Soda into a glass left it flat in under three minutes, which was surprising. While the Northwoods Black Cherry Cream Soda is a satisfying beverage, it is not much of a soda.

Basics

Northwoods Black Cherry Cream Soda is a premium soda pop from Northwoods Soda & Syrup Co. and we found ours at a little plant shop that also sells Michigan manufactured products in northern Michigan. Each 11.5 oz. glass bottle houses the dark red liquid that is almost purple in color. The bottles look good, so while Northwoods might be a smaller bottler, it is thoroughly professional in its appearance.

The 11.5 oz. bottle is a single serving of Northwoods Black Cherry Cream Soda and it is very easy to drink it down in a single sitting.

Ease Of Preparation

Northwoods Black Cherry Cream Soda is a liquid in a clear 11.5 oz. bottle. Preparation is as easy as opening the bottle by popping the bottle cap off and drinking the liquid inside. I recommend refrigerating the bottle first as its full flavor potential is reached by having it cool.

Taste

Northwoods Black Cherry Cream Soda smells delightfully like cream soda. The aroma from the Black Cherry Cream Soda is dominated by the vanilla scent that effervesces from virtually every cream soda. What is surprising is that the fruit scent from the Northwoods Black Cherry Cream Soda only comes out after the soda has breathed for a few minutes and there is virtually no carbonation in the beverage.

On the flavor front, the fruit flavor of the Northwoods Black Cherry Cream Soda immediately dominates the palate. The sweet, black cherry flavor is distinctive and true - without any hint of sourness that comes from real cherries. Instead, the black cherry flavor is sweet and rich and the Northwoods Black Cherry Cream Soda finishes with a complimentary dry vanilla flavor that one expects from a cream soda. The flavors of the vanilla and cherry blend nicely in the mouth.

The Northwoods Black Cherry Cream Soda leaves a sweet aftertaste in the mouth, unlike most cream sodas, which have a dry lingering flavor.

Nutrition

As a soda, one might expect this to have many unpronounceable ingredients. However, Northwoods Black Cherry Cream Soda is made primarily of carbonated water, pure granulated sugar, and natural and artificial flavors. There are no unpronounceable ingredients in this and Northwoods seems committed to providing a beverage made from good ingredients.

Nutritionally, Northwoods Black Cherry Cream Soda is not enough to live off of, but it is good. Northwoods Black Cherry Cream Soda has a whopping 33 grams of carbs. With 125 calories per serving, there is no fat, nor protein, and only 19 mg of Sodium per bottle. Northwoods Black Cherry Cream Soda has no other nutrients.

Storage/Clean-up

Northwoods Black Cherry Cream Soda comes in a glass bottle and there is no clear expiration date on the bottle. There is a batch code and I was pleasantly surprised that our bottle was exceptionally fresh.

This drink is a translucent red/purple color, so if it gets on light fabrics it will certainly stain them. Consult a care guide for your clothes, though I suspect even light clothes will be able to wash the soda right out. As well, the drink wipes off surfaces easily with a cloth, assuming they are impermeable.

Overall

Northwoods Black Cherry Cream Soda is flavorful and delightful, even if it does not sparkle on the tongue unless one is drinking it straight out of the bottle and drinking it fast! But for those looking for the right balance between the promised fruit flavor and the strong vanilla flavor one expects from a cream soda, Northwoods Black Cherry Cream Soda might well be the best coming out of Michigan!

For other soda pops, please check out my reviews of:
Faygo Tonic!
Maine Root Ginger Brew
Sodastream Pina Colada

8/10

For other food and drink reviews, please visit my Food Review Index Page for a complete listing of all the foods I have reviewed!

© 2016 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Adequate Experience: Faygo Tonic! Is An Average Tonic Water

The Good: Inexpensive, Good flavor
The Bad: No real nutritional benefits, Not as carbonated/tangy as some other tonic waters
The Basics: Faygo Tonic! is a good, basic, tonic water that meets the needs of tonic water fans without any real flair.


There are a number of products that I review that I quickly discover are from a brand that is decidedly average. That is not a dig; some brands produce an inexpensive product that generally serves as a baseline for the product, making something without any real flair. My experience with Faygo Creme Soda (reviewed here!) suggested that Faygo was one such brand. My experiences with Faygo Tonic! only reinforced that. Faygo Tonic! is a good, but in no way exceptional tonic water.

Faygo Tonic! is a basic tonic water that trades on affordability over anything special with the flavor as it is only about a dollar for a liter bottle!

Basics

Faygo Tonic! is an inexpensive soda and my wife and I found it locally in the soda aisle at the grocery store and for marginally less money at the local discount store. Each 1 liter plastic bottle houses the clear liquid, which is the actual soda. The bottles look like a slightly smaller version of a 2 liter of soda. There is nothing extraordinary about Faygo’s packaging of the Faygo Tonic!

The 1 liter bottle is about four servings of Faygo Tonic! and for the many bottles we've had, we had gotten a full four servings out of each.

Ease Of Preparation

Faygo Tonic! is a clear liquid in a clear liter plastic bottle. Preparation is as easy as opening the bottle by unscrewing the bottle cap off and drinking the liquid inside. I recommend refrigerating the bottle first as its full flavor potential is reached by having it cool.

Taste

Faygo Tonic! smells marginally lemony. This soda does not have a very strong scent to it, possibly because it is not the most overly carbonated beverage. The Tonic! does not effervesce excessively and its bouquet does not hint much at its flavor.

In the mouth, the Tonic! is very sour, which is appropriate for a tonic water. Perhaps the best analogy is that the Tonic! tastes like the aftertaste of lime, specifically lime peels. The flavor is basic and leaves a slight dry flavor in the mouth; the sourness does not endure for very long in the mouth.

Nutrition

As a soda, one might expect this to have many unpronounceable ingredients. However, Faygo Tonic! is made primarily of carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, and citric acid. The rest of the ingredients are unpronounceable and the beverage does include Quinine. Faygo does not waste ingredients on coloring.

Nutritionally, Faygo Tonic! is not enough to live off of and it is not actually good for the consumer. While it appears to be gluten free, Faygo Tonic! has 19 grams of carbs. With 80 calories per eight ounce serving, it is unsurprising that there are 25 milligrams of sodium in this. Faygo Tonic! has no fat, nor any other nutrients.

Storage/Clean-up

Faygo Tonic! comes in a plastic bottle and with an expiration dates on our bottles of December 25, 2016, it lasts quite some time. We bought it fresh, but it did not have very much in the way of carbonation to it. No matter how many bottles I've tried, it never had the carbonation of (for example) Schwepp's Tonic Water. The Faygo Tonic! is a clear beverage, so it will not stain. As well, the drink wipes off surfaces easily with a cloth, assuming they are impermeable.

Overall

Faygo Tonic! is inexpensive, but good. It might not be extraordinary in any definable way, but it is not bad and for the price, it is a hard to beat tonic water.

For other soda pops, please check out my reviews of:
Flaming Moe
Jones Soda Root Beer
Mountain Dew Sangrita Blast

5.5/10

For other food and drink reviews, please visit my Food Review Index Page for a complete listing of all the foods I have reviewed!

© 2016 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Overpriced Average: Jones Cane Sugar Soda Root Beer!

The Good: Decent taste, Not overly carbonated.
The Bad: Not terribly nutritious, Quite a bit pricier than most, Nothing superlative in the taste
The Basics: Jones Soda makes a fine Root Beer, but charges a lot more for it than other, comparable, root beers.


My wife, every now and then, picks something completely random up for me, insisting "you get yourself so little these days!" I'm to that weird point in my life where the only things I truly want tend to be expensive (new bookcases, collectibles, etc.), so I spend most of my discretionary money on her now. So, when we were out last week at a store we seldom get to, she picked up a four-pack of Jones Soda Root Beer as a simple "I love you" gift. The gesture was better than the product.

Jones Root Beer is a premium soda that is sold in glass bottles from Jones and it is fine, but there is nothing about it that is so extraordinary as to justify its inflated price.

Basics

Jones Root Beer is a bottled soda that is both sold at grocery stores and restaurants like Panera Bread (reviewed here!). Each 12 oz. glass bottle houses the dark brown liquid. The bottles look good and while Jones is a smaller company, they are big enough that their operation is completely professional. Jones Soda has photo contests to appear on the labels.

The 12 oz. bottle represents a single serving of Jones Root Beer.

Ease Of Preparation

Jones Root Beer is a liquid in a clear 12 oz. bottle. Preparation is as easy as opening the bottle by twisting the bottle cap off and drinking the liquid inside. I recommend refrigerating the bottle first as its full flavor potential is reached by having it cool. The tops of the caps give consumers something to read (I do NOT need to watch a foreign film right now, thank you Jones Soda!) and that's cute and very indie.

Taste

Jones Soda Root Beer smells like root beer. Root Beer is one of those foods that tastes like what it is: root beer is root beer flavored, slightly dry and with a slightly more spiced flavor than cola. The Jones Soda iteration of root beer is marginally sweeter and less dry than other brands I have tried, but beyond that, it is pretty indistinct.

The Jones Soda Root Beer has a mild, sweet aftertaste that fades within a minute of consumption.

Nutrition

As a soda, one might expect this to have many unpronounceable ingredients. However, Jones Root Beer is made primarily of carbonated water, inverted cane sugar, and caramel color. There are no unpronounceable ingredients in this.

Nutritionally, Jones Root Beer is not enough to live off of, but it could be worse. Jones Root Beer has a significant 46 grams of sugar. In addition to 180 calories per serving, there are 35 milligrams of sodium in this. Jones Root Beer has no fat, nor any other nutrients.

Storage/Clean-up

Jones Root Beer comes in a glass bottle and there is no clear expiration date on the bottle (unless it expires in the year 5056!). There is a batch code printed on the side of the bottle neck.

This drink is dark brown and will stain clothes that are lighter than it. Consult a fabric guide on how to prevent stains from the caramel coloring in this from your specific fabric. As well, the drink wipes off surfaces easily with a cloth, assuming they are impermeable.

Overall

Jones Root Beer is fine, but a pretty unexceptional culinary outing from Jones Soda.

For other Jones Soda pops, please check out my reviews of:
Zilch Vanilla Bean Soda
Berry Lemonade Soda
Green Apple Soda

3.5/10

For other food and drink reviews, please visit my Food Review Index Page for a complete listing of all the foods I have reviewed!

© 2015 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Unimpressive Exclusive: Mountain Dew Fails To Wow With Sangrita Blast!

The Good: Inexpensive
The Bad: Not terribly nutritious, Pretty lousy flavor
The Basics: Mountain Dew Sangrita Blast Soda is a disappointing limited edition flavor that does the franchise no great benefits.


Not very long ago, I was impressed by a drink at Taco Bell. Rather smartly, Taco Bell (reviewed here!) licensed the Mountain Dew name to create exclusive flavors and on one of the infrequent times that my wife and I went to the nearest Taco Bell, I found myself impressed. The Baja Blast flavor of Mountain Dew was pretty wonderful (especially for a mainstream soda brand) and it was enough to make me open to trying the Sangrita Blast Mountain Dew which was exclusive to Taco Bell, but is now available in stores. Sadly, Mountain Dew Sangrita Blast Soda is no Baja Blast. It is, however, fairly foul.

Mountain Dew Sangrita Blast Soda is not one of the better flavors of Mountain Dew and it is one of PepsiCo's more disappointing experiments.

Basics

Mountain Dew Sangrita Blast Soda is a bottled soda that is both sold at grocery stores and at Taco Bell. Each 20 fl. oz. plastic bottle houses the dark red liquid. The 20 oz. bottle represents a single serving of Mountain Dew Sangrita Blast Soda.

Ease Of Preparation

Mountain Dew Sangrita Blast Soda is a dark liquid in a clear 20 oz. bottle. Preparation is as easy as opening the bottle by twisting the bottle top off and drinking the liquid inside. I recommend refrigerating the bottle first, despite the flavor not being truly different between the cool and slightly warmer versions of the soda.

Taste

The aroma of the Sangrita Blast has an aroma that is a weird mix of berry and lime. If it weren't for a slightly sweet quality to the bouquet the Sangrita Blast Mountain Dew would smell most like cranberry soda.

On the tongue, the Mountain Dew Sangrita Blast is sour and despite a slight cherry flavor to the soda, the lime is surprisingly potent. More than regular Mountain Dew having a citrus flavor, the Sangrita Blast has a berry and strong lime flavor. The result is a taste that is most like sour cherry soda, which I had not tried before now.

The Sangrita Blast Mountain Dew has a strong, sour aftertaste like the lime without any hint of berry to it.

Nutrition

As a soda, one might expect this to have many unpronounceable ingredients and this is hardly an all-natural beverage. However, Mountain Dew Sangrita Blast Soda is made primarily of carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, and citric acid. There are no really good ingredients in this beverage.

Nutritionally, Mountain Dew Sangrita Blast Soda is not enough to live off of and this is pretty bad compared to other sodas (though it is on par with mainstream soda pops). Mountain Dew Sangrita Blast Soda has a whopping 72 grams of sugar. With 270 calories per serving, there are 170 milligrams of sodium in this. Mountain Dew Sangrita Blast Soda has no fat, nor any other nutrients.

Storage/Clean-up

Mountain Dew Sangrita Blast Soda comes in a plastic bottle and it has a very limited shelf life. The bottle we bought this week had a July 6, 2015 expiration date on it.

This drink is a dark red color and if it gets on light fabrics it will certainly stain them. Consult a care guide for your clothes, though I suspect even light clothes will be able to wash the soda right out. As well, the drink wipes off surfaces easily with a cloth, assuming they are impermeable.

Overall

Mountain Dew Sangrita Blast Soda is unfortunately sour and while it is not undrinkable, it is hard to find a reason to want to consume this flavor.

For other soda pops, please check out my reviews of:
Virgil’s Black Cherry Cream Soda
Sodastream Pina Colada Soda Mix
Jones Zilch Vanilla Bean Soda

1.5/10

For other food and drink reviews, please visit my Food Review Index Page for a complete listing of all the foods I have reviewed!

© 2015 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Good Enough For Us Teetotalers, Sodastream Pina Colada Mix Is Good!

The Good: Fairly inexpensive, Pineapple flavor is strong and good.
The Bad: Requires a pricy machine to make into soda pop, Harder to find, Not calorie free, Not very strong coconut flavor
The Basics: Sodastream’s Pina Colada Flavored Soda Mix is good, but not a truly wonderful rendition of Pina Colada.


Where I live, it has becomes increasingly hard for me to find the carbonation tanks foe my wife's Sodastream Fizz (reviewed here!). Fortunately, I did manage to get one and now I'm back on the Sodastream! The first of my new Sodastream beverage reviews is the Sodastream Happy Hour Pina Colada Flavored Soda Mix.

Basics

Available primarily in a 16.9 fl. oz. plastic bottle, Sodastream Pina Colada Flavored Soda Mix is a concentrated flavor syrup for creating Pina Colada soda. At $5 - $7 per bottle, the Sodastream Pina Colada Flavored Soda Mix makes 50 8 oz. servings, though the 16.9 oz. bottle gets me twenty-five servings as we have a 16 oz. bottle for our Sodastream Fizz.

Ease Of Preparation

The Sodastream Pina Colada Flavored Soda Mix is a flavoring to be used with a Sodastream soda pop maker. After one fills the Sodastream bottle with water – I recommend filtered water and when I use my Brita Water Filter Pitcher (reviewed here!) in order to prepare the soda – and carbonates it, they must add a capful of Sodastream Pina Colada Flavored Soda Mix to the bottle. It is that easy. Preparing the Sodastream Pina Colada Flavored Soda Mix into a soda pop is easy and it makes a flavorful carbonated beverage.

Taste

The Sodastream Pina Colada Flavored Soda Mix smells like pineapple and coconut, just like it is supposed to. The fruity, citrus scent of the pineapple is prevalent and the main aroma from this beverage.

When made up, the pineapple is almost entirely dominant in the palate. The sweet and sour flavor of the pineapple plays with the carbonation delightfully. Unfortunately, while there is some coconut scent in the bubbles that effervesce, there is nothing of coconut in the flavor of the beverage. That makes the Happy Hour Pina Colada soda a good pineapple soda pop, but not an incredible embodiment of pina colada.

Nutrition

The Sodastream Pina Colada Flavored Soda Mix makes a soda pop, so it is not creating the most nutritious thing in the world. Even so, Sodastream creates soda pops that do not have anywhere near the problems of most sodas. The resulting beverage has 35 calories and 15 mg of Sodium (less than 1% of the RDA of Sodium) per 8 oz. serving. As we’ve gotten spoiled lately on zero calorie Sodastream beverages, this was a harder soda for us to binge on! Outside the calories, there are no nutritional benefits or detractions to this drink mix or the drink it makes.

Made primarily of sugar, water, and citric acid, the Sodastream Pina Colada Flavored Soda Mix has nothing particularly bad in it. There is no caffeine, no high fructose corn syrup, and only 1.4% concentrated fruit juice. It is kosher and carries no allergy warnings.

Storage/Cleanup

The Sodastream Pina Colada Flavored Soda Mix is a liquid, so there is the danger of spilling it and wasting some of it. But, for the most part, it is a drink mix that keeps for quite some time. The bottle I got last week had an expiration date of July 24, 2015, so this can be stocked up on!

The Pina Colada mix is bright yellow, so it will stain lighter fabrics. If you get this Sodastream syrup on clothes, consult your fabric guide for how best to clean it.

Overall

Sodastream Pina Colada Flavored Soda Mix is one of the few average flavors from Sodastream that is good, but does not "wow" for its promised flavor.

For other Sodastream flavor syrups, reviews, please check out my reviews of:
Diet Tonic Water
Caffeine-Free Diet Cola
Diet Pink Grapefruit

5/10

For other drink reviews, please visit my Drink Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2015 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Sodastream Pineapple Grapefruit Embodies Well The Promised Flavors!

The Good: Fairly inexpensive, Tastes very much like the two fruits it is supposed to
The Bad: Requires a pricy machine to make into soda pop, Harder to find, Not calorie free.
The Basics: Sodastream’s Pineapple Grapefruit Flavored Soda Mix is a delightful surprise for anyone who likes fruit flavored soda pops!


As summer looms, I’m drinking more soda pop. That’s not as bad as it usually is for me, at least, not since I got my wife her Sodastream Fizz (reviewed here!). Now that we make our own carbonated water and have a shelf full of Sodastream flavor syrups, I’ve been enjoying all sorts of soda. The latest is the Sodastream Pineapple Grapefruit Flavored Soda Mix. This is one of the few full-calorie (i.e. not diet) Sodastream sodas my wife and I have picked up, largely because we like fruit sodas and, inexplicably, the Pineapple Grapefruit was on clearance at one of our favorite grocery stores!

Basics

Available primarily in a 16.9 fl. oz. plastic bottle, Sodastream Pineapple Grapefruit Flavored Soda Mix is a concentrated flavor syrup for creating Pineapple Grapefruit soda. At $5 - $7 per bottle, the Sodastream Pineapple Grapefruit Flavored Soda Mix makes 50 8 oz. servings, though the 16.9 oz. bottle gets me twenty-five servings as we have a 16 oz. bottle for our Sodastream Fizz.

Ease Of Preparation

The Sodastream Pineapple Grapefruit Flavored Soda Mix is a flavoring to be used with a Sodastream soda pop maker. After one fills the Sodastream bottle with water – I recommend filtered water and when I use my Brita Water Filter Pitcher (reviewed here!) in order to prepare the soda – and carbonates it, they must add a capful of Sodastream Pineapple Grapefruit Flavored Soda Mix to the bottle. It is that easy. Preparing the Sodastream Pineapple Grapefruit Flavored Soda Mix into a soda pop is easy and it makes a flavorful carbonated beverage.

Taste

The Sodastream Pineapple Grapefruit Flavored Soda Mix smells, interestingly enough, just like fresh-squeezed orange juice. The strong citrus aroma is very inviting for those who like such fruits and it is enough to make one intrigued enough to try the Pineapple Grapefruit soda.

In the mix, the Sodastream Pineapple Grapefruit Soda Mix is very sweet with a sour secondary flavor. The concentrated syrup normalizes quite a bit when diluted with the carbonated water. In fact, Sodastream got perfectly right the sweet and tart flavor of pineapple . . . chased by the sour and sweet flavor of grapefruit. This is a very fruity flavor and one that might not quench one’s thirst, but it does live up to its promised fruit flavors.

The Sodastream Pineapple Grapefruit Flavored Soda Mix has no aftertaste.

Nutrition

The Sodastream Pineapple Grapefruit Flavored Soda Mix makes a soda pop, so it is not creating the most nutritious thing in the world. Even so, Sodastream creates soda pops that do not have anywhere near the problems of most sodas. The resulting beverage has 35 calories and 30 mg of Sodium (about 1% of the RDA of Sodium) per 8 oz. serving. As we’ve gotten spoiled lately on zero calorie Sodastream beverages, this was a harder soda for us to binge on! Outside the calories, there are no nutritional benefits or detractions to this drink mix or the drink it makes.

Made primarily of sugar, water, and citric acid, the Sodastream Pineapple Grapefruit Flavored Soda Mix has nothing particularly bad in it. There is no caffeine, no high fructose corn syrup, and no actual fruit juice. It is kosher and carries no allergy warnings.

Storage/Cleanup

The Sodastream Pineapple Grapefruit Flavored Soda Mix is a liquid, so there is the danger of spilling it and wasting some of it. But, for the most part, it is a drink mix that keeps for quite some time, which made it odd that the grocery store was clearancing it. The bottle we got a few weeks ago had an expiration date of June 28, 2014, so this can be stocked up on!

The Pineapple Grapefruit mix is bright yellow, so it will stain lighter fabrics. If you get this Sodastream syrup on clothes, consult your fabric guide for how best to clean it.

Overall

Sodastream Pineapple Grapefruit Flavored Soda Mix was a delightful surprise. Having gotten it at clearance prices, the only thing more we could have asked for was for fewer calories. Still, it is a worthwhile flavor to pick up for anyone who likes fruit flavored soda pops!

For other Sodastream flavor syrups, reviews, please check out my reviews of:
Diet Tonic Water
Caffeine-Free Diet Cola
Diet Pink Grapefruit

7/10

For other drink reviews, please visit my Drink Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2014 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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No Wonder It Is Already Being Clearanced: Sodastream Cooking Light Kiwi-Pear Sparkling Drink Mix Underwhelms!

The Good: Fairly inexpensive, Low calorie
The Bad: Requires a pricy machine to make into a not-quite soda pop, Harder to find, Not at all a strong or vibrant flavor, Not actually nutritious.
The Basics: Sodastream makes a disappointing sparking drink with its not-quite-fruity enough Kiwi-Pear Flavored beverage.


When I picked up a Sodastream home carbonation system for my wife for her 25th birthday, there were several products we found ourselves instantly baffled by. Why, we wondered together, would Sodastram and its patrons need Ocean Spray, Hawaiian Punch and Crystal Lite flavors for what was a soda pop maker?! We never, honestly, intended to utilize our Sodastream for anything but the company’s zero calorie soda pops . . . until we found the Cooking Light Kiwi-Pear Sparkling Drink Mix on clearance the other night at our local grocery store. Some combination of our power being off, boredom and curiosity played together for us to actually buy the Sodastream not-soda flavor mix. Unfortunately, neither of us were at all impressed by the Sodastream Kiwi-Pear Sparkling Drink Mix.

Had we not known that this was supposed to be Kiwi-Pear flavored, neither of us would have guessed it was that flavor. In fact, given that it is not quite a soda pop, the Kiwi-Pear Sparkling Drink Mix bears more of a resemblance to a flavored seltzer water than a satisfying low- (or no-) calorie soda pop.

Basics

Available primarily in a 16.9 fl. oz. plastic bottle, Sodastream Kiwi-Pear Flavored Sparkling Drink Mix is a concentrated flavor syrup for creating Kiwi-Pear drink that is somewhat like soda. Despite finding it on clearance for $3.50, the usual price is in the $5 - $7 range per bottle. The Sodastream Kiwi-Pear Flavored Sparkling Drink Mix makes 50 8 oz. servings and that is about what we got out of our bottle.

Ease Of Preparation

The Sodastream Kiwi-Pear Flavored Sparkling Drink Mix is a flavoring to be used with a Sodastream soda pop maker, like the Sodastream Fizz (reviewed here!). After one fills the Sodastream bottle with water – I recommend filtered water and when I use my Brita Water Filter Pitcher (reviewed here!) in order to prepare the sparkling drink it provides a more pure flavor – and carbonates it, they must add a capful of Sodastream Kiwi-Pear Flavored Sparkling Drink Mix to the bottle. It is that easy. Preparing the Sodastream Kiwi-Pear Flavored Sparkling Drink Mix into a prepared beverage is easy and it makes a very lightly flavored carbonated beverage.

Taste

The Sodastream Kiwi-Pear Flavored Sparkling Drink Mix has a light generically fruity scent to it. The aroma is not very strong and that actually prepares the consumer for the beverage surprisingly well.

In the mouth, the prepared mix is overwhelmed by the carbonation. The Kiwi-Pear flavor is rendered as a generic, sweet flavor. Indeed, once the carbonation has dissipated, this beverage tastes more like a powdered drink mix than a soda pop. With the carbonation, there is little in the way of fruit flavor in the Kiwi-Pear Sparkling Drink. Instead, there is a light applish fruit flavor that is sublimated to a sugary taste that comes from the drink. This is not a powerful flavor at all, nor is there anything that truly embodies kiwi (which is usually somewhat sweet then sour).

Unlike most beverages, the Sodastream Kiwi-Pear Flavored Sparkling Drink Mix has no aftertaste.

Nutrition

The Sodastream Kiwi-Pear Flavored Sparkling Drink Mix makes a drink that is not quite a soda pop, so it is unsurprising that it does not have a strong flavor (though it seems odd that people would bother with it given that it is not at all flavorful or distinctive!). Mixed properly, the Kiwi-Pear Sparkling Drink results in a beverage that has forty calories and ten grams of carbohydrates all in the form of sugars. There are no other nutrients of any sort in the Kiwi-Pear Sparkling Drink mix, so it is not bad for consumers, but not good either.

Made primarily of fructose, water, and citric acid, the Sodastream Kiwi-Pear Flavored Sparkling Drink Mix has nothing particularly bad in it, but nothing very good either (which makes one wonder why Cooking Light associated its name with it. There is no caffeine, no aspartame, and no high-fructose corn syrup. It is kosher and carries no allergy warnings.

Storage/Cleanup

The Sodastream Kiwi-Pear Flavored Soda Mix is a liquid, so there is the danger of spilling it and wasting some of it. But, for the most part, it is a drink mix that keeps for quite some time, at least until it is prepared. The bottle we got last week had an expiration date of February 15, 2015, so this is a mix that does not last forever!

The Kiwi-Pear mix is very light yellow, so it will only stain light colored fabrics. Consult a fabric guide to get any stains out.

Overall

Sodastream Kiwi-Pear Flavored Sparkling Drink Mix continues to leave consumers baffled as to why anyone would buy a non-soda Sodastream drink mix instead of one of their many wonderful soda pop flavors (some of which are much healthier than this mix)!

For other Sodastream Mix reviews, please check out my reviews of:
Diet Orange Mango
Diet Tonic Water
Caffeine-Free Diet Cola
Diet Pink Grapefruit

2/10

For other drink reviews, please visit my Drink Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2014 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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More Mango, Please: Sodastream Diet Orange Mango Soda Mix Is Good!

The Good: Calorie free, Fairly inexpensive, Good flavor
The Bad: Requires a pricy machine to make into soda pop, Harder to find, Could use more mango in the flavor
The Basics: Sodastream has a distinctive soda flavor with their Diet Orange Mango Flavored Soda Mix, though fans of mangoes might find themselves wishing for just a little bit more mango!


The advent of make-at-home zero calorie soda pops has gone a long way to changing both my budget and my family’s health (for the better). Instead of shelling out quite a bit of money each month on major manufacturer’s sodas that have continued to keep my paunch on, we’ve been very happily discovering the benefits of sodas like the Sodastream Diet Orange Mango Flavored Soda Mix. In addition to being better for us on the nutrition front, Sodastream’s Diet line has been providing us with more flavorful, interesting soda pops and the Diet Orange Mango is a good example of that.

In fact, all one might be able to ask for that the Diet Orange Mango soda does not provide is a little more in the way of mango flavoring! The fact that it has a nutritional benefit (like 25% of one’s RDA of Vitamin C in a serving) is a surprise!

Basics

Available primarily in a 16.9 fl. oz. plastic bottle, Sodastream Diet Orange Mango Flavored Soda Mix is a concentrated flavor syrup for creating Diet Orange Mango soda. At $5 - $7 per bottle, the Sodastream Diet Orange Mango Flavored Soda Mix makes 50 8 oz. servings, though the 16.9 oz. bottle gets me twenty-five servings as we have a 16 oz. bottle for our Sodastream Fizz.

Ease Of Preparation

The Sodastream Diet Orange Mango Flavored Soda Mix is a flavoring to be used with a Sodastream soda pop maker, like the Sodastream Fizz (reviewed here!). After one fills the Sodastream bottle with water – I recommend filtered water and when I use my Brita Water Filter Pitcher (reviewed here!) in order to prepare the soda it provides a more pure flavor – and carbonates it, they must add a capful of Sodastream Diet Orange Mango Flavored Soda Mix to the bottle. It is that easy. Preparing the Sodastream Diet Orange Mango Flavored Soda Mix into a soda pop is easy and it makes a flavorful carbonated beverage.

Taste

The Sodastream Diet Orange Mango Flavored Soda Mix has an aroma that is more subtle than citrusy, so it embodies the mango bouquet well. The scent of orange is almost entirely lacking from the scent, so it prepares the consumer for a very mango flavored soda.

On the tongue, the prepared mix is much more orange flavored than mango. The Sodastream Diet Orange Mango Soda Mix erupts in the mouth with a strong citrus flavor that is distinctly orange. That flavor does not carry the sharp edge that usually comes with an orange soda (a slight bitterness or over-carbonated fizz that agitates the tongue for lack of a better frame of reference). Instead, the follow-through on the flavor front is sweet and subtle, which is very much a characteristic of mango flavoring. The combination is enjoyable and the net result is an Orange soda that does not have a punch, but actually embodies a much more true flavor for oranges than most orange sodas.

Even so, the mango flavoring is not as strong or as sweet as fans of that neglected fruit might truly want. On the taste front, the mango seems to do little more than cut the potentially sour finish of the orange flavoring as opposed to assert itself.

Rather nicely, the Sodastream Diet Orange Mango Flavored Soda Mix has no aftertaste.

Nutrition

The Sodastream Diet Orange Mango Flavored Soda Mix makes a soda pop, so it is not like a juice mix. Even so, Sodastream creates soda pops that do not have anywhere near the problems of most sodas and this one even has a nutritional benefit. In the case of Sodastream Diet Orange Mango Flavored Soda Mix, this is one of the healthier mixes. It results in a beverage that has zero calories and only 25 mg of Sodium (about 1% of the RDA of Sodium). As well, the Diet Orange Mango has 25% of the RDA of Vitamin C, so it is healthier than some juices! Outside that, there are no nutritional benefits or detractions to this drink mix or the drink it makes.

Made primarily of water, citric acid, and natural flavors, the Sodastream Diet Orange Mango Flavored Soda Mix has nothing particularly bad in it. There is no caffeine, no aspartame, and no calories. It is kosher and carries no allergy warnings.

Storage/Cleanup

The Sodastream Diet Orange Mango Flavored Soda Mix is a liquid, so there is the danger of spilling it and wasting some of it. But, for the most part, it is a drink mix that keeps for quite some time, at least until it is prepared. The bottle we got a few weeks ago had an expiration date of September 12, 2014, so this is a mix that does not last as long as some!

The Diet Orange Mango mix is bright orange, so it will certainly stain light colored fabrics. Consult a fabric guide to get any stains out.

Overall

Flavorful and surprisingly containing an actual health benefit, Sodastream Diet Orange Mango Flavored Soda Mix is worth trying for anyone who wants a very different fruit-flavored soda . . . without the calories!

For other Sodastream Mix reviews, please check out my reviews of:
Diet Tonic Water
Caffeine-Free Diet Cola
Diet Pink Grapefruit

7.5/10

For other drink reviews, please visit my Drink Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2014 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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