And the winner for the most plain label I’ve ever seen goes to… Olde Rhode Island Molasses Root Beer. Honestly though, this label is the equivalent of an old dusty book found in the annals of a library.
Read MoreI have what could be the fanciest looking root beer label in front of me. It’s got a black and white picture of a couple, it’s got a fancy font that is similar to the “Cheers” television program, it has the words “Legacy” and “Robusto” in the title. “Robusto”... that’s Italian for robust in case you weren’t aware.
Read MoreWhat a refined looking root beer I have in front of me today. Chowning’s Tavern Root Beer’s label goes for the colonial look with it’s parchment style coloring. There’s even a brief story about it’s origins included which I have typed below:
Read MoreThis is an odd soda in front of me, so we’re going to start with the blurb on the label right off the bat.
“Duh” means many things to many people; an airport code in Ohio, a punk rock band. To us, So Duh!, means - “Isn’t it painfully obvious this is a delicious craft soda made in small batches with quality ingredients and pure cane sugar.”
Read MoreThis root beer bottle has a beach on the label. Growing on this beach is a palm tree. Inserted into this palm tree is a tap that has apparently been used to fill two barrels with root beer. That’s how it works, right?
Read MoreYou know what makes me excited? If you said “soda” then you took the easy way out. If you said “alternate sweeteners” then you’re in my mind right now. What the fine folks at Hosmer Mountain have done in their Root Beer is use brown sugar in the formula. That’s pretty dang exciting in my book. They also use HFCS, but just the fact that brown sugar is incorporated makes me excited to taste it.
Read MoreThis bottle of root beer features a dachshund standing proud.
Verdict - Buy Stock in the Company
~A
Ok, maybe I got ahead of myself there.
Read MoreNothing says January like a juicy slice of watermelon. Ok, so maybe that’s only true in New Zealand where they’re in the midst of Summer. I’m not even sure if watermelon is a big thing down there… I’ll have to check later. Honestly I just needed an intro.
Read MoreFrom the makers of “Candy Cane” comes “Sugar Cookie”! It looks like dirty water, but in actuality it’s supposedly a sugar cookie flavored soda. Much like Candy Cane, Sugar Cookie is sweetened with cane sugar and a variety of natural and artificial flavors. You know, just like mom used to make!
Read MoreWhew! Now that I’m no longer at the whim of the holidays or a work schedule in flux I’m finally able to review some sodas again. Today’s soda is Candy Cane… that’s it. There’s no brand, the word “soda” isn’t on the bottle. It’s just a clear bottled liquid titled “Candy Cane”. This could easily be a new street drug I’m not hip to, but for sake of writing a review I’m going to assume it’s soda.
Read MoreHe 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
Look who's back!
So I’ve been in a soda slump recently. It’s been hard to find anything new to review and anyone who has sent me sodas in the past no longer is… mostly because I’ve reviewed them all. I needed something new. I needed something that I hadn’t heard of to get me out of this slump. Apparently I needed Buckeye State Scarlet Soda.
This bottle is THE most Ohio branded consumable I’ve ever seen. From the Buckeye leaf on the label to the outline of Ohio right below it. It’s even a “Scarlet” soda instead of a “Red” soda. For those not in the know the colors of The Ohio State University are Scarlet and Grey. What’s amusing is that I’m writing this review on “Scarlet Saturday” in Ohio. The day that the Buckeyes take on the wolverines of michigan. I honestly have no dog in this fight, as I’m a fan of Texas A&M, but since we’re drinking Scarlet Soda today my hat will tip towards the Buckeyes.
I’m not exactly sure what to expect of Buckeye State Scarlet Soda, my initial thought is that it’ll be a red cream. It’s made with cane sugar and has been on this great Earth since 1937. I also enjoy that the label lists it as a “Family Trad.”. I’m not sure if that’s a Family Tradition or a Family Trademark. Trademark doesn’t tend to follow the word Family, but Tradition is rarely abbreviated like that. Anywho, enough jibber jabber, let’s start this review.
The scent is nothing like a red cream soda, so there goes that idea. Oddly enough it smells a little appley, but I don’t think that’ll be the flavor at all. I’m starting to lean towards the mismash of flavors idea now. You know how there’s “Red” Kool-Aid? I’m thinking this is just “Scarlet Soda” as it reads on the label.
That’s super odd, and I can’t think of anything I’ve had like it before. It’s now officially not a red cream and while I get a hint of apple, it’s not prevalent enough name it a flavor. My “mismash of flavors” idea has a full head of steam although my tongue keeps getting watermelon hints towards the finish.
I’m not sure if others would taste the watermelon as it’s becoming apparent to me that if five people drank this soda they’d all have slightly different experiences. Even if I can’t nail down what exactly I’m tasting I will say that this is a fairly solid soda as far as beverages go. I’m especially happy that it’s not overly sweet in taste. This allows you to drink it with a meal and not feel overly bad because you’re drinking dessert.
With the good of course always comes the bad, but fortunately there isn’t a lot. The flavor, while tasty, is a little on the weak side and the mouthfeel follows suit. I would love this if the flavor had a little more bite and the bubbles shocked the back of my throat.
There is also a very slight, and I mean very, cardboardish taste that arrives in the middle of some of my sips. I’ve hated beverages for having this taste included, but this one is so subtle that I’d compare it to watching someone burp at the other end of the dining table. You can see they did it and it’s gross, but ultimately you didn’t have to experience the aroma or heat that it created… so you can go about your meal and easily forget it.
So there you have it. Buckeye State Scarlet Soda is better than your average soda and has a gorgeous label to boot. If you’re in an area that supplies it pick yourself up one or four and give it a shot.
Since today is Scarlet Saturday I might as well make a prediction to finish things off. 35-31 tOSU.
~A
This was supplied to us by Buckey State Scarlet Sod
We’ve got an odd situation today. I have a can in front of me that’s identical (except the name) to Quinabeer. It’s red and has “Champion George Prince” on it flexing. Seriously how many other cans of soda would look like this?
So much flexing.
My concern is that Champs Cola (btw I’m reviewing Champs Cola today) is just a rebranded Quinabeer. If that’s the case then I’m going to be a little sad. If that’s NOT the case then I’m going to be perplexed as to why an exact labeling doppleganger (minus the name) was created.
It smells like a bubble gum cream soda so I’m starting to think this is the exact same beverage. That’s ok, I’ll still review it. That way if someone (you) searches for Champ’s Cola they have an entry to find.
Who knows, perhaps I’ll forget what I thought about it before and rate it differently. I seriously hope that I don’t, but I’m not going to read my Quinabeer review until after I’m done.
Ok, so it’s a bubble gum cream with a hint of orange soda to boot. It’s this orange kicker that makes me not dismiss it immediately as a bubble gum monstrosity. I’m not big on the bubble gum if you haven’t concocted that thought yet.
Even though the orange is pleasing to my pallet the bubble gum is just too overpowering for me to really get into this soda. That’s unfortunate for Champ’s Cola as I think expounding on the citrus flavor could really make this go a long way. That’s kind of a cocky thought, but I’m a “Jerk” so it should be expected.
All in all, Champ’s Cola aka Quinabeer aka Champ’s Cola, has the makings of being excellent, but the ratios just aren’t quite there.
~A
This was given to me by Rasslin’ Jakit
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
I'm starting to get concerned.
Since 1936 Excel Red Cream has been in existence. You’ve probably never heard of it, I hadn’t until I found a bottle in a gas station. It’s still amazing to me that we can live amongst so many sodas that so many people haven’t heard about.
The labeling for Excel Red Cream is very simple as you can see in the picture. Almost has a “deck of cards” feel with the red diamonds adorning the side. If you’re literate then you can see that it’s sweetened with Pure Cane Sugar as well. Judging by the ingredients it seems they’ve paired that pure cane sugar with some artificial goodness and some good ol’ fashioned Red #40. Mmmm Mmmm! My favorite.
Placing nose to mouth (odd, yes?) I get the definite aroma of red cream. That mixture of bubble gum, vanilla, and mystery. If it even tastes like an average red cream soda I’ll be happy as I’m not looking for anything spectacular today.
First sip starts with a burst of fizz, burning the tip of my tongue and quickly dissipating. A syrupy red cream sensation rolls towards my gullet and disappears leaving a similar taste in its absence. This is indeed an average red cream soda.
Fun beginning with a regrettable ending. Kinda like that last relationship you were in. Right guys/gals? Am I relating to you yet?
What keeps this average soda from hitting the next level is primarily the syrupy mouthfeel you’re left with. After each sip I just sit with an odd taste in my mouth wondering if I’d made the right choice. Kinda like that last relationsh….
~A
This was purchased at a Shell Gasoline Station
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
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
Those of you who read this site like a blog instead of a review site (thank you, btw) know that I don’t really dabble in the mainstream unless asked. The three of you who fit the former descriptor also know I’m not really fond of stevia as a sweetener. So why then did I purchase a bottle of Coca-Cola Life which is sweetened with stevia? Sorry, let me rephrase that to get more clicks…
YOU’LL NEVER BELIEVE WHY AARON DRANK COKE WITH STEVIA! REASON NUMBER 4 WILL SHATTER ALL OF REALITY!!!
So I bought it because when I’m on the soda aisle I’ve seen numerous folks stop and stare at it. Then they have a conversation with their significant other about it, then they walk off without trying it. I’ve tried to help people understand what it was, but I honestly couldn’t tell them if it was good or not which is what you’re looking for in that situation.
People love Coke and even though this version of Coke is sweetened with stevia it’s also sweetened with cane sugar. Previous reviews of mine have shown that a Cane Sugar/Stevia mix is usually a pretty good way to reduce calories and keep a nice flavor. My 8oz bottle has 60 calories and 16 grams of sugar… less than the yogurt I just ate, but that’s not saying much.
"Life" Why Life?
Smell wise it’s a little weaker than regular Coca-Cola, but the scent is still unmistakable. If this does indeed taste like regular Coke I’ll fully get behind this product. Other than the fact that it’s called Coca-Cola “Life”. That’s a bit pretentious to me. Your soda is called “Life”, take it down a few notches.
So it tastes like a reduced calorie cola. Granted, it tastes like a Coke brand reduced calorie cola, so they nailed that aspect of it. Initially you get the quick bite of Coca-Cola Classic, but mouthfeel is really where the two sodas are most similar.
There is limited flavor on the front end and the sweetness also kind of drops off on the back side, which makes the included stevia a bit more noticeable. The “after sip” mouthfeel is a little sticky and hugs my teeth and tongue in an unpleasant, but tolerable way. It’s not great, it’s not bad, it’s just kind something I’m drinking.
Personally I’d choose Coca-Cola Zero over this every time as I think it gets closer to the Coke taste than “Life” does. That kind of makes me feel that this may be a wasted product. Does Coca-Cola Life fill the “wants to drink healthier soda without aspartame” crowd? If anyone has the money to create something in that market it’s certainly Coca-Cola.
~A
This was purchased at my neighborhood Wal-Mart.
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
