Cawy Lemon Lime

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Welcome to “Plain-cans-ville”.  This can of Cawy Lemon Lime, much like it’s Watermelon soda, looks like something you’d see in a sitcom vending machine.  It’s made by Cawy and the flavor is lemon lime.  That’s all the label wants you to know.  Oh, and there’s some snowflakes of some sort as well… perhaps they’re stars.  Who knows?  

If I judged books by their covers I’d say this is going to be insanely generic although I’m happy to see the ingredients include extract of lemon and lime oils.  Perhaps this one ingredient will push this from generic to recomendable.  That’s quite the important leap in rating.  Let’s find out together shall we, as we always do… because we’re a team you and I.

A stronger than expected lemon lime scent (heavier on the lemon) pops out of the mouth of the can.  Aside from being strong the aroma itself is nothing special.  I’m ok with “regular aromas” though because they’re more likely to lead to average or good drinks than they are bad.  Either my expectations will be met or they’ll be exceeded.  C’mon, buddy.  Let’s you and me find out together.  Team us!

You're a syrupy aftertaste!  No, you are!

Two things.  Thing one is the fact that this is more lime based in terms of flavor than it is lemon.  Does that make it a Lime Lemon drink?  Thing two is the fact that there’s something off about the taste of this, but i can’t put my finger on it.  Perhaps “Thing two” will go away the more I consume as my palette gets used to the flavor.  

Cawy Lemon Lime does have a decent amount of flavor to it.  Thankfully this flavor is pretty good and in my opinion better than Sprite, but not quite as good as 7Up if we’re going to compare.  The lime taste I’m getting is fairly sweet and candy like while the lemon seems to be on par with other limon sodas.

As I hoped “Thing two” is pretty much fading away although I think I figured it out.  Some drinks have syrupy aftertastes that linger after each sip.  Cawy Lemon Lime gives you this experience right off the bat.  The first thing I taste is that syrupy aftertaste and it lingers throughout the entire duration of my sip.  On the plus side the more I drink the less I notice it as it builds upon itself to the point where everything tastes kind of syrupy candy limey.  That’s the kind of review you get here folks.  What does Cawy Lemon Lime taste like?  Well it’s kind of syrupy candy limey.  Good night, everybody!

~A

This soda was purchased at World Market

Boylan Orange

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Good ol’ reliable Boylan Bottling Co.  Some of the first sodas we reviewed on this site were Boylan, but then I stopped.  I stopped because I knew Boylan would always be there for me if I needed to review something good, but couldn’t find anything odd.  It’s the same reason I don’t do a lot of Jones Soda either.  I think over the past 5 years I’ve reviewed most every Boylan though.  I’m sure there’s a few I’ve yet to conquer, but my love of Boylan has been a slow burn.  That fuse has finally led me to Boylan Orange.  

Wanna know what’s in Boylan Orange?  Me too.  Carbonated Water, cane sugar, mandarin and tangerine oils, natural orange flavors, citric acid, ester gum, yellow 6, and sodium benzoate.  Aside from those last two ingredients, that’s a respectable cast of characters for the Boylan Orange Show.  Every play has a couple of kids dressed like trees and talking to each other, so we may be able to let the last two slide if we don’t find ourselves sneaking out by intermission.

Perfection

A strong orange odor, or odorange, lifts out of the mouth of the bottle.  A natural orange scent paired with that of orange candy is what my nose notices, or nosetices.  Now that I’ve created the two newest words in the English language I feel I’ve accomplished enough to go on.

Boylan Orange tastes a bit more tangerine than orange to me, but that’s completely acceptable as tangerine is the sweeter of the two citrus and has a very similar flavor.  These two flavors are backed by tightly packed miniature bubbles that sprint quickly across the stage without hardly anyone noticing until they're almost out of view.  The carbonation lift at the end of each sip gives my throat just enough harshness to make me smile.  After all an orange soda should cause a little burn, at least in my book.  

Fun fact:  Most orange sodas have a cardboard aftertaste to me.  Honestly though, I don’t know why I taste cardboard in so many of them.  I really wish I knew what made my taste buds react that way.  Thankfully Boylan Orange doesn’t succumb to this nearly as much as others do.  I’m looking at you Frostie!

All in all Boylan Orange is a very good orange soda though I’ve found two detractors during my drinking of it.  As I’ve consumed this entire bottle the sweet flavor has built upon itself to be cloyingly sweet by my last few sips.  This same build up created a somewhat syrupy mouthfeel by the end as well.  So it’s very good, but it’s not perfection.  Who is though besides Twist?

~A

This soda was purchased at World Market

Nesbitt's Honey Lemonade

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I like lemonade.  Who doesn’t?  Don’t answer that because I would judge you harshly.  I also like soda.  Who doesn’t?  None of you because you’re reading this site.  I seriously doubt my prose are impressive enough to pull people (if you can call them that) that hate soda.  So since I like both lemonade and soda you know I love it when a carbonated lemonade finds its way in front of me.  Today that beverage is called Nesbitt’s Honey Lemonade and their logo is fantastic!  It’s the kind of logo I would proudly wear.  A circular logo that half lemon and half honey comb.  Genius!  

Twist is disappointed, but you didn't hear it from me.

Looking at the ingredients I see this is sadly sweetened with HFCS, but also includes honey!  It’s listed right there next to Yellow #5 so you know it must be an important ingredient.  Yellow #5 and Honey working together as they always should.  OK, so I wish this was a little more natural of a drink.  Perhaps the flavor will make me forget my wish.

Impressively enough the aroma that comes off the bottle is indeed a mixture of lemon and honey.  The honey rides in on the tart scent of the lemon.  He’s waving wildly to make sure I notice him and see the neat trick he’s doing, but I knew he was there from aroma alone.

That is the finest (in the minimal sense) carbonation level I think I’ve ever encountered.  Such a miniscule amount of fizz, barely enough to even register as a mouth feel.  Like a feather tickling an elephant it is.  I understand they didn’t want to take away from the fact that it’s a lemonade, but c’mon.

As for the flavor I see why the honey was trying to get my attention earlier.  If I didn’t know about him it would be easy to just think this was a sweet lemonade.  Thankfully he waved at me so I can appreciate the mild honey flavor I get with every sip.  Average is how I would rate the lemonade portion of this soda.  It’s not all that flavorful and you could replicate it by purchasing numerous other products.  

Now that I’m at the bottom of the bottle I’m finding that the honey flavor stacks on itself a little bit.  It’s not enough for me to rethink the rating of this beverage, but it’s a neat thing to look forward too.  All in all this is a fun concept that ended up being a passable soda.

~A

Surge

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A mere four ounces assures me that I’m not dreaming.  The label is exactly as I remember it over 15 years ago, but there’s a 16 where the 12 should be.  That difference of four tells me that I live in a reality in which you can buy Surge.  That’s right Carbo-Nation, if you haven’t heard you can buy Surge once more.  Brought to life in 1997 and put to sleep in 2003 Surge has been given breath.  It’s currently exclusive to Amazon as of this review.  When I found out I shrieked in excitement and purchase a 12 pack simultaneously.  Surge was one of the first sodas I NEEDED to drink.  All of the Coke and Pepsi memories of my childhood blend together into a mush.  Surge is attached to a handful of memories I can still recall.  

There was a time that I enjoyed pairing Surge with powdered donuts.  Sadly I do not have such donuts in front of me now, but I will pair them once again.  I don’t know why I liked this pairing, but it worked like gangbusters...although I’m guessing most people don’t even know what gangbusters is.  

Mark one off the bucket list for Twist

No matter how I try to downplay it I know I’ve already over hyped this beverage in my mind.  They got me.  Coke got me right by the childhood.  That sounded more illegal than I intended it to.  It’s 1:30 in the morning and I’m exhausted, but I must review this caffineated beverage for 15 year old Aaron.  He has minimal worries.  He doesn’t hold a job, have a kid, or make payments on a house.  15 year old Aaron stays up late and plays video games.  Let’s raise a glass to 15 year old Aaron!

The orange and lime scent rush past my nostrils.  32 year old Aaron has a feeling that Surge tasted really generic all those years ago, but 15 year old Aaron doesn’t care.  He and his friends drank this buy the case.  32 year old Aaron is pretty sure that his younger self just fell into the media trap that Coke created.  15 year old Aaron couldn’t care less and takes a swig.

32 year old Aaron goes to bed because he knows that 15 year old Aaron has won.  The first sip brings back a wash of memories.  Old man Aaron thought this would taste generic, but he was wrong.  It tastes like Surge.  The bursts of orange and lime combine to create a insanely refreshing soda.  Lime eventually wins out, which is how it should be for any drink that contains lime.  

Carbonation levels are just fine.  The bubbles are fierce but small, packing an excellent amount of punch to the tongue and throat.  Oddly they are only felt near the finish of the beverage which creates a nice duality in terms of mouth feel.  I really need to stop drinking this because it’ll probably keep me up all… SHUT UP OLD MAN AND DRINK YOUR SURGE..ok.

Surprisingly, Surge isn’t nearly as syrupy as I thought it would be.  There is of course somewhat of a syrupy mouthfeel, but it’s less that you’d experience with a Sprite.  The finish is the glaring weak point to this beverage.  The aforementioned syrupy feel combined with the dying lime and orange flavors create a sadness in my mouth.  What goes in with a party finishes with a whimper.  Leaving with a whine isn’t something a soda called Surge should do.  

Turning off the nostalgia for a moment, Surge really impressed me in terms of flavors and feel.  It played to one of my favorite tastes, lime, and it kept the same sensations going throughout all 16 ounces.  Honestly, if I could change one thing about this re-release it would be the can.  I wish they’d put it in 12 ounce cans, but 15 year old Aaron has never seen a 16 ounce can so he’s pretty ecstatic.

~A

This soda was purchased off of Amazon.com

Plantation Style Mint Julep

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I’m reviewing Plantation Style Mint Julep today and I have some questions right off the bat.  Why did you name your drink that?  Wouldn’t Mint Julep Soda have worked out just fine?  Is your line of drinks named Plantation Style?  If so, why is your line of drinks named Plantation Style?  Are there other Plantation Style beverages out there?  You realize the imagery this portrays right?  A bunch of folks sitting on the porch of their plantation enjoying mint juleps while looking out across their land at other folks not enjoying mint juleps.  Yes, I’m aware not all plantations are those in the South during the Civil War era… but when you pair it with a flavor like mint julep then it most certainly is.

Twist invented the mint julep

Anywho… stupid name aside.  Time to review this Plantation Style Mint Julep soda which has been sweetened with cane sugar.  Right off the bat the most amusing ingredient I see is “flavor”.  They don’t even differentiate between natural or artificial.  I just picture a guy dumping a big barrel with the word “flavor” on it into a vat.  “Did you add that flavor, Johnny?”  “Sure did, Car!”  “Good, don’t want to rob people of flavor.”

This smells like mouthwash, ACT to be precise.  It’s not surprising that it smells like mouthwash being that “mint” is in the name of the drink, but it’s still off putting.  Perhaps the flavor will be refreshing.

Yeah, that’s pretty refreshing.  A light mint soda accented by a citrus burst throughout.  The mint used appears to be spearmint which is complemented easily by the light fizzy carbonation.  Even though there is an overall light mouth-feel about the soda it finishes heavier than I thought it would. It’s not terribly noticeable, but given the light tastes used within I wouldn’t expect it to be there at all.  

They did a good job on making it seem like mint is a normal flavor for a soda.  While odd, it’s not so overpowering that I’m reminded of that with each sip.  The citrus taste, which favors lime, also does well to mask the oddity of mint soda.  With all that said this still really isn’t my thing.  The aftertaste and mouthfeel that I’m left with after each sip would keep me from buying multiples of this soda.  I still suggest seeking out a bottle for yourself, but one is probably enough.

~A

This soda was purchased at World Market

Phancy Soda Chanh Vietnamese Sparkling Limeade

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Sparkling limeade.  Those two words together make me so very happy.  So of course I grabbed a can of Phancy Soda Chanh Vietnamese Sparkling Limeade when I saw it.  The green color of the can coupled with the fun flower-esque designs grabbed my attention as well.  

The fact that it’s made with real lime juice is an added bonus.  In fact, here’s the ingredient list:  Purified sparkling water, pure cane sugar, natural lime juice concentrate, natural lime extract, natural flavors, citric acid.  My brain is hyping this up to be the most refreshing, most delicious limeade I’ve ever had.  The only way it can fail is if the flavor is watered down.

Twist is wishing he hadn't removed his salivary glands.

The scent doesn’t seem like it belongs to a watered down beverage.  It smells as strong as any limeade I’ve had which just gets me to salivating even further.  Like some Pavlovian dog my mouth waters at the opening of the can.  I can wait no longer.

I LOVE THIS AND EVERYTHING ABOUT IT.  This is almost exactly what my mouth wanted to drink.  The sour, bitter, sweetness of lime is easily identified making for an incredibly realistic flavor.  Why shouldn’t it be?  They used actual lime juice which is what absolutely MAKES this beverage.  Yes, the carbonation is fun and makes for a lighter mouth feel, but it would be nothing if it backed up a watery attempt at limeade.  

Each sip reaffirms my love of this soda.  Phancy Soda Chanh Vietnamese Sparkling Limeade is truly limeade soda in as pure a form as I can imagine.  There’s not a sugary candy lime flavor, there’s not a syrupy sweetness, there’s not a cartoon lime, none of this is to be found.  This is limeade soda.  If you don’t like limeade, you don’t like this soda.  It’s that easy.  

The only downside I’m finding is that it’s causing additional saliva to build within my mouth.  Sadly that keeps the soda from being all that refreshing in the long run.  This additional saliva is causing me to smack my lips to try and reduce this sensation.  It’s a little on the gross side biologically, but I’m hardly bothered by it due to my love of the flavor.

I’ll tell you right now that I love this soda more than most anyone out there.  I love limeade, a lot of people don’t.  Like I said before if you don’t like limeade then you won’t like this soda.  If you like limeade then buy all of this you can find.  

~A

This soda was purchased at World Market

Bibita Aranciata

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I have no idea what’s in store for me.  In front of me sits a bottle of Bibita Aranciata which has a woman making kissy faces at a glass of, what I can only presume is, Bibita Aranciata.  I think Paoletti makes this beverage as it’s another word on the label.  The ingredients suggest that this is a carbonated orange juice type beverage which would explain the amount of sediment I see floating in the bottle.  When in Italy…

It certainly does have a citrusy scent, or would that be a scintrus?  New words aside the aroma that arrived at my nostrils was somewhat inviting.  I’m looking forward to my carbonated OJ in hopes that its better than Orangina.  That’s not to say Orangina was bad, I’d just like this to be better.

One of Twist's middle names is Paoletti... no relation.

It’s tingly on my lips and has a brisk citrus taste.  The carbonation is small, but fierce which helps with the sharpness of the orange flavor.  Oddly enough it doesn’t remind me at all of a sparkling orange juice.  It’s more in line with a citrus soda that happens to have orange juice in it.  This allows the flavor to be crisp, light, and somewhat refreshing.  

Upon taking a larger swig the orange juice flavor seems to also have a grapefruit side-kick as there is just a touch of bitterness to each sip.  Now by reading the ingredients we know that there isn’t any grapefruit in here.  I’m just telling you what I taste.  

On another surprising level I didn’t even notice the copious amounts of sediment I saw earlier.  I figured at the very least they would alter the mouth feel, but alas they did not.  So I guess I became a little smarter today.  Bibita Aranciata is a sparkling citrus beverage from Italy and one I would recommend you try.

~A

This beverage was purchased from World Market

Squirt with Sugar

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Let’s address the elephant in the room first.  The title of this review is really odd, but it fits the format of other common sodas I’ve reviewed that were sweetened with sugar.  Moving on.  So you wanna Squirt with sugar do ya?  Well I’ve got the bottle for you!  Seriously, look at that bottle.  Appreciate the corkscrew base and gaze upon the simplicity of the label.  This is one of the best soda bottles I’ve seen in a long time.  

Twist later married this bottle of Squirt.  Shortly thereafter a murder investigation began as the bottle had been drained of all life.

The beverage inside is obviously Squirt which is a citrus soda that favors the grapefruit.  I picked this up because of the interesting design and because I think a citrus soda has more to gain being sweetened with sugar.  Citrus sodas are some of the most refreshing out there and removing the syrupy feel of HFCS could really boost that refreshment factor.  I can’t wait to find out.

A mostly grapefruit aroma leaves the mouth of the bottle upon opening.  There’s a vague citrus smell as well, but grapefruit is clearly the key player.

Crisp, clean, cool.  Squirt made me write out words that you’d see in a 90’s advertisement.  My first sip brought in a punch of citrus taste that was tart but not overly so.  Oddly enough I liken the flavor to Sprite if grapefruit were the third ingredient.  Oh, and if Sprite were good.  SICK BURN! YEAH HIGH FIVES ALL AROUND! WOOOO!

The carbonation levels backing this taste were perfect as well.  Small groups of bubbles rush about my mouth making sure all corners have felt their fizzy wrath.  Once they vanish over the horizon it’s within a minute that my mouth resets and is ready to take another sip and experience it as if it were my first.  Like I said… crisp, clean, cool.  Oh yeah, it’s also very refreshing.  Let me just shoehorn that fact in here as well.  Speaking of...when’s the last time you used a shoehorn?

With all this good there is some bad.  Since grapefruit is the flavor at hand get ready for a little bit of bitter with each of your gulps.  It’s not really a big deal, but some might be put off a little bit by it.  Since it does taste a lot like Sprite you may be underwhelmed by your experience.  Even though I liked it I will say that it’s similarity to the lymon beverage did bring me down a bit.  Still a pretty great soda though.

~A


JOIA Grapefruit Chamomile and Cardamom

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Sometimes JOIA frustrates me with their flavors.  They’re always well paired, but they challenge me to the point where I can’t honestly win.  Today’s flavor combination is Grapefruit, Chamomile, and Cardamom.  What?  Of course I know what grapefruit tastes like and surely I’ve had chamomile tea, but combine all that with cardamom and I don’t even know what to expect.  I’m going to try something today.  I’m not going to mention any of the flavors listed on the label when reviewing this drink.  Should be easy for chamomile and cardamom… not sure I can do it without talking about grapefruit.  Let’s find out.  Oh yeah, JOIA is an all natural beverage for those of you interested in that.

Twist as he appeared during his brief stint with A-Ha

The scent is that of an overly citrus tangerine.  There’s a bit of flowery backing to the aroma, but it takes a good huffing to even notice it.

A dry citrus sensation slams into my taste buds.  The taste borders on bitter, but there is a sweetness that pulls it back from the edge.  Even though the bitter taste is a bit off putting, there’s something that has me wanting to drink it again once I set the bottle down.  The carbonation level is on the lighter side, which works well with the bitter/tart tastes of the soda.  An abundance of bubbles would just cause an attack on your mouth.   

Perhaps my normal person taste buds need work, but as far as I’m concern there might as well only be one ingredient in this soda.  The other two listed ingredients just don’t seem to be altering the flavor.  Perhaps it’s too subtle for a mortal.

If you were looking for a soda that really nailed the taste of a Citrus x Paradisi then look no further.  JOIA has that flavor down pat and bottled it.  As an added bonus it’s quite refreshing, although this is a 80 degree day beverage not a 90 degree day beverage.  All in all I’m rather pleased with this offering from the folks at JOIA and can’t wait to try a few more of their sodas.

~A


Xyience Xenergy Pineapple

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Twist felt flat today, but his thighs looked GREAT!

Today’s Xyience experiment is pineapple flavored.  Technically this can of Xenergy is +Lemonade, whatever that means, in addition to being pineapple flavored.  I’m honestly not sure what to expect here, but I’m rolling with it.  Like all the other Xyience products that we’ve reviewed it’s sugar free and has zero calories.  They’ve been hit or miss so far in the flavor department so it will be interesting to see what side of the fence pineapple lemonade falls.

As the can cracks open the faint aroma that arrives is more lemonade than pineapple.  In fact I’d be amazed if I could identify this as pineapple flavored based on the scent alone.  Hopefully the taste doesn’t leave that much to mystery.

The initial taste I get is the tart bite of a lemon.  Slowly it washes away and transforms into the pineapple lemonade we were promised.  Truthfully it’s lemonade pineapple as the real star of the show cannot be mistaken.  Throughout the entire gulp the lemon teases the tip of my tongue with a tingle of sour.  This leaves the rest of my mouth awash with an average tasting lemonade.  It’s on par with Minute Maid lemonade, which to me is on the weaker side of the big name brands.  

Xyience Xenergy Pineapple is a very refreshing beverage.  Something I would happily reach for on a sweltering day.  It goes down smoothly which makes it easy to return for another sip.  The lack of sugar isn’t overly noticeable and the flavor while pleasant isn’t memorable.  All in all it’s a good energy drink, but an average tasting beverage.

~A

This beverage supplied to us by Xyience

JOIA Lime Hibiscus and Clove

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One of Twist's middle names is "Poppin"

Oh JOIA, how your flavors challenge me.  It seems to always be three flavors with one of them being normal, one being different, and a final one that’s just odd.  Today’s feature is JOIA Lime Hibiscus and Clove.  Lime, good old lime.  I like lime soda it’s usually pretty tasty.  Clove is in here too?  Ok, I’ve had a couple of clove flavored items in my life.  I also used to push them into apples for Christmas decorations.  What’s this?  Hibiscus?  That’s a flower.  While I’ve had a few sodas with hibiscus included, that’s still not enough for my mind to make this a regular flavor of soda...natural ingredients or not.

What am I supposed to do, take a sip and say “oh man the hibiscus in this is poppin’?”  Perhaps if my tastebuds were smarter.  I like to think I still have the common man’s taste buds.  I don’t use words like “node” when describing a scent.  Then again I could probably improve at my descriptions, but that’s for another time.  For now my job is to drink JOIA Lime Hibiscus and Clove.

For being a lime soda it does have somewhat of a flowery aroma.  The clove is also easily identified with each sniff I take.  In fact the lime seems to be riding in the middle of back seat on the hump with his sisters to either side of him.

OH MAN THAT HIBISCUS IS POPPIN’!  It’s not, but I can at least discern the hibiscus flavor from the clove and lime.   While the lime gave off the lightest scent it has taken full command of the taste.  He might be riding in the middle of the back seat, but he’s got control of the radio.  After the initial burst of lime the sweet hibiscus and clove briefly swing by and make a polite appearance.  Quickly saying their goodbyes the girls saunter off allowing their brash younger brother to continue talking.  It’s quite the delicate flavor experience, but their story is told particularly well.

The carbonation is only strong enough to keep this soda from seeming flat.  Microscopically small bubbles rush down the back of my throat with each gulp; just creating a friendly reminder of their existence.

So there you have it.  JOIA Lime Hibiscus and Clove is really a lime soda plus.  The added flavors sweeten the experience and briefly refreshed my palate.  Even though I’m a huge fan of most any lime soda it was nice to have a bit of intermission built in to each sip.  

~A


JOIA Orange Jasmine and Nutmeg

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So I’ve been sent several soda samples this year and fortunately the JOIA line was one of them.  The flavors I’ve had thus far were quite good and they don’t use any artificial ingredients either.  Today’s bottle of JOIA is of the Orange, Jasmine, and Nutmeg flavored variety.  The ingredients list each of the flavors titled plus a few extras like Monk Fruit, which is actually on the rise when it comes to soda making.  I’m not quite sure what this family of flavors will be like when combined, but I'm willing to bet it’ll be tasty.  

Twist has dated someone with all the listed names in this beverage.  Nutmeg was his favorite.

Twist has dated someone with all the listed names in this beverage.  Nutmeg was his favorite.

A delightful natural orange aroma rushes to the mouth of the bottle.  The nutmeg is also prevalent enough to make itself known with ease.  These two flavors don’t completely mask the jasmine, but they’re definitely the stars of this aromatic show.

A citrus kick right to the back of my throat is how I start my journey with this soda.  The orange and nutmeg once again working in tandem.  The nutmeg keeps the orange from tasting too acidic, creating a bitter flavor in the middle of my sip.  As the two power players work with one another the jasmine lilts in the background, creating a subtle sweetness.  Ultimately the orange is the most dominant of the three and has the final say as my gulp comes to an end.

Proving just as important is the small, but sharp bubbles experienced with each taste.  They keep the beverage alive and fun; stopping the orange/nutmeg combination from just sitting in your stomach as orange juice can sometimes do.  

All in all, JOIA Orange Jasmine and Nutmeg is a solid beverage.  All three of the flavors play their parts well, the ingredient list is fantastic, and it’s not just another fruit soda.  The bitter taste will not be pleasing to some, myself included, but it’s not so strong that you can’t enjoy the soda.  Pick up a few and share them with your friends, let them decide.

~A

Honest Fizz Orange Pop

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So far Honest Fizz is one for two in my book.  Their Professor Fizz stevia sweetened soda wasn’t all that great, but Lemon Limey had promise.  So let’s follow that same citrus vine as it takes us to today’s soda, Honest Fizz Orange Pop.  Now many of the orange sodas I’ve reviewed have been chock full of sugar, so today’s installment of a stevia sweetened orange soda will be a first for me.  Will it be dry but still flavored appropriately like Lemon Limey, or will the stevia take over and make me wish I was eating orange rind instead? 

When Twist was a boy he called his father Orange Pop, but then the change occurred.

The scent seems safe enough.  I’ve opened enough cans of Sunkist Orange to know what a “by the book” orange soda smells like and Orange Pop is just another chapter in said book.  Hopefully the flavor has studied the curriculum.  It’s a loose reference to the previous sentence, but it works well enough for me.  Moving on.

Much like Lemon Limey, the mouth feel of this soda is indeed a little dry but it works.  There’s not a burst of sugary taste, there’s not a film coating my mouth, and there’s not any of the terrible aftertaste that stevia is known for.  Honest Fizz Orange Pop is like orange soda graduated from college, bought a town home, and adopted a dog.  It has its life in order and no longer has time for the crazy parties it used to throw back at Berkeley.  That’s right, orange soda went to Berkeley.  Sure, he’ll let loose and play with his dog, but he’s focused on giving you an orange flavored soda without all the nonsense.  Some of his friends may not like him anymore because of what he’s become, but Honest Fizz Orange Pop won’t have a hard time making new friends.

The carbonation levels are a little high which is probably masking some of the stevia taste and as the liquid inside heats up a little it’s becoming harder to hide.  Even with the stevia taste showing through a little, I’m ok with mature orange soda.  I may not visit him as often, but he’s still an ok guy.  So I like my orange sodas sugary, there’s nothing wrong with that.  I can still appreciate what Honest Fizz has done here.  This is a legitimate zero calorie orange soda and if that’s your thing then you won’t be disappointed.

~A

This soda was supplied to us by Honest Fizz

Honest Fizz Lemon Limey

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Ok, so I wasn’t thrilled with Honest Fizz Professor Fizz.  Did you really expect me to fall head over heels for a stevia sweetened Dr Pepper clone?  I have a feeling today will be a better day for Honest Fizz  when I review Lemon Limey.  The lemon lime flavor combination is tried and true, but I also believe it lends itself to be sweetened by stevia.  There’s only a handful of ways to find out if I’m right; I’m picking the way that continues this review.

The scent is faint, but I’m able to discern lime right off the bat.  That’s always a good sign in my book as the lime (in my opinion) is the flavor that usually gets left behind when talking about lemon/lime beverages.  Perhaps Honest Fizz Lemon Limey will end up teaching a class on how to properly flavor a citrus soda.

Twist embodies lemon lime.

That’s not half bad.  Much like I expected, the stevia doesn’t offend as it might in one of the brown sodas (cola, Dr Pepper, root beer).  In fact it gives Lemon Limey a bit of a dry sensation you might expect from a fancier beverage.  The taste is quite similar to a well flavored sparkling water.  Personally I’d choose Honest Fizz Lemon Limey over most any sparkling water based on its flavor. 

The carbonation is light, but noticeable.  It’s like I’m drinking fancy Sprite except Honest Fizz does a better job emphasizing the two flavors in an individual manner.  With that said it’s not flavor-full.  Yes, I’m aware that “flavorful” is the word I was looking for, but I wanted to stress that Lemon Limey had flavor, it just wasn’t full of it. 

Certainly this soda has a market, but I don’t believe I’m in it.  I’m not looking for soda with zero calories sweetened with stevia leaves, if I were though I’d pick up a can of Honest Fizz Lemon Limey.  As I stated before, this soda isn’t bitter, it’s dry.  The flavor doesn’t make me crave more.  This just isn’t my thing, but I can certainly respect the job they did in creating it. 

If you prefer diet sodas or you need to have a sugarless soda for one reason or another, then I highly recommend trying Honest Fizz Lemon Limey.  On the other hand, if neither of those things are for you then maybe you should pick up a bottle to double check.

~A

This soda was supplied to us by Honest Fizz

Route 66 Lime Soda

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You can either read 500 something reviews or this next sentence to catch up.  I like lime soda.  So when I was presented the funds (from you) to buy my own sodas of course I picked a lime flavored one.  Route 66 Lime Soda to be exact.  The bottle even says “Chosen by Soda jerks Every Time”.  If that’s not some sort of sign I don’t know what is.  The ingredient list is mostly chemical, but this is sweetened with “real” cane sugar so it has that going for it.  Above the ingredients is what I assume to be a “stopping point” on Route 66.  Today’s stopping point is the Chain of Rocks Bridge.  It’s over 5353 feet long and was constructed in 1929.  I’d tell you more about it, but I don’t want to spoil the ending.  What I do want to do is taste this anti-freeze green soda.

Route 66 Lime Soda smells of lime candy with a hint of cleaning product.  Preferably it will taste like lime candy and the cleaning product aroma will just add a needed kick to the mouth feel.  Bottoms up!

There’s more of a bitter taste to this soda than I anticipated.  Needless to say it cuts down on the potential to be candy sweet, but in doing so keeps the flavor more in the natural realm.  With that said, this is definitely not lime juice soda.  The sugar just takes a moment to get up and running before it can chase the mild bitterness away.  A bit of a syrupy texture is left on my teeth as I continue to consume this soda.  It’s not all that bothersome, but I’d rather do without it.  All in all I’m finding Route 66 Lime Soda to be rather average.  It tastes alright, but even as a lime lover I’d rather an average [insert fruit here] soda over this one. 

Caught somewhere between trying to be candy and trying to taste like lime, Route 66 Lime Soda just ends up being forgettably good.  If you just want a lime soda and you see this, then grab a bottle.  If you want a fruit flavored soda then just go for what looks best in your cup holder.

~A

This soda was brought to us by YOU!  The donations you supplied were used to purchase it!

Swamp Pop Satsuma Fizz

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So I put forth a poll last night on which Swamp Pop flavor to drink next.  The results were overwhelmingly in favor of Satsuma Fizz.  100% of voters picked the beverage so it must be good.  Technically the folks at Pops 66 were the only ones to vote, but doggone it they did and I’m going to listen to them.  A Satsuma, if you are unaware, is a little sweet orange.  I’m actually quite surprised I’ve never had a Satsuma soda before as I think the flavor would translate rather nicely.  There is only one somewhat odd ingredient in this soda and that is Beta Carotene.  It’s not really going to affect anything, I just thought it was interesting.  Onward!

Satsuma Fizz was Twist's name when he was hustlin' pool.  If you were scammed by a Satsuma Fizz though it was probably a different iguana.

Satsuma Fizz was Twist's name when he was hustlin' pool.  If you were scammed by a Satsuma Fizz though it was probably a different iguana.

Ooohwee, it’s a tart little orange soda judging by the scent.  Thankfully there is also a sweet aroma mixed in, but it really does seem like the citrus side of Satsuma will be the one to shine.

That is truly a realistic tasting orange soda.  The natural sweetness of the titled ingredient is quite prevalent, but not so much that you’d mistake this for sugary nonsense.  So many orange sodas are sugary nonsense making Swamp Pop the newest member of the sparsely populated “unique orange soda” clique.  Hopefully RootJack doesn’t bother him too much.

A burst of tart orange takes over my mouth just short of it feeling like I’m biting into the fruit itself.  Only once the sharp yet light carbonation gets out of the way do you experience any sort of taste resembling candy.  Well timed, this happens at the end of each sip, allowing my taste buds to go on a pleasant journey each time I draw the bottle to my mouth.  This might be the shortest review I’ve written on a soda I really enjoy.  I won’t over complicate what is a simple enjoyment with more words.  Well, maybe four more.

~A

This soda was supplied to us by Swamp Pop

Pure Sodaworks Honey Lime

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Honey Lime was Twist's stripper name

Honey Lime was Twist's stripper name

So, Pure Sodaworks seems to be on a winning streak here with their soda creations.  Root beer started off strong before developing a tea flavor.  Strawberry Jalapeno and Apple Pie where both fantastically awesome!  Today I’ve got a bottle of Honey Lime in front of me and I can only assume it too will be delightful.  By now I’m sure you can guess the ingredients, but it’s so much fun to write them out so here we go:  Sparkling water, Honey, Pure Cane Sugar, Lime Juice, Citric Acid.  I don’t think I’ll ever tire of listing great ingredients.  I’m particularly excited about the sediment in this bottle.  I can only hope that it’s bits of lime, but whatever it might be I trust they made a great soda.  Let’s find out for sure though, shall we?

Honey is used in a lot of the craft sodas I’ve tasted, but I’ve never been able to so easily identify its use by smell alone.  The aroma is sweet with a lime chaser.  Quite the opposite of what I figured would be wafting out of the mouth of this bottle.  Curse you, Pure Sodaworks!  Why must you constantly impress me?  Making these reviews seem like walking advertisements!

That is honey. That is lime.  The immediate flavor that hits my tongue is the sweet, velvety, greatness of honey.  The scene that follows is a lot like a photographer dealing with a star’s body guard.  Honey is quickly escorted to safety by Lime.  Out of the reaches of my taste buds… I mean Bud the photographer.  After Honey is safely hidden away Lime punches Bud in the face, creating a burst of flavor and a broken nose.  Seeing that her bodyguard Lime is attacking Bud (and not wanting a bad PR storm), Honey springs from the car and attempts to pull Lime away.  What ends up happening is that the three of them fall to the ground in a heap.  Bud is still being attacked by Lime, but Honey’s presence has certainly softened the situation up a bit.  Now the harsh hits of Lime don’t seem so bad.  Slowly the camera pulls away from the scene revealing the bitter Lime and the inviting Honey tussled upon the ground.

That’s an overly fancy way of saying that while the real deal honey flavor is immediately what you experience, lime quickly takes over for a brief moment.  Eventually the two flavors come together, complementing one another with their differences. 

I must say that while I love everything about this beverage, I’m not blown away by the taste.  Don’t get me wrong, it’s great.  I just don’t see myself wanting to come back for more as often as I would with the Strawberry Jalapeno or the Apple Pie… oh goodness the Apple Pie.  With that said this should definitely be tried, so get to it.

~A

This soda was provided to us by Pure Sodaworks

Faygo Orange

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Orange soda is one of the staple sodas out there when you’re talking about the fruit flavored variety.  Personally I prefer grape to orange, but there aren’t many times I’d turn down an orange soda.  This cane sugar sweetened Faygo Orange in front of me has been dressed up in a simply stylish glass bottle and begs for review.  A quick peak at the back tells me that the ingredients aren’t really worth mentioning and I should be on my way with this review.

As seen here, Twist sleeps with his eyes open

Your standard orange aroma escapes the bottle top and does nothing to impress me.  That said, the flavor inside will hopefully hold a few tricks up its sleeve, less I grow bored with it as well.

A quick punch of carbonation and the rest is a sweet burst of orange that identifies more with candy than fruit.  This sweet, somewhat syrupy beverage has already taken a somewhat permanent residence in my mouth.  The velvet curtain, which is usually reserved for beverages sweetened with HFCS, has fallen and it’s all I can do not to taste this rather ordinary orange soda.  Faygo Orange isn’t something many would describe as “poor tasting”, but it’s somewhat yawn worthy.  I’d much rather purchase the store brand orange soda and take my chance with the HFCS if it meant getting a more vibrant flavor. 

~A

 

 

Fentimans Mandarin and Seville Orange Jigger

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If I had a list of my top ten favorite bottle caps, Fentimans would be near the top.  Perhaps it’s my love of dogs, but the image of this great wolf like canine on the cap brings a smile to my face every time I see it.  What this hound is guarding is a bottle of Fentimans Mandarin and Seville Orange Jigger.  Now most of us are somewhat familiar with the taste of a mandarin orange.  If you’ve ever had a clementine or tangerine, those are both examples of the mandarin family.  Now I actually had to look up what a Seville orange was.  The Seville orange, or bitter orange, is known for its tart taste and has its oil used in perfumes and the like.

Two oranges entered this bottle and they’ll both emerge, but hopefully I will be the victor.  Cane sugar also entered this bottle, along with fermented ginger root extracts and of course carbonated water.  I’m a little nervous on how “bitter” this might taste, but I suppose there’s only one way to find out.

After upending this bottle it dawned on me how much the liquid inside looks like egg yolk.  The aroma, on the other hand, is very much that of orange juice.  Ok, so two of your ingredients are oranges, it’d be terrifying if it didn’t smell like orange juice.  Let’s see if I’m about to have a midday breakfast beverage.

Twist has eaten all varieties of orange.

While the initial flavor is not completely of my liking, I can definitely see folks enjoying this.  Four or five air bubbles rush to the back of the bottle each time I put it to my lips, creating a sound that can only be described as “blorb”.  In simple terms, Fentimans Mandarin and Seville Orange Jigger tastes like a somewhat fermented, somewhat bitter orange juice.  Even though I feel it can be hastily described as I have just done, each sip though is complex enough that I want take another and try to figure out all aspects of the drink.  There are hints of ginger throughout and the flavor doesn’t stay the same for any amount of time, it’s constantly changing from the first bitter bite to the eventual sweet orange sensation that sort of rests on my tongue.  Low carbonation allows for all of these changes to occur unhindered by potential raucous bubbles.  It’s such a great beverage, but I just don’t like the taste.

We’ve reached a point where I’m going to have to explain myself and the rating I’m about to give Fentimans Mandarin and Seville Orange Jigger.  This is a wonderful beverage that I think everyone should try.  The folks at Fentimans have my respect for creating it and all of the amazing changes that occur when you consume it.  All natural ingredients, a wonderful bottle, and of course one of my favorite caps of all times should make for a great score, but it doesn’t.  This is one of the times that I honestly think my opinion of this beverage is too low, but I can’t change how it tastes in my mouth so the score will also be lower than I think it deserves.  With that said, give it a shot.  Perhaps your taste buds will appreciate what mine could not.

~A

 

Nawgan Lemonade

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I’ve had energy drinks, sleepy time drinks, “sexual prowess” drinks, and many other life style beverages.  The folks at ThirstMonger have sent me an “alertness beverage” to try.  That’s a first.  Now I know you’re probably thinking that an alertness beverage is just a fancy name for an energy drink and you’re right, but it’s the first time I’ve seen it called as such, and I approve.  The name of the alertness beverage is Nawgan and its flavor is Lemonade.  The Nawgan logo is a brain which leads me to believe that Nawgan is just a fancy spelling of noggin.  You know, like the Nick Jr. successor.  Nawgan has zero calories, vitamins B and E, and a host of chemicals that will hopefully make this taste like a delicious glass of lemonade.  Let’s find out together shall we?

This can of Nawgan has the most satisfying “CRACK” open noise I’ve ever heard.  Good lord that was loud and made me want to instantly start chugging it.  Lemons jumped out of this newly created hole and punched me in the nose.  The scent is strong.  There I said it two different ways.  I’m rather excited to try this now.  I find it odd how a sound that has nothing to do with the flavor excites me to what the drink might taste like. 

Twist completed the brain maze in only 2 hours.

Nawgan is non-carbonated and for being zero calories, has a pretty good lemon taste to it.  The initial sip does have a bit of a chemical feel, but it’s quickly washed away by the somewhat sweet lemon flavoring.  By itself Nawgan could fool you into thinking it is indeed lemonade.  If you were to compare it side by side with the real deal you’d probably find the real thing to be a bit stronger.  It has a very light mouth feel, but a noticeable lemon aftertaste that I don’t mind experiencing again and again.  Nawgan lemonade is a really easy drink to chug, which I would expect is something that you would want to do if you needed to get that jolt of energy as quickly as possible. 

WHAT?!  I just looked on the can and this has Stevia in it?!  I never would have guessed.  Great job covering up the aftertaste that usually leaves.  Wow, stevia done right.  It happens so infrequently.

For being a lemonade “alertness beverage”, Nawgan does a great job.  It’s easy to drink, the flavor is enjoyable, and I could see myself purchasing multiples of this.  It’s not going to replace lemonade, but at this point I’m pretty sure nothing is.  Nawgan Lemonade is one of the tastier energy drinks by far.

~A