Flathead Lake Strawberry Orange

It’s 9:00 in the morning, which is usually way too early for a soda review.  Last week though was lacking in said reviews so I figured I’d try to get an early start to this week by writing one in the A.M.  When I opened my fridge I tried to find the most breakfast like flavor and Flathead Lake Strawberry Orange was the most obvious at hand.  After pondering it for a moment I realized that strawberry orange isn’t exactly a common flavor, yet it seems like the two would pair fairly often in the soda world.  The two should create a tart yet sweet sensation that’s fun for the whole family.  I’ve never been particularly impressed with the ingredients of Flathead Lake sodas so we’ll just hope it delivers big on flavor.  That’s what this is all about anyway, right?

A fun fruit punchesque aroma simultaneously greets my nose and excites my brain for the flavor that may be contained within this glass prison.  The bright red-orange color of the soda itself is also rather inviting as the beads of condensation roll down the neck of the bottle.  If I was to rate this on just appearance and scent then Flathead Lake Strawberry Orange would be doing very well.  Of course all citizens of the Carbo-Nation know that those two are only part of what makes a soda great. 

I immediately can tell that if this were fizzier I’d like it a lot more.  There is indeed a created flavor that begins to taste like strawberry/orange yet it takes the exit to cotton candyville somewhere near the end of each sip.  This is made even more noticeable by the amount of carbonation used in the beverage as I said less than three sentences ago.  While the carbonation levels are not low by any means, if the fizz levels where higher my tongue would be focused on the tiny explosions happening on it rather than the vague sugary flavor this soda eventually becomes.  The vague sugary flavor isn’t terrible, mind you.  I just wish that the initial strawberry/orange combination had been strong enough to last throughout each swig.  Flathead Lake Strawberry Orange is still a good drink in terms of taste, look, and scent.  Thankfully, there is no terrible aftertaste, but the velvet curtain of syrup fall on the stage that is my mouth.  All in all this soda starts off quite tasty, but the soda itself is its own undoing.  Like so many sodas before it the flavor can’t support the weight of all the drinks taken prior.  This causes the soda drinking experience to go from enjoyable to consuming liquid sugar just to finish it.  It’s this aspect that makes Flathead Lake Strawberry Orange an average soda.

~A

Twist keeps asking for a pair of tiny sunglasses.

Jack Black's Orange Stash

I always appreciate an orange soda that uses cane sugar and orange juice (concentrate most times).  I really appreciate it when the picture on the bottle uses a pirate theme and calls it an “Orange Stash”.  In case you’re the type not to read the title of these reviews, today’s article is on Jack Black’s Orange Stash.  If I’m to believe everything I read on this label, this is only the second time this particular flavor has been available.  I’m hoping that the fact it’s an orange “stash” and not an orange soda gives me a unique beverage to try, but something tells me I may be disappointed.  Let’s find out together… as a family.

Comedy abounds in the world of Jack Black sodas.  Under the bottle cap reads the following:  “Once you have Jack Black you won’t switch back”.  JOKES.  With that said the orange scent I was expecting to come off the top of the bottle isn’t there.  If I take a strong whiff I can begin to identify the scent as orange.  Hopefully the flavor won’t be as hard to find.

The orange in Jack Black’s Orange Stash isn’t as intense as I’d like it to be, but with that said it’s a tasty treat for my tongue.  It’s not as sugary to me as your standard orange soda and this allows for the orange flavor to be enjoyed for a longer period of time.  The carbonation isn’t overly strong either which once again accentuates the star of the show, Orange.  Even though I just stated the carbonation level isn’t that high it does still have an aspect of fun to it.  It’s a light fizzy sensation that runs quickly from here to there in my mouth.  All in all Jack Black’s Orange Stash is a pretty good beverage.  The orange flavoring, while not a perfect replica, is more natural tasting than your standard orange soda.  I’m sad to say, but the downside to this soda is that it’s kind of boring.  Sure it’s a tasty beverage, but there’s not much about it that will make me want to recall it if I’m ever asked for an orange soda recommendation.  If given the option I’d drink multiple bottles of this, but I wouldn’t really cry if I ran out.

~A

Twist is the Dread Pirate Roberts

Barton Springs Soda Company - Orange Cream Soda

I’m always pleased when my great state produces delicious products and even happier when those products happen to be soda.  Today I’m giving the city of Austin a chance with their Barton Springs Soda Company – Orange Cream Soda.  The label is simple, but nice to look at.  In fact it almost looks like they made it at home.  The color of the soda is a natural looking orange; not to be confused with the ridiculous orange color that sodas like this normally are.  If you end up wanting to make some Barton Springs Orange Soda for yourself at home here’s all you need:  carbonated water, sugar, natural flavors, citric acid, and a bunch of Benzosorbosucra-lates.  Ok, so the last ingredient is really an amalgamation of words listed.  Still, this is from Texas and I’m excited to see what my home has produced.

Even though “Orange Cream Soda” is listed as the flavor, the scent that reaches my nose is that of tangerine sans cream.  I’m really quite curious how creamy this beverage will actually be.  I suppose I could taste it.

Fortunately for all involved in this process the flavor is indeed orange and the creaminess does exist within the same realm of reality.  With my first sip a burst of orange flavor cascades along my tongue, waking up every taste-bud it rushes over.  The citrus taste seems stronger due to the carbonation involved, but is unmistakable nonetheless.  Now the cream that is promised on the label comes late to the game.  After the citrus rush begins to subside an almost artificial creaminess takes its place.  I won’t say that it tastes bad, but there’s something a little off about it.  In fact the beverage seems to weaken a bit with each sip I take.  The sugary sweetness of Barton Springs Orange Cream Soda begins to take over and ruin the party for both the orange flavoring and the cream finish.  The orange flavoring begins to be shoved in a corner behind big brother Sweetness, while the decent job Cream was performing has turned into an over the top mess.  Frighteningly enough, I’m only halfway through with the bottle before the sugar invasion began.  Sadly I’m going to surrender and stop drinking at this point.  Someone with a sweeter tooth than mine might enjoy this, but I’m out.

~A

The fact that the soda is orange and from Austin has Twist suspicious

A-Game Citrus

This week’s beverage from Thirstmonger describes itself as a “Cross Functional Beverage” that will help you with rehydration, energy, and nutrition.  A-Game Citrus is what sits in the bottle to my right and judging by that last sentence it’s a sports drink that would like to differentiate itself from the other sports drinks you might find on the shelf at your local grocer.  It immediately gains points from me because of its name, A-Game.  My name as you know is Aaron, so anything that starts with an A and is followed by a hyphen and another word is always a potential nickname for me.  The A-Train is one of my favorite fake nicknames.  In this case any time I’m picked for a sports team, or beat someone at chess I can hit my chest twice and declare “I always bring my A-Game!”  Now I might lose friends in the process, but at least I sound cool. 

The second reason I’m initially impressed with A-Game citrus is that it contains sea salt and honey.  Now I’m not really sure what the difference is between salt and sea salt, but man does sea salt sound so much tastier.  Honestly, it’s the honey that impressed me as you don’t see many drinks use it as a sweetener.  Checking the ingredients I also see that Crystalline Fructose and Dextrose are also used for sweetening, so it’s not like honey is all that’s in the bottle.  Vitamins A through E are all represented in some way so that’s got to count for something, right? 

So the ingredient list is respectable and it’s got a name I can get behind.  So far A-Game Citrus is really making some headway and I haven’t even opened the bottle.  Speaking of opening the bottle, perhaps I should open the bottle after shaking well.

The aroma that sits right at the mouth of the bottle is certainly citrus scented.  Orange Tang is what I’m reminded of each time I inhale and I’d be perfectly ok if it tasted like that, but would that really be an example of them bringing their A-Game?  No, no it wouldn’t.  That would be an example of them bringing Orange Tang.  Taste time.

Ok, so while it’s not full of flavor, the orange flavor that is there is quite tasty.  You’re not going to find a good sports drink that shoves flavor down your throat, that’s not their motivation.  If you had sports drinks that tasted like Dr Pepper you wouldn’t be able to drink them as quickly.  These are made to be slammed, not sipped.  With all of that said we now come to the part of the review where I remind you that I don’t care that this is a sports drink.  I care if it tastes good as a beverage.  With that said it’s time to start the proper review.

The orange flavor is very noticeable to the point where I’m not sure why they have labeled this citrus.  If I allow my tongue a few more moments to take in what it just experienced it can pick out a bit of lemon as well which renders the previous sentence as foolish.  Of course there is no carbonation, but I figured I’d throw that in there just in case you got confused.  The sweetness level of A-Game Citrus is just right.  It doesn’t taste like I’m drinking a soda, but it still feels like a treat of sorts.  The negatives are few, but still need to be mentioned.  After each sip there is a slight coating of A-Game Citrus that remains in my mouth.  Now the aftertaste it leaves isn’t a negative one.  In fact it resembles the actual flavor of the beverage like you would think all aftertastes would.  Think of it this way.  Even though you like your best friend; if they lived with you, you would still want some “me time”.  My taste buds just want some “me time” after each sip.  That’s all.  While the Citrus (Orange/Lemon) flavor is tasty, it’s not delicious.  Again, I’m aware this is a sports drink, but I’m still looking for delicious.  That’s it, there’s nothing else.  See how painless that was?

Ultimately folks are going to want a comparison to the major players when it comes to a beverage like this.  When compared to lemon/lime Gatorade I have to say (well I don’t have to, but I am) that I prefer A-Game Citrus.  Now remember that I do very little physical activity so my experience with sports drinks is limited, so take that into consideration as well.  A-Game Citrus is a tasty beverage that I will continue to buy if I’m ever in need of being rehydrated.

~A

Twist was overly happy with how well it matched the new thrown together background

Hockey Soda Energy

Today’s faire from ThirstMonger is Hockey Soda Energy, which is actually an energy drink.  I once called an energy drink a soda and the guy sending it to me made sure to correct me.  I’m pleased to see that Hockey Soda isn’t nearly as uptight with their nomenclature.  Hockey Soda Energy lives in a black can with an intimidating blue hockey mask emblazoned on the label.  Circling the top of the can are the ingredients of L-Glutamine, B Vitamins, L-Carnitine, and Taurine, circle the top.  I’m not a hockey player by any means as I’ve never seen more than a patch of ice on the road, much less a frozen lake.  Hockey Soda Energy forgives me for this and tells me to do the following:  “Dangle, snipe, and celly with this pro style energy drink, Hockey Soda Energy.”  I understand those to be hockey terms, but honestly I only know “snipe” of the three.  No matter, I’m also promised that “Hockey Soda Energy is a cola citrus energy drink infusing the past with the present.”  A cola citrus energy drink, huh?  I have no idea how one pulls that off, but if they can merge past with present then I’m sure cola citrus energy combinations are simple.  Let’s open this up, shall we?

Surprisingly this smells quite a bit like cola and I must say I’d already written it off that it wouldn’t.  Hockey Soda Energy has called me out, and in the case of the smell test, checked me into the boards.  See what I did there?  It’s a hockey analogy.  I can do it too.

With my first sip of Hockey Soda Energy I’m taken aback by the fact that the cola citrus flavor they promised is now happily swimming around in my mouth.  The initial first half of my sip is indeed flavored with cola, but a strong citrus blast comes through and cleanly sweeps it away.  Lemon, lime, and a hint of that taste that seems to be in all energy drinks, create what can only be described as a “zing” of citrus.  This zing is sour enough that your cheeks pull inward, showing the starting signs of “pucker”. 

Now of course with all this good, there is some bad.  First off the initial cola taste weakens with each sip you take.  This is because the secondary citrus flavor eventually takes full residence in your taste buds and the cola just can’t yell loud enough to be heard.  I really do like the citrus flavor that I’m ultimately left with, but it’s the cola/citrus combo that’s presented so well at the beginning that sets Hockey Soda Energy apart.  Secondly, I’m always going to squawk a little when it comes to high fructose corn syrup.  So… squawk.

To go back to the positive though, I’m honestly surprised by how much I like the taste of this beverage.  The fact that they actually pulled off a cola/citrus hybrid impresses me the most.  That impressive impression is followed by the fact that they’ve created an energy drink that doesn’t have a vague bubble gum sweetness to it.  In a market where energy drinks are a dime a dozen it makes me really happy to see one that, in my mind at least, shows how being different can sway even the harshest critics… I’m talking about me.  

~A

Oddly enough Twist turned down the role of Casey Jones in the new TMNT

Hank's Orange Cream Soda

Without looking I can already tell you the last several sodas we’ve reviewed have all been root beer or cream soda based beverages.  I thought about bucking that trend today, but instead of shocking your brains too much I’ll ease out of the root beer/cream soda genre with a tall orange bottle of Hank’s Orange Cream Soda.  This fancy looking bottle contains a liquid that has two things going for it; the first is that it’s sweetened with cane sugar.  Secondly, Hank’s uses orange juice concentrate in the making of their orange cream soda… something I haven’t seen before.  I’m curious if this will be as smooth as other orange cream or “dreamsicle” sodas since actual orange juice is in play here.  Only in time will we find out. 

Either I’m getting weaker or these twist off caps are getting harder to remove.  Yeesh.  Hank’s OCS delivers in the scent department by giving my snout a tremendous amount of both orange and vanilla aroma.  The dogs wrestling behind me can’t even pry my attention away from this beverage.

Forget what that last guy said about this not being a smooth orange cream.  That last guy was crazy, as this is a very smooth soda.  There is an initial burn on the tip of my tongue created by the enclosed fizz, but quickly it disintegrates into a creamy citrus slide.  If someone were to ask me if I thought this had orange juice concentrate in it I’d probably say it didn’t.  The orange flavor doesn’t really attack your throat like it would in juice form.  Instead it appears in front of you wrapped up in just enough vanilla that you have a hard time figuring out if it’s the real thing or not.  The orange vanilla hug that happens in this bottle continues its embrace down my gullet.  The two flavors are inseparable and work in tandem throughout each sip. 

The finish of Hank’s OCS leaves something to be desired as it develops a somewhat “fake” taste near the end that only worsens until you take another swig, starting the experience back over again.  I’m a little weary of my final gulp seeing as I won’t have anything left to reset the taste.  Perhaps I’ll open this extra People Water I have lying around.  All in all Hank’s OCS is a tasty soda with some shortcomings here and there.  Shortcomings included this should still be in your fridge in multiples.

~A

Twist coined the word "gourmet"

Fentimans Victorian Lemonade

I’m feeling very kingly today.  My wife and I just got back from a baseball game where we were selected to participate in the StubHub Move of the Game.  From the cheap seats to two leather recliners in a much more posh section of the stadium.  There was even a television in front showing the game which oddly enough blocked half of the actual live game.  They didn’t really think that part through, but it was still cool to look at.  To top off my day on top I will be reviewing an appropriately named beverage, Fentimans Victorian Lemonade.  I just got through vacuuming the castle so I’m a bit thirstier than I normally am when I do a review.  Be sure and remember that as you read this knowing that it could be a little biased as I’m in need of refreshment. 

Fentimans Victorian Lemonade is fermented botanical lemon drink with ginger and herbal extracts… or so it says on the bottle.  It’s sweetened with cane sugar and the remainder of the ingredients listed are of equal quality.  Having reviewed Fentimans beverages before, I’ve come to expect a high quality soda.  I may not always agree with the flavor they present, but I only have respect for their process.  Now I shall doff the cap atop the bottle and begin my journey.

Oh, how I enjoy the dog printed on each bottle cap.  I’d love a Fentimans shirt with his picture on it.  That wasn’t a call for free merchandise, more like an out loud wish list.  Now that I’ve upended the bottle per the directions I place my good nostril (we all have one) near the opening.    While lemon is the first scent I recognize the ginger immediately makes it known that it will be a force to be reckoned with.  Here’s to great carbonated lemonade!

Fentimans Victorian Lemonade is liquid sour and I love it.  The real lemon juice used is unmistakable as it washes across the interior of my mouth.  As it visits each location (teeth, tongue, roof, etc) it lightly punishes them all with a burst of tart.  The ginger follows up said burst with a mild burn.  This burn isn’t quite as strong as I imagined it would be, but it’s still noticeable enough to be enjoyed.  The fermentation is very noticeable and may be a bit off putting to some.  Early in my journey as a soda reviewer I can tell you that I would have docked points for the flavor a fermented fruit brings to the table.  Now I can appreciate the taste of a somewhat fermented soda (it’s nonalcoholic by the way) and see that in some cases it really adds to the experience.  In this case the fermentation just allows Fentimans to differ even more from your standard lemon fare. 

Surprisingly, this lemonade is rather heavy in terms of mouth feel.  The juice and herbs used really weigh down the soda, but I’m not sure there’s any way around that issue without altering the flavor.  Sadly this heavy texture doesn’t allow the beverage to be all that refreshing.  Fortunately the carbonation is at just the right level to keep it from being completely stale in terms of thirst quenching.   

If you’re looking for a sugary lemon drink that your kids will love, this isn’t it.  Now, if you’re looking for a pleasantly complex lemonade that will sit with you for a while, you’ve found it.

~A

Twist helped Queen Victoria found Torchwood

Sync

The fine folks in charge of the energy drink Sync were kind enough to send me some samples of their product.  The letter that came with it wanted me to tell you how it affected me in terms of energy and a few other items like that.  Our primary goal is to make sure you’re trying tasty sodas; we have little interest in if they “do their job”.  I’m not sure who I was quoting then, it just kind of happened.  So while Sync may turn me into a god among men, if it doesn’t taste great then it won’t be rated as such.

Sync refers to itself (on the label that is) as “Harmony in a Can”.  That’s a pretty bold claim, but it doesn’t stop there.  At the top of the can I see that by drinking it I will “Enlighten Your Tate Buds”.   Alright so now I’ve been told two things it will do for me.  At the bottom of the can I’m left with one more sentence, “Vitalizes the body and mind”.  This one is my favorite of the three because they could have used revitalizes, but didn’t.  You so rarely see anyone use the term “vitalize” and I was happy to see it here.  Good for you Sync… let’s check out the ingredients label.  Oh… wait…one more sentence.  “Sync Energy Drink is the ultimate drink that vitalizes both the mind and body.”  The use of “vitalize” impresses me less upon a second viewing.  I really hope down the line when Sync is a bit more established their next batch of labels has half the sentences on it hyping their beverage. 

Ingredients wise Sync has some B6, B12, Pantothenic Acid, and 27 grams of sugar which is in the form of HFCS.  The odd one to me is how much sodium is in this can.  200mg of sodium or 8% of your daily value seems like a lot.  Let’s see how much Coke has in it for a baseline.  Coke has 35mg of sodium and a Reed’s Ginger Brew has 5mg.  I’m being unfair… let’s see how much sodium a Red Bull has in it.  200mg, ok I learned something today.  It’s normal for energy drinks to have more sodium than your typical soda.  Look at you Sync, teaching me stuff.  Perhaps I’ll be blown away by the taste, but first you know what we must do.  Smell time.

It smells of grapefruit with a dash of bubble gum.  SON OF A… I found another sentence!  “Sync Improves performance and boosts the body’s energy during times of stress and strain.  Sync increases endurance, concentration, improves reaction time and stimulates metabolism.”  As I was saying, Sync’s scent is primarily citrus, but there is a sugary something lurking in the background.  Taste time.

I will say that it has an unusual taste that is primarily citrus like the scent told me it would be.  The carbonation level is strong, but mostly composed of tiny bubbles that rush over my teeth and gums.  There is a slight bubble gum flavor as seems common with most energy drinks that appears with each sip and eventually dissipates into the “citrus” flavor.  Oddly enough this beverage feels kind of heavy in my mouth.  I’m not sure if it’s the HFCS or the chemicals, but a “curtain” of “citrus” sits on my teeth, tongue, and hangs from the roof of my mouth.  I’m not really fond of the mouth-feel I’m getting from Sync. 

Since the label art includes a leaf I would have been much more impressed if this were an all-natural energy drink.  As far as I can see it’s fairly standard in regards to ingredients and flavor.  That’s not to say that it tastes badly, in fact I’d probably pick up a Sync before I would a Red Bull.  The taste is just different enough that I prefer it to the leading brand.  So they have that going for them.  In the world of soda though there are several better tastes out there.  With that said I did finish my can and YES I do feel more energized… there it did it’s “job”.  If you’re given the chance to choose between Sync and another energy drink I suggest giving it a try.  If you want a delicious soda well then click here instead.

~A

This Beverage Supplied to us by BidEuphoria

Twist drank all the samples even the one in the kitchen.  He drank it all even the kitchen SYNC!  HAR HAR HAR.  sorry.

Avery's Half Grapefruit Half Lemon

While I was perusing my local Ace Hardware’s oddly extensive soda selection I happened upon the oldest looking label I’d seen to date.  The label on Avery’s Half Grapefruit Half Lemon Soda looks like something you would find back in the fledgling stages of glass bottled sodas.  It’s completely text based with the exception of a coin printed right in the middle with what looks to be wheat on it.  According to this bottle coin the Avery’s brand was established in 1904… seems about right.  Even the flavor lives up to being from a simpler time of sodas.  “What kind of soda is this?” you might ask as you look at the bottle.  The cap clearly states that this soda is Half Grapefruit Half Lemon.  There’s you’re two flavors and their respective percentages.  Done.  What’s a little scary is there isn’t an ingredient list anywhere on the bottle, just a blurb that tells me they use cane sugar and the finest quality ingredients.  Perhaps the legal ingredient list was on the original pack of Avery’s and since I only purchased a bottle I’m not privy to such information.  Judging by the two flavors listed on the cap I’m going to go ahead and assume that this will be a rather tart beverage; guess the only thing left to do is try it.

Yes, Avery’s Half Grapefruit Half Lemon Soda does smell a bit like a household cleaner, but I honestly wouldn’t be much of a soda reviewer if I expected much differently.  It’s a very strong citrus wind that blows from the mouth of the bottle.  I truly hope this makes my mouth regret drinking it with at least a split second of sour.

Avery’s HGHL Soda does have more than your average bite to it in the flavor department.  The grapefruit and lemon (as described on the cap) are both given equal opportunity to shine.  When you think the grapefruit flavor is ending the lemon comes in and performs and just when you think the lemon is done back comes the grapefruit.  They really do work rather harmoniously together.  The carbonation is lower than other sodas so it really shows me that all of the tart I’m experiencing is coming from the flavor and not an illusion created by harsh bubbles.  After each sip my mouth is awash with citrus flavor and I think if this were a traditional fruit soda (cherry, grape, orange) that it would be off putting.  The subtle flavors of grapefruit and lemon however don’t really build upon themselves that much so the lasting after taste I receive is almost identical to the initial swig.  As great of a soda as this is there isn’t anything that takes it to the next level for me so I’m having trouble rating it.  I would like multiples of this on hand at any given time, but something tells me a pallet would be too much.  If you’re a grapefruit/lemon fan though don’t listen to me, just go right out there and buy this soda.  You won’t regret it.

~A

Twist is an eighth grapefruit

Leninade

When I opened my fridge today I just couldn’t resist grabbing the bottle of Leninade that’s been staring at me for the past month or so.  I’ve wanted to try Leninade for the past two or three years so when I found it in my local ACE Hardware I immediately placed into my basket.  Leninade is of course a reddish beverage who’s bottle sports such slogans as “Join the Party!”, “Get Hammered & Sickled!” and the slightly more obscure “A Taste Worth Standing in Line For!”.  The back has a few words written in Russian as well as another amusing statement, “Our 5-Year Plan:  Drink a bottle a day for five years and become a Hero of Socialist Flavor.”  So Leninade is already winning the war in style points.  They’ve themed this bottle to an impressive point and I’ve taken notice.  It’s one of the reasons I’ve wanted to try this beverage for so long.  Looking at the ingredients I see that Cane Sugar is the sweetener of choice for Leninade.  Good for them.  I can only assume that with a name like Leninade I’m about to consume a soda that tastes somewhat like lemonade.  It rhymes, so why would it taste like anything else.  That’s solid logic… right?  Ok, so I need to hush up and drink now.  See you on the other side of the smell paragraph.

Ok, before I start this I noticed something stamped on my bottle.  Not something printed on the official label, but stamped… like the expiration date kind of stamped.  It’s a sentence that reads “Imagine All the Soda”.  That’s it and it makes me really happy for some reason because I am imagining “All the Soda”.  Anywho… the aroma that is assaulting my nose is that of a very caustic sour lemon.  So apparently my rhyming logic may end up proving true.  I have no doubts that this beverage will declare war on my throat because it’s made by Real Soda, a brand that has burnt my mouth on more than one occasion. 

Well this isn’t as caustic or amazing as I thought it would be.  It certainly is lemonade based like I predicted, but to be more specific it’s “pink” lemonade.  The communist jokes just keep on coming for the folks at Real Soda.  The amount of tart has been increased just a bit from your common pink lemonade and of course it’s carbonated.  Lemonade with carbonation is normally a win/win situation.  You get the tastiness of lemonade with the fun fizziness of carbonation.  Like I said, win/win.  Leninade does indeed have the fun combo, but nothing else really stands out about this product.  With all the theming they put into the bottle I really hoped that the soda inside would be more than average.  If you want a fizzy, somewhat-sour pink lemonade with an average aftertaste then look no further because mediocrity is staring you in the face.  Now, if you’re a collector of amusing bottles or fake U.S.S.R. memorabilia then Leninade was made for you and should be used at your birthday/wedding/funeral.  Your decision, Comrade.

~A

Twist served in the Soviet Army back in the late 1800's... something about impressing a woman.

MTN Dew Kickstart Orange Citrus

I’ve received a lot of merchandise over the years reviewing sodas.  Most of it consists of the sodas themselves freely given to me so that I might review them.  Sometimes I’m given hats, stickers, shirts, or the occasional coaster.  My mind exploded yesterday when I got a promotional package from Mountain Dew for their new Kickstart line of beverages.  Before I continue let me explain what Kickstart is. 

Kickstart is basically the Mountain Dew you’re supposed to drink in the morning and you can do so with either Orange Citrus or Fruit Punch.  To quote the promotional material I received it “combines the great taste of DEW with real fruit juice and just the right amount of kick to start your day.”  So instead of grabbing for that cup of coffee or that tiny bottle of mediocre tasting energy drink, they folks at Mountain Dew want you to grab a can of Kickstart instead.  Ok, so I’m not big on drinking sodas when I wake up, but I can’t argue that there isn’t a market for it.  People drink all kinds of wake me up juice in the morning.  Who am I to judge?  Let me back up to what this promotional box of Kickstart held for me.

Twist was also impressed with the build quality of the box

The first thing that caught my eye was the iPod Shuffle, then the Spy+ glasses, then the Beats by Dre headphones.  I tell you what was in the box so you know that I got swag attached to my soda.  I feel it’s only fair to be truthful about these kinds of things and also believe that you should know I’ve given some of it away.  Personally I don’t believe I can be swayed by material goods and I’m not saying that Mountain Dew was trying to sway me into giving a false review because I honestly believe they aren’t.  The only time I would feel odd reviewing a soda is if I worked for the company that made It and in that case probably wouldn’t review it.  With that said, I still felt it necessary to disclose everything attached to said swag box so you would know all of the variables before I drank this.  Oh, the note attached reads “We’ve included everything you need right here to get your day started right.  So crack open the can, throw on your Spys and turn up your Beats.  Get up, get out and let Kickstart by Mountain DEW KICKSTART YOUR DAY!” Review begins now.

Mountain Dew Kickstart Orange Citrus comes large in a 16 oz. can.  It’s made with 5% juice, has 100% value of the Vitamin C you need in a day, 80% B6 and a few other things as well.  There are only 20 grams of sugar in this which honestly surprises me so I’m guessing the Kickstart must come from the C, B, and Caffeine included in the beverage.  With a little research I find that this finds itself somewhere in the middle of the scale when it comes to comparing how much caffeine it has with other Mountain Dew types.  I’m not sure I need to say it’s sweetened with HFCS, but there you have that as well.  The bright orange can paired with the fact that concentrated orange juice is in the ingredients is making me wonder if this will taste anything like Orangina.  I guess there’s only one way to find out.

What smells like a delightfully light orange soda rushes out of the mouth of the can.  The more it wafts into my nostrils the more I get the scent of actual orange juice.  By aroma alone this is shaping up to be a delightful beverage.

Alright, that’s not half bad.  I was honestly expecting this to be a somewhat awkward missmash of orange and dew.  If I’d thought about it for longer than a second I would realize that the citrus of Dew would obviously pair well with another citrus flavor.  The mouth feel I initially experience is rather pleasant as it completely encompasses my mouth in tiny fizzy bubbles.  A decent orange soda flavor is also present for the first half of each sip, but that’s where the happy times end.  First act of Mountain Dew Kickstart Orange Citrus is like going to a local theatre group.  The actors are all doing pretty well and you’re enjoying the play just fine.  Sure the scenery might not be ultra-realistic, but you’re having a good time.  The second act is comparable to a junior high play.  Lines are flubbed, snickers are heard when the word “damn” is said, and the popular kid keeps looking out in the audience at his girlfriend.  You never get fully lost in the play.  What that means in review speak is that it seems like the chemicals and vitamins catch up to the flavor of the drink during the second half of each sip.  My mouth is left with a little bit of a syrupy feel after I’ve taken a gulp and the residue flavor isn’t all that wonderful.  The orange begins to taste like 3 year old Halloween candy and all of the fun I experienced in the first half goes by the wayside.  When all is said and done I’m left with an odd tasting orange soda. 

Will this help me start my day awake?  Of course it will; it has more caffeine than Mountain Dew.  I’d have to be a corpse for this not to wake me up somewhat.  Would I grab this before a coffee?  Yes, but I hate coffee.  Does it taste better than 5 Hour Energy?  Well I haven’t had all of the flavors, but yes it does taste better than 5 Hour Energy.  With all that said this site is about reviewing the taste of a beverage and ultimately this goes up against every orange soda I’ve tried and it stacks up as average.  So if you want to give breakfast Mountain Dew a chance to wake you up in the morning you probably won’t be disappointed and you should check out this website.  If you want to enjoy a delicious orange soda, look elsewhere.

A

This beverage supplied to us by PepsiCo

Featuring Twist by Dre

C&C Lemon Up

Lemon/lime is an odd duck.  It is one of the most popular flavors of beverages, but at the same time rarely tastes radically different from “the other guy’s” lemon/lime.  People tend to demand excellence in their colas and root beers, but seem rather “meh” when it comes to looking for a lemon/lime that stands out.  Stand out lemon/lime beverages do exist, they’re just hard to come by.  While I’m pretty sure I know what camp C&C Lemon Up is going to fall into I’m going to do my best to stay as neutral as possible.  At the very least it will hopefully taste like 7up instead of Sprite.  That alone would be worth some points in my book.

The can houses a very faint citrus scent that upon further inspection seems very clean as well.  Only upon huffing the opening of the can do I begin to notice a slight citrus aroma.  I’m curious to see if the flavor is as light as the smell.

Well the flavor is lighter than your standard lemon/lime mash up and seems to have the mouth feel of a Sprite/7up hybrid.  The somewhat syrupy after taste of Sprite is present, but thankfully cut in half by the sharpness of 7up.  All in all this tastes like you would think it might if you saw it on a store shelf.  C&C Lemon Up tastes like a “store brand” soda with no real faults or strengths.  The somewhat watery nature of it keeps me from wanting to drink more than a can of it and explains to me where I think lemon/lime soda falls in the list of concerns for C&C.  It honestly feels like they created this just to have a lemon/lime soda since it seemed natural to have one with all the other flavors they have available.  So if you’re looking for something that tastes like something you can find in any gas station, grocery store, or dollar store then check out C&C Lemon Up.  You won’t be disappointed.

~A

This beverage supplied to us by C&C

Twist the plastic iguana has taken more chances in life than this lemon/lime soda

C&C Orange

Cutting right to the chase, today’s offering that’s up on the ice block is C&C Orange.  Ah, orange soda.  So simple.  So easily figured out.  So delicious.  There are rarely any twists and turns when dealing with orange.  Sure some might be fizzier, some might be fruitier, some might be tart…er, but the underlying flavor is always orange.  It’s a familiar taste that most anyone can gauge.  C&C Orange will hopefully be stacked within column “B” instead of column “A”.  “A” is for awful and “B” is for best, right?  That’s why you have all of column “B” and only some of column “A”.  I’d have to consult my VHS copy of Aladdin to double check, so I’ll just assume I’m correct and that I didn’t just make up an extra lyric to “Friend Like Me.”  I think that’s enough loose references for the first paragraph.  Let’s just drink, shall we?

From the smell of things I’d say C&C Orange is going to stab me in the mouth with orange flavor.  The scent is chock full of citrus which blasts my olfactory glands sending signals to my mouth that it’s about to enjoy a tasty orange treat.  I promise you this, olfactory glands.  If you so much as lie to me this time I’m going to cause you pain.  I’m going to inhale my cat rendering you useless for the next week.

OK, so I wasn’t stabbed in the mouth with orange flavor, but I wasn’t betrayed so much by my olfactory glands (the most you’ve seen this word typed in a non-medical article) that I feel it necessary to murder them.  The orange flavor that greeted me was about a 7 on the strength scale, but could be improved with a touch more carbonation.  The bubble level present is higher than what you would find in many other sodas, although I personally feel that a good orange soda needs almost a caustic feel on the back of my throat.  My reasoning for this is that if you don’t commit to the bite that an orange naturally gives you then the soda can taste like orange sugar water.  Thankfully C&C Orange’s fizz is strong enough to differentiate it from said sugar water; I just think it could be increased for the better.  The orange flavoring is fairly standard among orange sodas; there’s not really a “natural orange” taste, but it’s not so sweet that I would label it as candy in a bottle.  Overall I’m not wowed by C&C Orange, but at the very least I can say it’s comparable to Orange Crush.

~A

This beverage supplied to us by C&C

Orange you glad I didn't say banana confused me for 28 years until Twist explained it.

C&C Mountain Chill

Though it’s debatable I feel the most amusing “knock off” names are for sodas that you might find similar to Mountain Dew.  Dr Pepper knock off names are a close second, but I feel with entries such as Heee Haw, Hillbilly Holler, Mountain Drops, Mountain Lion, Mountain Yeller and so many more that the “Dew’s have it”.  Today we’ll be trying C&C’s entry into the Dew market with Mountain Chill.  Now don’t get this confused with Mt. Chill which is made by SuperValu foods.  C&C pulled out all the stops and cut down abbreviations by 100%.  Honestly I can’t be sure this is a Mountain Dew-esque beverage until I taste it, but it identifies itself as a “Citrus Soda” and seems to have a coloring that likens it to the dew.  Let’s see how it stacks up against “The Man”.  Onward!

My nose ended up searching for the scent of this soda as the aroma is far from powerful.  Once it was forced up into my olfactory glands it was none too pleased.  Oddly enough I’m getting a sickly sweet smell much like cantaloupe each time I inhale.  My opinion, nay the fact about cantaloupe is that it was made by the devil.  Cantaloupe is causing all of the world’s poverty, disease, and overall bad joojoo.  I hate it.  So here I sit with a beverage that smells like cantaloupe to me and I’m expected to drink it.  Since my nose lies to my taste buds 6/10 (made up ratio) times I feel safe in assuming that C&C Mountain Chill will taste more like Dew and less like Ew.  Let me find out for you.

I’m somewhat pleased to say that the taste isn’t all that dew-esque.  I’m somewhat less pleased to say that the scent I wanted to avoid tasting is sitting upon my tongue at about half strength.  While this bottle of C&C Mountain Chill says it has “a little kick!” I have to disagree.  This is a rather smooth beverage that tastes like a combination of grapefruit, grapes, and cantaloupe.  Now I’m pretty sure if I told someone from C&C that their beverage tasted like those three things combined they’d laugh me out of the building and take back what I haven’t reviewed, but I’m just saying what my mouth is saying to my brain so it can say it to my fingers so they can say it to you.  Sadly the carbonation levels are lower than ideal for a beverage of this nature so the syrupy soda just sort of sits sullenly leaving me unsatiated.  I was going to give this a higher rating, but each sip just makes me wish I didn’t have to drink any more.  With that I bid C&C Mountain Chill ado and hope that if you pick up a bottle it treats you more pleasantly that I.

Now for the sentence that renders the previous three paragraphs foolish to read.  C&C Mountain Chill is a beverage you might think similar to Mountain Dew, but upon tasting I found that its smoother taste, lack of strong carbonation, and questionable flavors left me trying to wash my own tongue with my tongue.

~A

This beverage supplied to us by C&C.

Twist is an excellent tongue washer

C&C Orange Pineapple

Drink #2 out of 24 in the C&C collection I have chilling in my fridge.  Today’s flavor, or flavors as it seems, is Orange Pineapple.  Now these two flavors fill my mind with tropical fun and should play well together, given their sunny history.  While I find the artwork on the bottle to be a little cluttered it does somewhat remind me of a tropical locale… maybe a dollar store in Hawai’i.  The soda itself, HFCS and all, is a bright inviting orange color which is telling me to stop writing about the outside of the bottle and start writing about the inside.  Onward!

I thought that the orange flavor would overpower and mask all that the pineapple could give, but if the scent is any kind of road map to what I’m about to experience then I’d say the flavors are represented 50/50.  Wow, that last sentence was a doozy.  Drinkin’ time!

Thankfully my nose did not lie to me.  Both the orange and pineapple flavors are represented with each taste giving a pleasant smooth yet tart mouth feel.  Of course the orange isn’t a natural orange flavor, but I wouldn’t call it “sugar water orange” either.  The carbonation is lower than expected, but still gives C&C Orange Pineapple enough fizz to make it interesting.  If I could single out each flavor (and maybe I will when I get to try C&C Orange and C&C Pineapple, but I seriously doubt they just mixed the two sodas and made this.) I would tell you that they are both slightly above average.  After each sip my tongue’s memory bank has more orange in it than pineapple and is excited to try it as a standalone beverage.  Will this beverage change your life to the point where all you’ll buy is C&C Orange Pineapple?  I don’t know, but if it does maybe you should get an endorsement deal.  As for me it sits as probably the only orange/pineapple beverage I’ve tasted and left me pleased.

~A

This beverage supplied to us by C&C

Twist is half mango

Dublin Tart n Sweet Lemonade

When I blindly reached into my fridge today picking out the soda I would review imagine my surprise when a bottle of lemonade came out.  I wasn’t all that surprised mind you, as I knew the lemonade was one of five beverages I could have grabbed.  You all know that we rarely review non-carbonated beverages, but of course I’m going to give a pass to Dublin since they (1) Sent us a bunch of free beverages for the sole purpose of reviewing and (B) probably make some dang good lemonade.  Like all the Dublin drinks this one is sweetened with pure cane sugar so hopefully it utilizes it well.  Before I begin I must tell you about this tiny elf-like man on the bottle greeting me amongst the retro art, as if to welcome me into his lemonade home.  Thanks, Elf-man.  Thelfman.

The lemonade is titled Tart n Sweet and I must say the “tart” comes out in droves in the smell department.  It’s not cleaning product strong, but I found my taste buds flinching in anticipation of the sour nectar that’s about to envelop them.

Well it’s not as tart as I thought it was going to be, but I’m not disappointed as it still packs a pinch.  On the “tart-scale” from 1-10, with 1 being a nun and 10 being that ex-girlfriend you were too good for, I’d give this about a 6 which means nothing to you.  Even though it’s not shocking my ‘buds, Dublin Tart n Sweet Lemonade is still sour enough to resonate in my mouth after each sip.  Oddly, this is what I would imagine the lemonade at a lemonade stand tasting like.  Now sadly I’ve never tasted any lemonade stand lemonade, but now I can play the home version and it’s almost as good.  I’m pretty sure the kids running the lemonade stand wouldn’t use Ester Gum or Sodium Benzoate though.  Ignorant Children. 

The sweetness factor is noticed and appreciated as it doesn’t mind playing second fiddle to the tart mouth-feel.  If you’ve ever had lemonade that was too sugary you know that it doesn’t take much for that experience to start going downhill in a hurry.  Dublin Tart n Sweet has a fantastic bland of its titular adjectives.  Thankfully it’s not a very syrupy drink.  I find that it sits a few pounds heavier than light upon my tongue as I finish each gulp.  As far as lemonades go it’s about one step better than your standard fare.  Overall a pretty good showing.

Now for the sentence that renders the last four paragraphs pointless.  Dublin Tart n Sweet Lemonade tastes like you made it at home with its tart lemon flavor and a sweetness that can only be described as simple.

~A

With Twist in the picture it's Tart n Sweet n Sweet... D'awwww

MTN Dew Game Fuel 2012 Citrus Cherry

I received an unexpected package the other day, but like anyone who loves presents I threw all caution into the wind and opened it expecting only awesomeness.  Perhaps it was something I forgot about ordering on Amazon.  Perhaps it was a surprise gift from my wife.  Perhaps it was Halo 4 Mtn Dew Game Fuel Citrus Cherry.  Ok, so I didn’t actually think it was the last one until I opened the box and saw that it was.  This particular version of Mtn Dew Game Fuel should be hitting store shelves today, so keep an eye out for it if your interest is peaked after reading this review. 

I’ve never actually had any version of Game Fuel before.  Heck, back when I was a kid my version of “game fuel” was a can of Surge and some powdered donuts.  I’m not really sure why I thought those two things went together, but in my mind it was like peanut butter and jelly.  Thankfully Mtn Dew has created an official “Game Fuel” whose flavor seems to be, and I quote, “Dew with a Blast of Citrus Cherry Flavor with other natural flavors”.  They probably didn’t want to include the “with other natural flavors” line as it seems to take away from the intense nature of Dew, but it’s there so what can you do?  Answer, drink it.  Onward!

Once the plastic cap was twisted and the first burst of carbonation escaped a whiff of cherry dew ran screaming into my nostrils.  Now the scent I get when I actually try and smell the soda itself is a bit more subdued.  Sorry this is Mtn Dew we’re talking about here… nothing is subdued.  Let’s try that sentence again from the top.  Now the scent I get when I actually try and smell the soda itself is a bit more SUBDEWD TO THE MAXX!  Better.  Hopefully the flavor will be equally strong and radical as the initial burst I experienced.  Yes, radical.

While not a full on “punch to the throat” the taste is slightly stronger than the scent my nose pulled from the mouth of the bottle.  I’ve got to be honest with you though.  My initial impression of Mtn Dew Game Fuel is that it reminds me of a neutered Mtn Dew Code Red (The best Mtn Dew flavor in my opinion).  It’s like I’m visiting Code Red in prison.  I can only interact with him on the phone through the glass window between us.  Our hands touch the equivalent sides of the window as we stare longingly at each other, but unable to truly reach one another only to be left in sadness.

Don’t misunderstand, it only “reminds” me of Code Red in a few aspects.  The most obvious being the red color and cherry-esque flavor.  Where Game Fuel Citrus Cherry goes wrong is that the initial flavor isn’t the main performer on the stage.  Yes you’re greeted with a somewhat tropical cherry taste that I would rate as pleasant and nothing more, but the cough syrup after taste is the last thing you see before the curtain comes down.  So now I’m sitting here trying to think of good things to say about the first three seconds of each sip while the last three seconds of cough syrup flavor are still staining my taste buds.  I’m sorry to say, but I just can’t do it.  If you enjoy ingesting large amount of caffeine with no care for taste then this is a great soda for you to pick up.  If you don’t mind a soda with three fourths the amount of caffeine and a great taste to boot, the you should probably just pick up some Code Red.

Now for the sentence that renders the last five paragraphs pointless.  Mtn Dew Game Fuel Citrus Cherry is an appealing beverage while you’re looking it at it, but delivers only minimal cherry flavor with maximum medicinal taste.

~A

This beverage supplied to us by Mountain Dew.

Twist's version of game fuel is a handful of flies and a glass of tonic water.

Mountain Dew - Johnson City Dew

Yesterday a package arrived at my door filled with hay and Mountain Dew paraphernalia.  It was a promotional kit telling me that I had the ability to choose the name and label art of Mountain Dew’s new malt flavored soda.  The soda was released in Johnson City, TN (the birthplace of Mountain Dew) as Mountain Dew Johnson City Gold, but now that it was going nationwide they needed a few new regional names and can art to go along with their product.

Anytime something is packaged in "hay" you know you're in for a treat

Here’s what it had inside.

Today I learned that Mystery Can + Free Awesome Markers make me giggle out of happiness

Now the contest ends today and I didn’t feel up to the task of creating amazing label art, but I did what I could.  If you’re a talented artist, or just bored, head on over to YourMaltDew.com and submit your entry.  As for the names they’ve already held the first contest for those so the job I was tasked with was to choose the best of three for my region.  Being from Texas I’m bundled into the “South” region where my name choices were the following:  Mountain Dew Southern Pride, Blue Ridge Dew, and Mountain Dew Southern Gold.  I don’t particularly like any of those names, but I have no one to blame for myself since I didn’t submit a name of my own.  Overall the best name in my opinion comes from the “Southwest” region with Mountain Dew Miner’s Malt.  I eventually chose Blue Ridge Dew as my name of choice for my region and started to think about my label art which you can see below.  With my terrible version of Twist scrawled in Sharpie on a can label a question popped into my head.  “If this soda doesn’t have a name, what do I call it in my review?”  Well I figured the best thing to do in such a unique situation was to use the original name for it, Mountain Dew Johnson City Gold (which honestly is better than ANY of the regional names in my opinion since the name holds a history.)

The likeness is so... so... so... so-so

I must be up front with you and say that I’ve yet to drink a “malt” soda that I enjoyed at all.  Now I will say that I’m more optimistic towards Mountain Dew Johnson City Gold just because it carries the “Dew” moniker, but still quite skeptical of the equation Malt + Dew = Tasty.  Since the can I received has no label, besides the amazing one I made, I can’t tell you what the ingredients are so you’ll have to research that on your own as it’s about my bed time.  Pretty much everything else you need to know was covered above so I figure it’s time to take a swig.  Onward!

The first time I smelled it I immediately thought of a Beer/Mtn Dew combination.  Frankly this scared me a bit since I hate the taste of all alcoholic beverages so I took another whiff and this time inhaled a lime/Mtn Dew scent with a hint of skunk.  Needless to say I’m not running down “Excited Lane” at this point, more like a cautious stroll down “Worried Blvd.”  My nose has told me a few white lies in the past so I’m just going to hope that’s what it’s doing now.

Congratulations to Mountain Dew on making the best tasting “malt soda” I’ve had to date.  The “Dew” flavor is thankfully the lead in this eclectic play with malt starring as the plucky sidekick.  While my nose is reminded of the skunk it smelled a paragraph ago every time I take a drink, my taste buds quickly erase that memory and replace it with an interesting hybrid.  This tastes like they took Mountain Dew and combined it with the flavor of lemon peel and beer.  It’s a little bitter, but nothing that will keep you from coming back for another drink.  Mountain Dew Johnson City Gold does remind me of beer, but not so much that I’m turned away by it.  Like I said earlier, I never got a taste for it, but the citrus “Dew” taste beats out the flavor of beer.  That and the fact that it’s non-alcoholic helps out as well. 

Is this a soda something I’ll buy once it hits stores in my area?  No, probably not, but I am excited that a soda company is doing something daring and different.  I can definitely see a market this will succeed in even if it might be niche.  If you like mountain dew or beer (not necessarily combined, but it wouldn’t hurt if you did) then I’d give this a shot.  Heck, if you’ve never had a “malt soda” and always wanted to try one I’d say this is the best starter “malt soda” available in terms of taste.  Look for the one with the lizard on the can… and then get out of my house.  Oh, and remember if you want to try your hand at label making head on over to YourMaltDew.com

~A

This beverage supplied to us by Mountain Dew

Like looking into a mirror

Ski

I’ve been recommended a handful of sodas to review over the past few years and by far the most popular suggestion is Ski.  Well fortunately for those wanting me to review it I just happen to have a bottle sitting here next to me courtesy of the Dublin Bottling Works.  It’s no secret that I enjoy lime soda and it’s following my lime soda reviews that I usually end up with the suggestion to try Ski.  Looking at the bottle I see that Ski is not a lime soda like I initially though, but a citrus soda.  That’s all fine and dandy as the simplistically-retro bottle art makes me happy to even have this bottle in possession.  I’m also pleased to see that it’s sweetened with Pure Cane Sugar which is another point for this boxers corner.  Enough chitter-chatter, onward!

While the bottle may say “citrus” the scent that came wafting out of the neck was a strong lime with vague citrus undertones.  A quick glance at the ingredients tells me that Ski has both lemon and orange juice concentrate.  This probably just means my smell-o-meter is off and I’m mistaking the lemon for lime.  To be honest my allergies are acting up quite a bit today so if I was a reader I might just ignore this paragraph all together.  Good thing smell isn’t a large part of taste…sigh.  Drinking time!

Ok, allergies or not I still taste more lime than lemon within my first sip of Ski.  The beverage is smoother than I thought it would be, but has a medium amount of carbonation to keep it from being boring.  In fact the bubbles fizz for the duration of each sip which is a simple treat for your tongue.  While it has many similarities to other citrus drinks like Mountain Dew and Sun Drop, Ski’s attention to lime seems to be more noticeable.  Each taste begins with a rush of the aforementioned bubbles then a conglomeration of citrus flavors washes over your teeth.  It’s at this point where you don’t really see much of a difference between Ski and Sun Drop.  Sure, Ski is a little smoother, but the difference is minimal.  It’s only when you reach the finish of each sip that you are greeted by lime.  Lime is like an awesome Wal-Mart greeter.  Any Wal-Mart greeter will say hello as you enter the store (be-it orange, lemon, or lime), but only the best greeters will make sure your trip was pleasant enough that you’ll return again smiling.  That’s what lime does; he waves as you pass letting himself be known to you then as you’re leaving gives you a wink and wishes you well.  Here’s the part where I say that Ski didn’t live up to the hype I’d created for it in my mind, but that’s not the fault of Ski.  Even though I created this disappointment for myself I still am happy to have finally tried it and I think you should too.

~A 

This soda was supplied to us by the Dublin Bottling Works

Faux Fact:  Twist in Russian is Twistski.

Dublin Orange Cream

It feels like a good day for a quick review.  Today’s bottle once again comes from the Dublin Bottling Works in Dublin, Texas.  The flavor housed within its glassy walls is that of Orange Cream.  While a somewhat Frankenstein creation Orange Cream usually has the best of both worlds that its coupled flavors have to offer.  From their home planet of Apfelsine the orange usually brings the tartness and punch that you would expect.  To counter this they brought the smooth taste one can only find on Rahm and mixed them together… thus bringing us the best of both worlds.  I know I said it was going to be a short review, but I think that plan is already failed.   Onward!

The scents mix nicely in this bottle of Dublin Orange Cream.  With each whiff I’m greeted with a smooth yet tart aroma.  Based on scent alone I just might love this soda.  Only one way to find out.

Not quite as good as the smell, but still a tasty drink.  Immediately the orange zaps the tip of my tongue and begins an awkward wash throughout my mouth.  What I mean by “awkward wash” is that the tangy orange started to transistion to the cream flavor about midway through my sip.  This transition wasn’t nearly as smooth as I thought it might be… much like puberty.  Around 10, some earlier some later, you think how cool it’s going to be once you’re a teenager.  You just figure you’ll wake up one day and be cool.  It’s only when the process begins and you’re stumbling over your oddly large feet that you realize becoming a teenager just might not be as simple as you once thought.  The orange flavoring is that ten year old taking on the world, wanting to show that it can grow up and be smooth and cool.  That’s when the transition period hits.  I can taste the changes from orange to cream and they aren’t all that smooth… lots of acne and growing pains to swallow. 

After the “change” has happened it still follows the same life lesson.  That cool teenager you thought you were going to be?  Yeah, now that you’ve grown into your body you’re no smoother than you were before.  The cream never really takes over in Dublin Orange Cream.  When I read “FlavorX Cream” I expect a somewhat creamy mouth feel… creamier than this at least.  The orange never lets go and doesn’t allow you to experience the full “orange cream” that you were promised.  Now I could make the comparison that this is your 10 year old self trying to fight back through all the nonsense adulthood you probably go through on a day to day basis, but this is a soda site not your psychologist.  Overall Dublin Orange Cream is still a tasty soda it just needs to work on a few things.

~A

This beverage supplied to us by Dublin Bottling Works

Twist has been through puberty at least 12 times by now.