The Original Green River

The Original Green River

It’s always a little risky to pick up a drink that doesn’t display the flavor on the bottle.  I’m taking a little bit of a risk today trying The Original Green River.  It’s a green soda with a serene label of the sun setting/rising over a green river.  The bottle also informs me that Green River has been “Caffeine free Since 1919”.  

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Shasta Orange

Shasta Orange

Oh, the dollar store.  How kind of you to sell me four cans of Shasta Orange for $1.  This could be acid, but I only paid 25 cents for it… so who cares?!  The bright orange can tells me that Shasta Orange also has Vitamin C in it.  I’d pay 25 cents for some Vitamin C in my life, who wouldn’t?  People with scurvy that’s who.

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IZZE Sparkling Pomegranate

Consumption of soda in 3...2...1...

It has been a long time since we’ve reviewed an IZZE product.  That’s a shame too as they make some really good soda.  I probably stopped reviewing them because Hipster Soda Drinker Aaron thought they were too mainstream since he saw them everywhere.  Hipster Soda Drinker Aaron was kind of an idiot.  Today though he goes away.  Today he becomes Soda Drinker Aaron once again when he opens this bottle of IZZE Sparkling Pomegranate.

 

Speaking of IZZE Sparkling Pomegranate, it has no refined sugars, no caffeine, no preservatives and is 70% pure fruit juice with a splash of sparkling water.  Ingredient wise we have an absolute winner on our hands here.  Taste has yet to be determined.

This smells more of grape juice than pomegranate, but since the ingredients include grape juice it’s somewhat understandable.  There is a pomegranate scent, but it seems to be happy enough playing second fiddle in this case.

This is wine for children.  I’m sure IZZE doesn’t want to sell it that way, but it’s the first thought that came to my mind.  The real deal grape juice lends itself easily to the wine comparison, but we all know that wine is so much more than grape juice.  The pomegranate adds the dryness you’d expect in a wine, but being soda it’s obviously sweeter.  Since the only sugars used are the ones from the fruits themselves it’s a fantastic balance.

Now here is where I come clean and say I’m not a wine drinker. I’ve had maybe 10 glasses in my life, and 5 of those were red.  IZZE Sparkling Pomegranate takes my tastebuds on a similar journey that the wine did.  A burst of flavor on the front end (although I like the IZZE version better) and a somewhat dry finish.  It makes me feel fancy, but not overly so, with each sip  I take.

Overall I’m thrilled with IZZE Sparkling Pomegranate.  The mouthfeel is nice with just enough fizz to remind you that you’re drinking a soda.  There is an aftertaste, but it mirrors the present taste accurately.  I really want some cheese and crackers now to enjoy with my bottle of IZZE.  

Hipster Soda Drinker Aaron kept me from reviewing this earlier in life and I dislike him for it, although maybe I wasn’t ready yet.  Perhaps Hipster Soda Drinker Aaron kept me from reviewing this with an unrefined tongue.  This is my favorite of the IZZE flavors and I immediately want more of it.  Pair that (WINE JOKE) with a stellar ingredient list and you’ve got a top soda.

~A

This was purchased at a Kroger Grocery Store

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A “Twist’s Choice” Recipient

Topo Sabores Pineapple

He clearly hasn't tasted it yet.

Take notice creators of fruit flavored soda.  If you don’t have a picture of the fruit your soda is flavored after on your label you’re making me sad.  I LOVE seeing this exact thing, especially if it’s a simplified picture of the fruit.  It just reassures me that I know what the flavor of the soda I’m about to consume will be.

 

In today's case that is Pineapple by Topo Sabores.  They have placed a tiny pineapple near the neck of the bottle.  Right about where a medallion would go if sodas wore chains.  Topo Sabores is from Mexico and uses cane sugar to sweeten.  They don’t feel the need to plaster “Pure Cane Sugar” or “100% Cane Sugar” or “100% Natural Pure Raw Cane Sugar” on their bottle.  Sweetening with cane sugar is the norm in Mexico, as it should be.

That’s unfortunate.  The scent is a mixture of pineapple and vomit.  While I haven’t tasted this soda yet I KNOW it will not taste like it smells.  It won't taste like vomit, right?  Right?  This is going to taste like a sugary pineapple soda and we’ll all move on with our lives and forget my initial take on the scent.

I’m pleased to say that Topo Sabores Pineapple does not taste like a mixture of pineapple and vomit.  That has to be the saddest declaration I’ve made in a while.  Taste wise there is considerably more cardboard flavoring than I anticipated which is welcome in this case given aroma.

Let’s get through the good points now before I just start hating on this soda. While I don’t really like it there’s no reason for me to harp on what is certainly someone’s favorite soda.  The mouth feel is good and prickly and there is a fun amount of fizz.  I’m happy to say that the bubbles last the entirety of each sip.  

I was incorrect in assuming that this would be sugary sweet as there is an appropriate amount of sweetness within each sip.  There is little to no syrupy mouth feel either.  So it seems like I’ve figured out that the only issue I have with this soda is the flavor.

Sadly flavor carries quite the weight when it comes to reviewing sodas.  In the case of Topo Sabores Pineapple I’m just not able to recommend it.  From the initial smell to the cardboard taste that has yet to go away even though I’m almost done with the bottle, I can’t suggest it.

If you’re a pineapple fan give it a shot, but even then eh.  Just promise me that when you see the bottle on the shelf you’ll think of my face… that way when you taste the soda it’ll be an improvement from your previous state of mind.

~A

This soda was purchased at Kroger Grocery Stor

Jupina

I like this picture more than I should

Just when you think you have nothing to review someone goes to the Grand Cayman Islands and grabs you a soda.  Three sodas to be exact… well two sodas from Grand Cayman and one from Mexico.  The one in question today is Jupina, with a tilde over the “n” although I’m not really sure how to do that.

 

The labeling of Jupina involves a picture of a pineapple upon a pineapple background.  There’s a lot of pineapple involved here so let’s go ahead and assume that’s the flavor.  The ingredients show that this can has 50 grams of sugar in it.  That my friends is a bunch o’ sugar.  Other ingredients listed are standard artificially flavored soda fare.  Let’s crack the can and give it a go.

It smells a little bit like an orange pineapple mix, but I’m still thinking this is primarily a pineapple soda.  Trust me when I say I’d prefer it be orange/pineapple.  I’m not sure why you wouldn’t trust me on that, or why I even needed to say “trust me”.

That is not the color of a pineapple soda.  That is the color of a cream soda.  I’m now officially worried.

I’m no longer worried.  This is a pineapple cream soda and I’m 100% cool with that.  Pineapple cream isn’t something I’m used to, but the combo works out nicely.  In the case of Jupina though the cream outweighs the pineapple.  

This heavy cream taste keeps the pineapple’s bite at bay.  Not that a pineapple is a very violent fruit, but it’s not as tame as Jupina makes it seem.  Reaching the end of the sip you’re tapped by the grenade like fruit.  Honestly I’d compare it to someone accidentally shoulder checking you in a crowded venue.  It’s a little unexpected, but as long as you’re not a complete jerk you’ll quickly forget about it.

I can honestly say that Jupina has exceeded my expectations as a soda.  Perhaps if I could read the Spanish language I’d know it was pineapple cream, but I feel I enjoyed it more being a surprise.  

If I could change any aspect of it I’d add a bit more pineapple taste to give the end a little more violence.  The smooth cream start and bumpy end would be a nice ride for a soda to give.  

This soda was given to my by Rasslin’ Jakit

Fitz's Strawberry Pop

It's almost artsy.

I haven’t had a Fitz’s soda in a long time, but I don’t really recall fond memories of them.  Something about the aftertaste, but I’m not going to double check myself because I’m lazy.  Anywho, today’s soda is Fitz’s Strawberry Pop and it’s a vibrant red color that screams to be consumed.  It’s also sweetened with all natural pure cane sugar.  The only thing that would have made that funnier is if it was 100% All Natural Pure Raw Cane Sugar.  Just say “cane sugar” I’ll think of it exactly the same.

With a vibrant red strawberry soda comes a vibrant red strawberry scent.  It’s more of a candied scent, but still very enticing to me.  Now, all of a sudden, I look forward to drinking this and hope that it’s not just overly sweetened nonsense.  

CARDBOARD!  That’s what was wrong with the other Fitz sodas.  Fitz sodas have a pretty great taste to them, but ultimately the underlying cardboard flavor at the end is what sets me off.  

The guy across from me, we’ll call him Buttons, cannot taste the cardboard I do but says the soda dries out his mouth at the end. What dries out your mouth better than cardboard?!  Ok, so a bit of a stretch, but at least I know… sorry, we know, that this cardboard taste isn’t universally tasted.  

Aside from whatever I’m tasting on the back end (hehe) Fitz’s Strawberry Pop doesn’t taste like overly sweetened nonsense.  Even though the strawberry flavor seems very artificial there are still a few climbs and drops in its track.  It’s varied enough that I feel like I’d enjoy it quite a bit if it wasn’t for that other thing.  

Fitz’s Strawberry Pop also has a nice nibble to it.  Not strong enough for a bite, but you’re still going to see a mark for a little while.  I personally prefer bites to nibbles, but who knows if we’re even talking about sodas now.

All in all, this is a decent soda that unfortunately has a flavor in it that touches my tongue weird.  Even with that cardboard taste I’d still recommend that you try a bottle out.

~A

This soda was purchased at a Shell Gas Statio

Petey's Bing Raz

Imagine the my luck.  I found two “Delicious...Refreshing” soda within two weeks of each other.  Of course they’re the same brand of soda, Petey’s Bing, but the flavor of the day...vor is Raz.  Being in tune with the advertising world I can tell you that Raz probably means that raspberry is involved.  A quick look at the ingredients tells me I’m right.  Both raspberry and cherry juice concentrate are involved so I look forward to my first swig.

His nose is stuck.

Smells like a candied raspberry, but thankfully not one of the blue variety.  This smells like red.  That’s a confusing sentence out of context, but you get it.

Petey’s Bing Raz just slapped my taste buds to the floor.  Raspberry flavor shows up immediately and forcefully.  It’s tart, sweet, and tangy tastes last throughout the duration of the sip.  A highly consistent beverage throughout in terms of taste, Bing Raz leaves little aftertaste on the backside and does most of it’s talking/walking up front.  

I haven’t said it yet, but I like this soda.  You don’t get many raspberry sodas with the power this one has behind it.  It’s brash and unapologetic for the tingly ride it takes my tongue on.  The only downside I can find is that the flavor wavers a small amount at the very end.  Now it doesn’t change so much that I’d retract my “consistent soda” statement, but it is a little different.

Some might find Petey’s Bing Raz a bit too pungent for the pallet.  I personally believe it’s too strong to be refreshing, but not every soda out there is supposed to refresh….oh awkward.  I just remembered the word “Refreshing” is on the can.  Ok, so it’s not refreshing in a “just went for a run let me get something to drink” sense.  Perhaps it’s refreshing in a “my mouth is dry and I just need liquid” sense.

Ah well, buy some and ignore this abrupt ending.

~A

This soda was purchased at Sprouts groce

Petey's Bing Black

What if I were to tell you that there’s a soda out there that’s both “Delicious” and “Refreshing”.  Wouldn’t that be amazing? Well according to the labeling of the can in front of me, Petey’s Bing Black is just exactly that… both delicious AND refreshing.  

The soda at hand seems to be what we would classify as a “Lifestyle” beverage.  One that gets you your ginseng, your B vitamins, your C vitamin and the like.  It’s also, and this is a personal perk for me, make with blackberry juice.  I’m going to go out on a very sturdy limb and say that’s why it’s called Bing “Black”.  

According to the ingredients it has both blackberry and cherry juice from concentrate.  It’s sweetened with cane sugar and… yup, it has Guarana seed extract in it which confirms my “Lifestyle” beverage theory.

Smell wise you get a nice mixture of blackberry and cherry aromas with the edge going to blackberry.  This makes me a little excited to try it, but I’m still quite cautious.  

Pouring my friend a cup I see that Petey’s Bing Black has a great maroon coloring to it that begs for me to drink it.  This seems like the beverage equivalent of judging a book by its cover, but we all like visual stimuli around here, right?

The finish is considerably better than the start in the case of Bing Black.  Starting off the soda seems a bit empty and almost tinny to me.  Then the script is quickly flipped and my mouth is filled with the natural flavor of blackberries with a hint of cherry.  Being that the transition is so immediate the reaction my tongue has includes a little bit of confusion.

Confused my tongue isn’t sure what to expect next and ends up with a bitter finish and a fruit juice taste on my lips.  Petey’s Bing Black doesn’t tell a cohesive tale, but it knows some interesting short stories.  While I ultimately like to read short stories, I’m not big on drinking them.  Perhaps my tongue just isn’t smart enough to enjoy this beverage as it should be, but that shouldn’t stop you from giving it a try.

~A

This soda was purchased at a Sprout’s grocery store​

Cock 'n Bull Cherry Ginger Beer

Why wouldn’t you pick up “The Extra Cherry Ginger Soft Drink”?  The bottle even has a cartoon bull and chicken on it for the kids.  For labeling purposes technically it’s Cock ‘n Bull Cherry Ginger Beer.  According to the label this beverage is a “liquid treasure” that contains “natural ginger flavor” and “natural cherry flavor”.  

A glance at the ingredients shows that there are “natural flavors” but doesn’t really specify how they are obtained.  I’ve always said that if a bottle says “natural cherry flavor” on it, yet the ingredients don’t include “cherry anything” to be skeptical.  I’m sure they aren’t lying, but they aren’t telling the full truth either.

Cock 'n Bull 'n Hippo

That said I must give them some recognition for being the first cherry ginger beer that actually has a cherry smell to it.  Most are so lightly flavored with cherry your olfactory glands have to broaden their imagination to even being to detect the scent.

Very nice.  The cherry taste is noticeable, but doesn’t get in the way of the ginger beer.  It’s a fairly candied cherry taste, but honestly it makes the drink more fun.  

It’s within the front and finish of the drink… I like that terminology pairing so I’m going to rewrite the sentence.  The front and finish of Cock ‘n Bull Cherry Ginger Beer is where you get your cherry taste.  Sandwiched in the middle is gonna be your Ginger Spice.  As a child this was my favorite of the spice girls, but as I grew up I started leaning more toward Scary.

Ginger does it’s job, giving my mouth a quick sizzle that’s strong enough to linger long enough to be memorable.  This seer of the tongue lasts well into the final cherry aftertaste, culminating in a well paired “Buddy Cop Flick” of flavors.  

The biggest downside to Cock ‘n Bull Cherry Ginger Beer is that the cherry flavor tastes a bit more medicinal with each sip I take.  It doesn’t make me dislike the soda, but it certainly diminishes some of its initial charm.  Aside from that though it’s definitely something I’d recommend.  In fact I’ll do that right now.

~A

This was purchased at World Market

Bundaberg Passionfruit

I don’t think I’ve ever had a passionfruit outside of a soda.  Obviously I’m not going to do the research on this, but for the sake of this review let’s just assume I’m correct.  Today won’t rock that hypothesis either as I’m going to hopefully enjoy a bottle of Bundaberg Passionfruit.  

The ingredients say I’ll enjoy it as they include real passionfruit juice and cane sugar.  There’s even a touch of passionfruit puree… which explains why I need to “invert bottle before opening”.

Tiny orange hippo was hidden by the bottle

Wow, that is a pungent soda… in a good way of course.  The escaping aroma is very rich and full of passionfruit goodness, which smells a little like a peach if you ask me.

I’m good with that.  This tastes like I’m eating a passionfruit.  Please remember I’ve never actually had one, but if I had I imagine this is what it would taste like.  It just tastes juicy.  

Along with this juicy passionfruit taste (again, think tropical peach) there’s a nice burn on the back end that reminds me I’m alive.  The almost nectar sweet taste of Bundaberg Passionfruit lives on my lips well after each sip.  It’s an enjoyable experience each time I bring it to my taste buds.  The sweetness paired with the tart burst of bubbles makes for a fantastic mouthfeel and all around good experience.

~A

This soda was purchased at World Market

Onli Hibiscus Pomegranate Strawberry

Sigh… I’m worried about this review.  The last two sodas from Onli that I tasted did not agree at all with my buds.  To make matters worse today’s flavor includes hibiscus, something I’ve never really enjoyed.  The name it’s parents call it when it’s in trouble is Onli Hibiscus Pomegranate Strawberry.  It’s unsweetened and a beautiful rose color.  I know it’s unsweetened because it says so in bold print at least three times on the bottle.  So… here we go with the lowest expectations possible.

He's trying to see what the iguana is looking at.

The aroma is a nice, light strawberry scent that tries to seduce my mind.  It’s not going to work though.  Even though this smells of something I should sip on a hot summer day I know better… or at least I think I do.  

Onli makes the world's most confusing beverages.  I’m 100% ok with this.  It’s not delicious and amazing, but I understand what their doing and approve.  The two sodas I had prior to this one didn’t compute in my mind or mouth.  In my opinion, and that of the people around me while reviewing, they were awful.  

Onli Hibiscus Pomegranate Strawberry starts off with a bitter burst, but it transitions easily into a pomegranate/strawberry mineral water.  It’s definitely a sipping beverage and not a chugging one.  The fragile flavors fight with the bitters of the hibiscus and carbonation, but ultimately the sides call truce and live in harmony.

A powerful array of bubbles is ever present and adds some texture to the mouthfeel of the soda.  There is not a strong aftertaste and your mouth gets no syrupy buildup sip after sip.  I feel alright drinking this, no guilt at all.  Then again there are maybe 3 beverages I’d have any guilt about consuming.  

So that’s it then.  Onli makes sodas that flit and flicker all across my taste spectrum.  Thankfully my most recent memory of them will be positive.  Want an unsweetened soda that you might actually enjoy, give this one a try.

~A

This soda was purchased at an HEB Grocer

Onli Grapefruit Pomelo and Peach

So earlier in the week I tried my second Onli beverage and it was pretty dang terrible.  Today I have another Onli beverage and I don’t know what one of the ingredients is.  The flavor of the day is Onli Grapefruit (yes) Pomelo (what?) and Peach (yes).  What’s a pomelo?  Let’s consult the internet.  Citrus Maxima is the scientific name and I like that a lot.  Pomelo is also a word used for grapefruit in some cases, but that would make the label redundant so I’m assuming that’s not what’s happening here.

Clearly he hasn't tasted it.

I’d look at the ingredients but someone removed the ingredient label so I’m going to assume that since it only has 15 calories that there is some non-sugar, but all natural, sweetener at work here.   Probably Erythritol, assuming I spelled that correctly.

In the “Good News” category this smells like a grapefruit soda and I like those.  So we’re two for two in good things now.  Good thing number 1 was “Citrus Maxima” for those who don’t like to re-read things.

This just in from the guy sitting one table over, we’ll call him Buttons.  Buttons says that pomelo is an original citrus fruit that many current fruits came from.  Pomelo + Mandarin = Grapefruit / Common Oranges.

Wow that’s an insanely bitter soda.  I keep trying it to parse out all the flavors, and each time a guttural noise comes out of my face.  The grapefruit is apparent in taste and I can only assume the Pomelo is too.  Peach on the other hand is represented as more of a theory.  It’s the essence of peach really.  You see it on the label so your brain tells you the aroma should be there… so it is.

Once again I don’t want to drink anymore of this soda.  It’s a deceptively pretty soda that lures you in with an artistic picture of citrus fruit… then reality sets in.

~A

This was purchased at an HEB Grocery Store

 

Onli Green Tea Lemongrass Mango

Green tea needs to be in waaaaaay more sodas.  Thankfully today I have one in front of me called Onli Green Tea Lemongrass Mango.  Onli makes lightly flavored sodas that taste the way sparkling water should… of course I’m basing that on one soda.  They are “Sparkling & All Natural”, sugar free (sweetened with Erythritol), and in this case has some Monk Fruit Extract in it.  So that begs the question, how does a 5 calorie soda taste when sugar is removed from the equation?

At least they used Green Tea

That smells like a bag of nickles, I’m no longer excited to drink this.  With a strong whiff I do get some of the mango and green tea aroma, but it’s not powerful enough to sway my worries.

Nope.  Nope.  One more sip.  Nope.  That tastes like a bag of nickels with a little bit of green tea and mango flavor as well.  

Each sip ends with a painful wince because of how bitter the soda is.  The initial taste is lightly sweetened, fruity, and enjoyable.  Sadly, it almost immediately transitions into a metallic taste which then performs a ritual and summons the devil upon your tongue.  The devil then dances a merry jig upon your taste buds (this creates a bitter taste for those down on their lore) and vanishes from your mouth.  

I don’t want to drink this anymore so I’m going to stop and leave nearly three quarters of this soda unconsumed.  I will say that the light mango taste is enjoyable for less than a second… you know, just so I don’t leave this on a bad note.

~A

I purchased this soda at an HEB Grocery Store

Hippo Size Big Black Cherry

I really thought I’d reviewed more Hippo Size beverages.  Apparently this wasn’t even close to the truth as I’ve only reviewed one by my count.  Within that one time I’ve made Hippo Size beverages a fantastic memory.  Honestly I don’t remember if I liked Hippo Size or not, but it does have a hippo on the label so that’s always a positive.  Another positive is that they use cane sugar to sweeten and dark sweet cherry extract to flavor… sounds pretty good honestly.

Perhaps I'll get a tiny hippo as my travel mascot.

The aroma that pours out is velvety sweet and rich with cherry.  Decadent is a fantastic word to describe the scent so I’ll use it.  The scent is downright decadent.

A rush of black cherry flavor on the front end is quickly followed up with a swift burst of tiny bubbles.  Then nothingness.  Let me take another sip and see if that was a fluke.  Nope, the third act was cancelled.  

That’s so very odd.  It’s like if you’re reading a good book and the last third of the pages are torn out.  My brain is having issue comprehending that my mouth is telling it the drinking experience is over.

Let me be clear that this is a wonderful black cherry soda that I would happily purchase again.  Let me also clarify that after I take a sip I still taste something, but it’s not an after taste… it’s just the flavor I got in the middle.  

I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that I’m doing a pretty poor job of describing this oddity, so I’ll stop trying.  

Hippo Size Big Black Cherry is a wonderful beverage packed with flavor and fizz. The mouthfeel is fun, the aroma is pungent in the best way possible and the bottle has a hippo on it.  I’m not sure I’ve had a better black cherry soda in the past couple years.

~A

This was purchased at a Shell Gas Station

Jones M.F. Grape

As I mentioned in a previous review, my step-sister went to a wedding expo and visited a Jones Soda booth.  The lady at the booth knew of the site and gave my sister three different sodas for me to review.  Unfortunately for me only one of the bottles had a label on it and the others were stark naked.  Today’s bottle is of the nude variety and I have no idea what it’s going to taste like.  A passer-by assumes that it will be a grape amalgamation… which is a fantastic name for a soda.

I really need a portable Twist

There’s no ingredient list so I guess all I can do is open it and see what I think this is.  For the record the original title of this article was “Blueish Purple Jones Soda”.  If the title has changed by the time you read this it means I think I know what the flavor is.

I think “Grape Amalgamation Man” was on to something as the aroma that jumps out at me is certainly that of a grape soda.  The primarily blue coloring kept my brain from going to the vine, so there’s my first surprise I guess.

The taste is almost identical to the scent.  A very sweet, yet somewhat tart, grape flavor easily pushes it’s way past my taste buds.  Since I now know what I believe to be the flavor I’m going to check out the Jones website to see if I’m correct...aaaand I can’t find it.  Back to the review, I guess.

The carbonation burn of this soda is wonderfully fun.  The way it tickles my lips and throat (as odd as that sounds) is somewhat rare among sodas.  Still though, with every sip I get grape.  It’s very similar to a DimeTapp grape, but I haven’t met many folks that dislike that flavor.  For those who think this means it tastes medicinal, you’d be wrong.  It’s better described as a punchy grape taste as opposed to candy grape or natural grape.

You know what I still can’t get over though?  The color.  Why is this blue… wait, let me hold it to to the light.  Ok, so it’s actually purple and everything is right with the world.  I still don’t know the actual flavor of the soda though, let me look again.

AHA!  Jones Grape is primarily purple where Jones M.F. Grape is primarily blue looking in the pictures!  I’m drinking Jones M.F. Grape and I don’t know the difference at all!  Wait, M.F. Grape has been retired?  I still think I’m drinking it though.  Final Answer!

~A  

My swell step sister gave this to me.

Onli Lemon Watermelon

I picked up this drink because it’s pink.  It’s a very tasty shade of pink that normally promises that it’ll be unique and delicious.  That said, I almost put it down when I read it was “Chef Inspired”.  What does that even mean?  Thankfully under “Chef Inspired” I read it was sparkling, all natural, and had some ginseng in it.  All natural fruit flavored beverages are usually pretty tasty, so I figured I might as well give it a go.

Ingredient wise Onli (GET IT?  ONLY?!) is full of carbonated triple filtered mountain water, natural cane sugar, natural flavors (boooo just tell me what they are), lemon juice concentrate, malic acid, panax ginseng extract, and finally fruit and vegetable juice for color.

See that sounds pretty good, right?  Fortunately it smells like lemon watermelon so at least it’s not a complete lie.  Color me hopeful for the flavor… perhaps I’d be pink.

Very nice!  Lemon tastes the lead in this dance, but watermelon is light on her feet as well.  The carbonation is robust and very much apart of the production.  Each sip is full of bubbles which results in a great mouthfeel.    

Flavor wise this tastes like the way I wish sparkling water did.  It’s not syrupy at all, I’d even go so far as to say it’s a bit dry.  Onli Lemon Watermelon would be a great beverage to pair with a host of things.  I’m not going to pretend to know which ones so excuse me if I don’t suggest anything.

This is also the kind of beverage that could make you seem like someone who enjoys “the finer” things in life.  Perhaps you put a pack in your fridge so you can bust one out during the big game and impress everyone in the room.  They won’t know what to think.  Just know that their stunned silence and eventual mocking of you means they like you.

Seriously though, this is a great soda for those who aren’t big on sugar, even though it has 22 grams.  It’s not overly sweet, its flavor is delightful and it’s all natural.  Pretty good list of positives if you ask me, and you did since you’re reading the review.

The only reason I’m not rating this higher is due to personal preference.  I prefer drinks with a stronger flavor and a little more sugar, but don’t let my love of sweet sway you from trying this out.

~A

This soda was purchased from an HEB grocery store.