Petey's Bing Raz

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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

Coca-Cola Life

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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.​

Petey's Bing Black

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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​

Original New York Seltzer Lemon and Lime Soda

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Got myself another tiny bottle of fun. Fun in this case comes in the form of a Original New York Seltzer Lemon & Lime Soda.  Last time I enjoyed a tiny bottle of ONYS I had the bizzare experience of drinking a clear root beer.  Today’s flavor, like all their others, is represented in a clear variety but Lemon & Lime is a flavor that is most often clear.

Ingredient wise this 10oz bottle houses carbonated water, cane sugar, citric acid, natural lemon and lime flavors with other natural flavors and ascorbic acid.

I really hope Twist takes care of this hippo somehow.

As I’m sure you’ve predicted here’s where I tell you to be wary of where it says “natural lemon and lime flavors” without actually saying that lemon and lime are involved.  Such a sketchy thing to me.

Scent wise a nice strong candy lime scent jumps out of the bottle.  Like a puppy the lemon aroma tags along, but is smaller than Big Dog Lime.  For those of you who know my flavor preferences you’re aware that this excites me.  #TeamLime

So the flavor is a little generic, but my first impression is that it’s better than Sprite.  Initially lime is the predominant flavor as the smell test said it would be.  This is a more subdued lime taste than I thought it would be, less candied than the scent led me to believe.  

Swiftly the flavor you’re greeted with transforms into the generic lemon & lime taste I expected.  While it’s not as bitey as 7up, of the three big “Lymon” sodas that’s the most similar.  The fact that it’s a seltzer is noticeable only in the finish.  As effectual as a fly landing on your potato salad then buzzing away is the bitterness of Original New York Seltzer Lemon & Lime Soda.  You don’t like that it’s there, but since it doesn’t linger too long it’s easy to forget.

So there you have it, a very generic citrus soda (except for that lime intro) in a cute little bottle.  All in all a good purchase, but I think I’m good with one.

~A

This soda was purchased at World Market

Cock 'n Bull Cherry Ginger Beer

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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

Paulaner Spezi

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Video Review from Apr. 3, 2020. Written review (below) from Sep. 10, 2015.

 

I have a German soda in front of me called Paulaner Spezi.  The flavor, according to the can, is Coffeinhaltige Orangenlimonade mit Cola.  I took and failed German so my best guess is caffeinated orange soda with cola.  It is sweetened with Zucker or sugar if you like and includes Orangensaft which I think is orange juice concentrate.  The label also says that citrus is involved in some way.  So it’s not a complete mystery to me, but this should be a hoot none the less.

It smells like orange juice and cola, so I think I’m on the right track.  The scent is faint, but I bet the flavor won’t be.

Orangensaftkonzentrat is a fantastic word

The color is a light orangey brown and the taste, and according to Buttons, “starts off dull, gets bright, and then just dulls out big time at the end.”  

The dull he speaking of is a somewhat bitter orange/cola mix that swishes past your tongue.  This quickly transitions into a burst of citrus cola that refreshes and then disappears just as suddenly.  Sadly what you end up with is the taste equivalent of an empty room with a chair in it. It’s sad, it’s a little bitter, and you don’t want to stay in there very long.

It’s a roller coaster with one good drop, fun but ultimately disappointing.  The mild bitterness of the final taste dampens your excitement for another swig.  

All in all an interesting beverage that I might give a try if I were in your shoes.  If you aren’t bitter about bitter than perhaps you’d enjoy it a bitter more.

~A

This soda was purchased at World Market

Bundaberg Passionfruit

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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

Original New York Seltzer Root Beer Soda

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Confused, I stare at a tiny bottle of clear “root beer soda”.  It’s made by Original New York Seltzer so I’m going to assume that it’s seltzer water flavored with root beer.  Even if that’s true I’m still looking at this bottle with a tilted head... because I’m confused and because the ingredients are written sideways.  Carbonated water, cane sugar, citric acid, and natural flavors are what make up this 10oz bottle of mystery.  

Original New York Orange Hippo

Flavored seltzer water is usually on the bitter side, but this one has 33 grams of sugar in it so I’m hoping it’ll be quite sweet.  The bottle cap states that “The choice is clear” and that’s enough for me to already love this beverage.

Ok, so Original New York Seltzer Root Beer Soda smells like a root beer, but it’s a thin aroma so I’m not sure how rich the taste is going to be.  I suppose I shouldn’t assume a rich taste because this isn’t a root beer… it’s root beer flavored seltzer.  New things are so much fun to try.

That’s so very odd.  The powerful fizz of seltzer paired with the taste of root beer barrel candy.  Each sip starts off crisp and refreshing before introducing the root beer flavoring and then eventually fading away somewhat.  As far as aftertaste goes it’s fairly honest to the original flavor, but holds on longer than I appreciate.

I’m not sure how to say this, but it’s definitely not root beer… yet it’s root beer flavored.  On the sugar front it’s quite the sweet soda.  Only a the smallest amount of bitter taste is created by the seltzer, but the crisp mouthfeel is still present.  

Such an odd combination yet it works.  It’s not going to replace root beer or anything crazy, but at least now I can look fancy whilest enjoying a tiny clear soda.  This coupled with a short ingredient list will assure I pick up another bottle or two next time I see them.

~A

This was purchased at World Market

Earp's Original Sarsaparilla

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The bottle in front of me is sort of amazing.  First off it features an “actor” dressed us as Wyatt Earp.  How do you get that gig?  “Hey, we need someone for the role of Earp.”  “I’m an aspiring actor, I’ll fill your roll.  Where will this be broadcast?”  “Oh, no you aren’t performing… we’re just gonna take your picture and put it on a bottle.”

Hippo butt.

Speaking of the bottle again, this is called Earp’s ORIGINAL Sarsaparilla.  The capitalization is for emphasis, but “original” makes one believe there are other variations of Earp’s Sarsaparilla out there.  I’m not 100% sure they’re aren’t, but I’d put down $10 that says I’m right.

For real now, let’s get this review underway.  Earp’s Original Sarsaparilla is made with cane sugar and some artificial/natural flavors.  Nothing too crazy going on here.

The aroma has more of a licorice kick than I thought it would.  Root beer of course is another scent I’m experiencing, but that’s to be expected as sarsaparilla is its cousin.

That’s average.  On the bite/cream scale this seems to lean more towards bite, as there’s a good amount of burn and fizz, but the flavor itself is unmistakably average. 

Surprisingly the licorice taste isn’t very noticeable either which kind of disappoints me.  Well now that I said that my last sip had plenty of black licorice goodness.  So Wyatt Earp has made me a liar and I’m ok with that… because it’s still average.

So you have a bitey root beer with the taste of licorice.  This flavor is hanging out in my mouth for longer than I appreciate it to.  “Hanging out” is a fairly nice term as it just won’t leave due to it’s somewhat syrupy feel.  

Earp’s Original Sarsaparilla is alright, but nothing special.  If offered one take it.  If you want to try one do so, but don’t expect to be blown out of the water.

~A

This soda was purchased at a Shell Gas Station

Goslings Ginger Beer

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I’ve seen a lot of mascots on labels before, but never a seal until today.  Goslings Ginger Beer has a drawing of a seal on it’s label.  The seal has a life preserver around its neck with the word “Stormy” on it. This allows me to assume that it’s name is Stormy the Seal which is a perfectly acceptable name for a seal.

Stormy sits on the words “Ginger Beer” and underneath that “The refreshing zip of ginger”.  Now ginger is a lot of things, but “refreshing” was never something I’d attribute to it.  

A seal, a hippo, and an iguana review a soda...

Ingredients wise this is comprised of carbonated water, HFCS, natural ginger beer flavor, citric acid, gum acacia, and ester gum.  Which one of those ingredients bothers you the most?  If it’s not “natural ginger beer flavor” then I’m questioning your questioning ability.

What is “natural ginger beer flavor”?  It’s clearly not “ginger” because I believe they’d have put “ginger” on the label.  Can you find “natural ginger beer flavor” in the wild?  Did they make a ginger beer through natural methods then steal it of its flavor? Isn’t a ginger beer one part carbonation and one part natural ginger beer flavor?  SO MANY QUESTIONS!  Enough questions, it’s time to drink.

Goslings Ginger Beer has the lightest of scents.  The little bit of aroma I can discern is more citrus than ginger.  HOLD THE PHONE.  This is the Official Ginger Beer of the 35th America’s Cup.  How did I not see this?  This better be fan-freaking-tastic if it’s the official anything of anything.

After the first sip my concern has cooled a bit.  Goslings Ginger Beer may have ridiculous ingredients and be an official something of something, but it’s better than I thought it’d be.  The mouthfeel is cool, crisp and refreshing at first.  This experience transforms smoothly into the ginger burn you’d expect with a ginger beer.  It’s a strong burn, but not overly so.  Strong enough that I’m enjoying the pain, but not so much that it’s keeping me from wanting to go back.

On the downside, I am noticing the more I drink this the more the cracks are starting to show.  What started off as cool and refreshing is being replace with metallic and medicinal.  The burn is unchanged, but overall Goslings Ginger Beer does not build upon itself well.  Odd how an experience can change so quickly.

So there you have it, Goslings Ginger Beer starts off well, but ultimately doesn’t meet the mark set by many of the ginger beers before it.

~A

This was purchased at an HEB grocer

O-So Butterscotch Root Beer

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I will be amazed if I ever have a butterscotch root beer that I don’t like.  It’s butterscotch and root beer… how can that combo lose?  Well I suppose you could dislike either one of those flavors and it would lose quite handily.  For those poor at foreshadowing I’m reviewing a butterscotch root beer, O-So Butterscotch Root Beer to be exact.

O-So that's what he's looking at.

O-So starts off on a good foot because I think the labeling is fantastic.  It’s a very 1960’s looking label, if not a little older as the bottle even states that O-So has been around since the 40’s.  The artwork  really does a good job at making me feeling nostalgic for a time where I wasn’t even born.  There’s even a fun phrase at the bottom. “O-So Delicious!” GET IT?  THE SODA NAME IS USED IN THE SENTENCE!  So now that visually we’re starting off right, I hope the aroma is also a plus.

Hooray!  The aroma is a butterscotch root beer combo, just as it should be.  The butterscotch is the dominant scent, but not so much that you forget it’s a root beer.  Now that I know the smell is on point I feel comfortable saying the taste will be above average at the very least.

There’s that roasted marshmallow flavor I look forward too.  The flavor is both creamy and buttery at the start, but finishes up with a nice strong bite at the back of the throat.  This dichotomy really ups the enjoyment factor of the soda.  You can tell i’m serious about this because I used the word “dichotomy”.  I even chuckled to myself when I did because of how simultaneously ridiculous and smart I felt.

I guess the creamy/bite relationship is a lot like that of the salty/sweet.  Sure each one is good by their lonesome, but it’s easy to get burnt out on them.  Pair the two together and your “want” becomes a “crave”.  I’m not sure that I’ll be craving O-So Butterscotch Root Beer when I’m done with this, but I’ll certainly want additional bottles in my possession.

While sweet it’s not overly so, but I’m not sure I’d want to drink this with a meal.  I think I’m officially going to designate this as a dessert soda.  The lack of syrupy mouthfeel keeps the experience from building upon itself until it’s demise.  Each sip is its own reward.  “Each sip is its own reward”... man that was good!  Put that on a bottle then sell a million, then give me 15%.

So even though the review you just read is rather simplistic, in the case of O-So it works.  It’s two simple flavors that are paired and play well together.  Bottom line is that if you like butterscotch or root beer you’ll like this soda.

~A

This was purchased at a Shell Gas Station


Australian Style Hot Ginger Ale

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I’m having a bad day.  Hopefully by the time this review gets posted I won’t be, but today hasn’t been the best.  I tell you this in case my mood influences this review, but I doubt it will.  The reason for my doubt is the fact there’s a kangaroo on the label of the soda I’m about to partake in.  Australian Style Hot Ginger Ale is the beverage at hand so it seems only appropriate and cliche that a kangaroo be on this bottle.  It’s a silhouette of a kangaroo so that makes it all the “artier”.  

The kangaroo means it's authentic.

All I can gleam from the bottle is that this is a hot ginger ale that’s sweetened with “pure” cane sugar.  The ingredient list is short, which normally is good, and the only thing on it that bothers me at all is sodium benzoate.  So perhaps this hot ginger ale will burn off my bad mood… or maybe hurt my mouth to the point where I forget about it.

I get little to no ginger scent from the bottle itself.  If anything it smells like printer paper.  Not exactly the scent you strive for in this situation, but the flavor may make up for it.

Nope, not really.  It has a very light carbonation which is followed by the taste of printer paper.  The printer paper has been sweetened with some sort of sugary substance, probably sugar, and then a mild burning sensation begins in my mouth.

While still very noticeable, this is the weakest “burn” I’ve experienced from any bottle that had the words “Hot Ginger” on it.  Haha, that last sentence might bring a new demographic to the site if they have a very specific “taste”.  Let’s see if we can’t increase our chances of that.

Hot Ginger

Hot Ginger

Hot Ginger

Hot Ginger

Hot Ginger

Anywho, I don’t get any ginger flavor at all with this soda and that’s ok.  “Why is that ok?” you ask.  It’s ok because I honestly feel better that this soda has limited redeeming value.

So if you want a burning sensation in your oral cavity then look no further than Hot Ginger.

For our newest viewers of the site… sorry you didn’t get to see what you came here for, but I’m sure you like soda so why not stick around.

~Aaron

This soda was purchased at a Shell Gas Station

Onli Hibiscus Pomegranate Strawberry

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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

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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

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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 Jumbo Root Beer

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Hippo Size has proven to be quite the tasty beverage maker so I figured giving the root beer a try wouldn’t be the worst of ideas.  Jumbo Root Beer is the official name of the soda at hand and it sits in a stout little 12oz bottle.  Sweetened with cane sugar and flavored with artificial and natural goodness it awaits consumption.

With an aroma that makes me think “bite” more than “cream” I’m starting to get a feel for what Jumbo Root Beer will be about.  There is a definite wintergreen scent as well which makes sense as it’s listed within the ingredients.  

I don’t know if I’m right about this, but I’m guessing the mouthfeel will be foamy and fun.

In terms of mouthfeel it’s not foamy or fun, in fact it was kind of boring.  Fortunately the flavor is the primary focus of the beverage although a good mouthfeel get you extra points.

The aforementioned wintergreen plays a rather important part in this play as it’s quite dominate on my palate.  This level of wintergreen might be a bit too much for some, but all in all it works well in the root beer.  If you do end up trying it you might enjoy the rooty flavor that hides behind the wintergreen mask.  It’s strong enough to give the soda a mild personality.

While the flavor is smooth it’s lacking in any sort of cream taste that you might expect in some root beers.  It still goes down easily with little bite, but honestly I want to feel more emotion from this bottle.  Hippo Size Jumbo Root Beer is the equivalent of a polite “hi” that you reserve for people you don’t know, but they work in the same building as you.

Hippo Size Jumbo Root Beer is slightly above average in taste, but overwhelmingly average if not a little lower in many of the other drink arenas.  I’m left kind of empty, unlike the bottle in front of me, after drinking it.  Perhaps I hyped up the Hippo Size name a little too fast.

~A

This was purchased at a Shell Gas Station

SiouxCity Root Beer

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I’m on a time crunch and only have 23 minutes to write this review.  It may be a suprise to you that it normally takes me around 30 minutes to write one… sometimes longer if I interact with people.  I’ll count the number of people I talk to while writing this to give you an idea.

One.

Drink enough of anything and you'll start to see tiny, orange, wheeled hippos.

Today’s review is Sioux City Root Beer and looks to be an ok product.  It has a cowboy on the label enjoying a frosty mug of whoknowswhat.  It’s made with cane sugar and sits in a fairly stout bottle that might remind some of years past.  A nice simple brown bottle cap sits atop the beverage and in…

Two.

..vites me to open it.

If you know what IBC Root Beer smells like you already know what Sioux City Root Beer smells like.  For those who aren’t in the know it’s a rooty aroma with some cream to it’s name.  Not overly sweet by any means, but I’m sure it’ll taste just fine.

Three.

Four.

As an aside, this is one of the heaviest bottles I’ve drank from to date.  It feels nice and sturdy.  Reliable.  Safe.  Great crash test ratings.

Five.

Again, for those of you who’ve had IBC Root Beer this tastes like a cleaner version of that.  Once again, for those of you who hav...

Six.

...en’t I’ll describe is as usual.

Sioux City Root Beer favors the “bite” category rather than the “cream”.

Seven.

So those of you who are into a smooth mouth feel might be a little disappointed in this soda.  The rooty aroma I mentioned earlier translates easily into the taste and is especially noticed in the aftertaste.  Obviously there is carbonation, but other than backing up the “bite” every now and again it’s not really a huge part of the experience.  All in all it’s a good root beer, but doesn’t do a lot to push itself ahead of the pack and get noticed… aside from the heavy bottle.  

Eight.

Nine.

So if you like root beer give it a go, if you love root beer then you’ve probably already had it and...

Ten.

… have developed your own opinions of it.

There you have it, I’m done with the review and talked to ten people.  That’s pretty good for me, but then again this is probably a fairly generic review from me.  

It’s a lot of fun being able to drink a soda and tell people about it as they pass you by.  Not that 5% of them will buy it, but at least they know that there’s more out there than what BIGSODA tells them about.

So thanks to all that stopped by, your existence has been reduced to a number between 1-10.

This was given to me by STUN3R

Ozark Mountain Bottleworks Cream

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If you like red sodas and geographic beauty then perhaps Ozark Mountain Bottleworks Cream will be right up your alley.  If you review sodas and are somewhat picky then I guess you’ll have to either review this on your own site or just take the easy road and read this review.  

Ozark Mountain Bottleworks (OBM) Cream is clearly a red cream soda.  If your eyes haven’t failed you then the tiny ingredients on the side will inform you that it’s been sweetened with cane sugar.  The label is very reminiscent of Howdy Cherries Jubilee, but something tells me that’s where the similarities end.

So... very... happy.

So... very... happy.

The aroma from this bottle is much stronger than anticipated.  A cream scent so rich that it makes me think of marshmallows rather than cream soda.  Perhaps this will be more interesting than I originally anticipated.

Well that is rather unique.  It’s a red (in color) cream soda that doesn’t taste like a red cream soda.  In fact it swings more towards a regular cream.  A strong cream taste has now made it’s home within my mouth.  Currently he’s not at home, but there are signs of life.  Clothes on the floor, a faucet dripping, and the pantry door is open.  I have indeed taken a swig recently, but again he is not at home.

The keys rustle at the door and the owner of the house barges in, tossing the keys on the counter.  Cream is home and the blustery weather behind him rushes along my tongue causing a pleasant mouth feel.  Almost as soon as he arrived at his abode he passes out on the couch and the house is silent once again.  The only sounds audible are the sleeping breaths of its owner.

If that was too “high concept” for you… as it was for me… then here’s the short version.  The cream flavor is fairly intense, but the aftertaste is right there with it stride for stride.  It’s not a very pretty flavor, but it’s powerful and enjoyable.

Give it a shot.

~A

This was purchased for me by STUN3R


HEB Old Fashioned Root Beer

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So after the last HEB soda SNAFU I’ve checked and double checked to make sure I haven’t reviewed HEB Old Fashioned Root Beer.  Guess what?  I haven’t!  This means I can continue this review with a clear conscience.  

HEB Old Fashioned Root Beer is sweetened with pure cane sugar and I’m guessing has a pop cap which I will now have to remove.  Do you think this will be a “bite” root beer or a “cream” root beer?  My guess is cream.

Judging by the smell it’s more of a “bite” root beer than a “cream”.  Don’t you just love how I’ve now created two sub-categories of root beer.  Let’s go ahead and make these the standard.

I'm not quite sure what's happening in this picture.

I'm not quite sure what's happening in this picture.

Hurray, this is a “bite”!  Hurray, this is… a fairly average root beer.  Eh, now that I say that the aftertaste is really shining through as a positive.  HEB Old Fashioned Root Beer has a good amount of flavor with minimal syrupy mouth feel.  The carbonation levels are fizzy and fun.  A barrage of larger bubbles flowing over my tongue and teeth, bursting into a smaller more intense fizz.

As I said prior, this is a “bite” root beer where the initial taste sizzles in your mouth just a little.  Let’s you know you’re alive.  As the journey progresses the soda attempts to transform into a “cream” or at least tries to be somewhat smooth.  This transition isn’t exactly flawless as the bite never fully allows for it.

All in all though, HEB Old Fashioned Root Beer is still average by my count.  I like that it’s sugar sweetened and I like that it’s in a glass bottle.  I don’t like that it’s called “Old Fashioned” yet has potassium benzoate and artificial flavors.  That said it’s still worth picking up a bottle to try for yourself.

~A

This was purchased at an HEB grocery store

Bedford's Ginger Beer

/

Two things ring true today.  I have a headache and the bottle in front of me has more Olde English font on it than I’ve ever seen.  The font reads Bedford’s Ginger Beer as well as “robust flavor” and “Port Angeles Washington since 1984”.  There’s not a world where “robust flavor” ever needs to be in an olde English font.

I'm starting to think my reviews are getting poor due to lack of mascot.

Bedford’s Ginger Beer has cane sugar as it’s sweetener and “Natural Ginger Flavor” as its flavor maker.  If I can’t buy a “Flavor Maker” online the world has failed me.  I don’t care what a “flavor maker” does, but it needs to exist.

Well the good news is that it smells like a Ginger Beer.  The bad news is that it smells a little like a household cleaner, but not enough that I’m scared to try it.

Pretty decent taste with this one and a considerable burn.  The front end is pretty refreshing, a nice cool treat even.  There’s a slight ginger taste for a split second then the fire roars to life and takes the life of the refreshment.  

Strangely enough the fire is fairly non-descript in flavor and just causes an overall burn of the mouth.  One that lasts well after the soda has been consumed.  I say all this because normally this burn has a ginger sensation to it, but this time it’s absent.  

Wait… why do the ingredients say “Natural Ginger Flavor”, but don’t mention any actual ginger?  Is that why the burn lacks in substance?  How does one make a natural ginger flavor without ginger?  I really need to stop before I head down this rabbit hole because I’ll go crazy.

Man, this has been a pretty sorry review so I’ll try to make these last few sentences concise.

Bedford’s Ginger Beer is an ok beverage and a slightly above average ginger beer.  The flavor profile is alright, but nothing to write home about… as evidenced by my lack of good review.

Sigh, if the first half experience of this soda was bottled it’d be good then boring, so I’m glad they spiced it up with some burning action.  Sadly the burning action takes away any memory I had of the intro words words words.

You see what happened there, I disliked this review so much I stopped it for no reason.

~A

I bought this at a Shell Gas Station