Category Archives: 3 stars

Zuberfizz Key Lime Cream Soda Review

Posted on June 1, 2011 by

Brand: Zuberfizz
Flavor: Key lime cream
Sweetener: Pure cane sugar
Size: 12 ounce bottle
Purchased At: Old 52
Similar To: Stewart’s Key Lime Soda

Bottled in Durango, Colorado, Zuberfizz Key Lime Cream Soda is a “classic draft soda” that I couldn’t help but want to try. For starters, key lime and cream are two of my favorite flavors in soda and I had yet to try a combination of the two. The soda’s bottle is also quite charming and has a nice old-fashioned design and appealing color scheme. I opened this bottle and was at first surprised by the soda’s color. The bottle is a dark brown so I assumed the soda would be a light brownish color like a traditional cream soda. I was wrong, however, as this soda is colored bright green due to the key lime flavor. After my first taste, I could definitely distinguish both the cream and lime flavors. Both are present but are quite subdued and subtle. I wish they had been stronger and packed more of a punch. Also, the lime flavor here is just that: lime. It is not really key lime despite the bottle’s claims to the contrary. I have still only tasted one soda that had true key lime flavor and that was Stewart’s Key Lime (which is really delicious, by the way). Zuberfizz’s Key Lime Soda was also a little lacking in the fizz department, which was disappointing considering the “Feel the fizz!” wording on the label. For the most part, this flavor of Zuberfizz is tasty but fails to make a lasting impression.

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Faygo Rock & Rye Soda Review

Posted on May 29, 2011 by

Faygo Rock & Rye
Brand: Faygo
Flavor: Rock & Rye
Sweetener: Cane Sugar
Size: 12 oz Bottle
Cost: $1.99
Purchased At: Rocket Fizz
Flavor Notes: Sweet, Creamy
Similar To: Barq’s Red Creme Soda

If you’ve ever had a Faygo Original Rock & Rye, or a Barq’s Red Creme Soda, you will understand how difficult it is to describe the flavor of this soda. It’s not like anything else. Faygo Rock & Rye has been described as a “cream finished cola”, however I have a hard time detecting cola as a main or even base flavor of this soda. This is a smooth and enjoyable soda. The flavor is somewhere in between a cola, cream soda, and just a hint of a cherry and vanilla. Beyond that it is an extremely hard soda flavor to describe without experiencing it for yourself. It is a great and unique tasting soda, fun to drink, refreshing and tastes great. I’m not sure why it carries the name “Rock & Rye”, but it describes this flavor just as good as any other name would. Definitely worth a try if you happen to cross paths with a Faygo Rock & Rye.

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Posted in 3 stars, Cola, Cream Soda, Faygo, Review | Leave a comment

Leninade Review

Posted on May 10, 2011 by

Brand: Leninade
Flavor: Lemonade
Sweetener: Cane sugar
Size: 12 ounce bottle
Purchased At: Old 52
Similar To: Jelly Belly Lemon Drop Soda

Seeing the bottle one time was enough to convince me that I had to try Leninade soda. I mean, the bottle is packed with enough Soviet-related maxims to make any communist proud. Phrases like “A party in every bottle” and “Surprisingly satisfying simple Soviet style soda” meant that this was a drink that I needed to try as soon as possible. The day has finally come and I have at last found out what Leninade is all about. Based on the wordplay in the soda’s name, I was guessing this was supposed to be a lemonade-flavored soda. The red coloring made me think it would possibly be some sort of berry lemonade. One bottle later and I can proclaim that Leninade is actually lightly carbonated water with a lemon wedge squeezed into it. Okay, maybe I’m exaggerating, but in spite of the soda’s self proclamations of “a taste worth standing in line for”, Leninade is ultimately too bland to be a really great soda. I really wanted to like it, too, but the flavor was just too weak. A lemonade soda should be much more tart and tangy than this. I think the creativity of the packaging alone keeps this soda from being below average, but I feel like there was a missed opportunity here to make something really special.

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Posted in 3 stars, Fruit, Review | Leave a comment

Briar’s Lemon Cream Soda Review

Posted on May 10, 2011 by

Briars Lemon Cream

Brand: Briar’s
Flavor: Lemon Cream
Sweetener: Could not determine
Size: 12 oz Bottle
Cost: $1.99
Purchased At: Rocket Fizz
Flavor Notes: Smooth lemon flavor, slight creaminess, ever-so-slightly bitter finish

When my gaze came across this Briar’s Lemon Cream Soda there wasn’t as much as a second thought as to whether or not I was going to buy this soda, how could I not? I love any soda with “cream” attached to the title or the flavor. When I think of the other “cream” soda flavors that we usually see I think of vanilla cream, orange cream, red cream and even blue cream. I had never been seen or heard of a lemon cream soda – this was one I had to try. First off, Briar’s Lemon Cream is a good soda. The color is a cloudy yellow, exactly what you’d expect from a lemon cream soda. The bottle is a 12 oz. long neck and the there is a nice Briar’s Lemon Cream logo but that’s it. There is no nutritional information, no information on Briar’s, no ingredients even. I found this strange and set off for the interwebs to track down ingredients. No luck though — what’s strange is that the Briar’s Soda website doesn’t acknowledge the existence of their lemon cream soda. Ingredient list aside, this soda has a smooth, creamy lemon flavor which allows just a little of the sour through. Just as it should, the creaminess subdues most of the punch and pucker that a lemon soda can pack and allows the flavor of lemon to break through with just a hint of the sour. However, while upon first taste you can really taste the creamy element of this drink, the lemon flavor peaks through and finally the soda finishes with just of bitterness towards the end. It’s as if the creaminess was fighting the naturally overpowering lemon flavor and does so valiantly right up until you swallow and then the lemon gets one little kick. The result isn’t bad. If you like lemon sodas then I would definitely recommend trying a Briar’s Lemon Cream. This soda is definitely unique and plenty good enough to enjoy while drinking it. I hesitate to give this soda a 4-start rating because I’m not convinced this is a flavor I would buy time and time again, but it is definitely unique and enjoyable enough to earn a solid 3-star rating.

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Fentimans Curiosity Cola Review

Posted on May 5, 2011 by

Brand: Fentimans
Flavor: Cola
Sweetener: Sugar
Size: 9.3 ounce bottle
Purchased At: Old 52
Similar To: Moxie

Starting in 1905, Fentimans sodas have been made through a botanical brewing process that takes 7 days to complete. That tradition still continues today in all of their sodas including Curiosity Cola. I really like the presentation of this cola. It comes in a unique 9.3-ounce glass bottle with an old-fashioned looking label. The iconical Fentimans German Shepherd is printed on a sticker attached to the bottle’s neck. Fentimans Curiosity Cola is made with ginger and herbal extracts. This soda definitely has a strong flavor to it and is very full-bodied. The combination of ginger and cola flavors is unique and worth a try. In a way, it almost felt like the soda had too many flavors happening at once. It certainly is distinctive and not really similar to any other cola. Although the soda contains less than 0.5% alcohol by volume, I can definitely see it appealing to those who prefer a more “spirited” beverage.

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Posted in 3 stars, Cola, Fentimans, Review | 1 Comment

Kickin’ Cow Cola Review

Posted on April 26, 2011 by

Brand: Vermont Sweetwater Bottling
Flavor: Cola
Sweetener: Dehydrated cane juice
Size: 12 ounce bottle
Purchased at: Old 52
Similar to: N/A

Having only been a small child when Crystal Pepsi was released, I have never tried a clear cola. Needless to say, I was excited to give Kickin’ Cow Cola a try. From Vermont Sweetwater Bottling, the cola is made with no artificial colors and no artificial flavor. The label has a certain charm to it that lets you know this is definitely an old-fashioned soda from a small bottler. The label says that Kickin’ Cow Cola is “all natural soda from pure mountain water, natural flavors and dehydrated cane juice.” Although I’m left to wonder what all is included in the natural flavors, I’m certain that at least one of those flavors is cinnamon. Although the soda actually smells pretty similar to Coca-Cola, the taste is quite a bit different. The cola has a very strong cinnamon flavor to it. The carbonation is pretty light so the soda goes down easy and doesn’t have too much of a bite to it. If you’re looking for a unique cola, I definitely recommend picking up a bottle or two of Kickin’ Cow Cola.

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Posted in 3 stars, Cola, Review, Vermont Sweetwater | Leave a comment

Jelly Belly Lemon Drop Gourmet Soda Review

Posted on April 24, 2011 by

Brand: Jelly Belly
Flavor: Lemon Drop
Sweetener: Cane sugar
Size: 12 ounce bottle
Purchased at: Old 52
Similar to: Jones Lemon Drop

Known best for their tasty jelly bean candies, Jelly Belly has also been making gourmet sodas since 2009. There are currently ten flavors of their soda, all of which are caffeine free, naturally flavored and sweetened with cane sugar. The first one I tried is Lemon Drop. The packaging is attractive and the soda itself is a nice, bright yellow. Because of the very flavorful nature of their jelly beans, I was expecting a taste explosion with the Lemon Drop soda. The first thing I noticed upon drinking was that the soda pop was only lightly carbonated. At first, the lemon flavor is quite strong and delicious. The soda, however, finishes rather weakly with a slightly watered down flavor. The soda is similar to the Jones version of Lemon Drop which unfortunately has been discontinued. Overall, I think the Jones version was the superior drink, but since it is no longer available, the Jelly Belly version is a good alternative.

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Posted in 3 stars, Fruit, Jelly Belly, Review | 1 Comment

Jones Green Apple Soda Review

Posted on March 29, 2011 by

green apple soda

Brand: Jones
Flavor: Green Apple
Sweetener: Inverted cane sugar
Size: 12 oz. bottle
Cost: $1.19
Purchased at: Smith’s
Similar to: Apple Beer

Sweetened with inverted cane sugar, Jones Green Apple Soda manages to authentically capture the flavor of delicious Granny Smith apples. The soda pop is a striking green color and comes in a nice looking glass bottle. Most green apple flavored candy and soda seems to either be way too tart or way too sweet. Luckily, the Green Apple variety of Jones strikes a nice balance. It’s neither too sweet nor too sour. Like many fruit-flavored sodas, however, its flavor has the tendency to wear on the drinker. By the end of the bottle, I wasn’t enjoying it nearly as much as when I first unscrewed the cap. In smaller doses, the green apple flavor is refreshing and somewhat impressive. In larger doses, the flavor becomes tiresome and a little too much. Like all Jones Soda, this bottle came with a customer-submitted black and white photo on the label and a fortune-cookie saying underneath the cap. I’m not really sure if this is a soda that I would go back to repeatedley, but it definitely is good as a “once-in-a-while” treat. Jones Green Apple Soda can be found in most major grocery and convenience stores including Walmart and Target.

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Posted in 3 stars, Jones, Review | Leave a comment