Doc Zola

   Today’s review is that of Doc Zola, what I first perceived as a Dr. Pepper knock off and nothing more.  If you’ve listened to Popcast Episode 1, also available on iTunes, you’d know that I no longer feel any ill will toward this product anymore. 

   Initially I was thinking to myself, “Oh look another soda trying to be Dr. Pepper.  This is going to be a disappointment.”  Texans are proud that Dr. Pepper hails from this state, and anyone trying to out do them at their own game is usually looked down upon.  Thankfully Doc Zola didn’t fall into the Dr. Pepper rip-off category.  The bottle art includes a Tiki god looking character, which I will assume is Doc Zola.  Maybe Doc Zola is short for Witch Doctor Zola, then again maybe not.  Either way, the bottle art and the colors used are very nice.  Then again, I’m a sucker for shades of maroon coupled with white.

   Looking over the bottle a bit more we found that it included Vitamins C, E, B6, and B12.  While a bottle of Doc Zola won’t cover you for an entire days need of Vitamin C, it will give you 25% of your daily value.  This is one of the things that impressed me most.  For every good though, there is a bad.  The use of HFCS, and Sodium Benzoate are never smiled upon by the Jerks, and Doc Zola uses both. 

   Once I opened the bottle I did notice that it smelled a lot like Dr. Pepper, but it wasn’t until I tasted it that I no longer cared about the similarities.  Doc Zola does have a Dr. Pepper base for the taste it gives you.  Soon after taking a drink though, you will realize that something more is there.  First you will taste a sweet hint of cherry, a very pleasant surprise.  Following the cherry is where the Dr. Pepper flavoring hits your tongue, but that’s not where it finishes.  As you complete the drink you just took you’ll notice the flavor of cinnamon greeting you… and that’s where Doc Zola shines.  The addition of the cherry is nice, and something Dr. Pepper failed on even in Cherry Dr. Pepper.  The cinnamon though, is fantastic, and what sets this drink apart from being a rip-off of an already popular brand.  Again with the good there is always a flip side.  Doc Zola seems to lose it’s carbonation a little faster than other drinks.  If you chug it down you won’t even notice.  If you’re like me and like to slowly enjoy it, then you’ll notice that aspect at the end.

~A

Did you know Twist has a Ph.D. in love?

(Note:  This beverage was provided to us by Pipeline Brands)

Jones Zilch - Black Cherry Soda

   We love Jones Soda.  They’ve always been good to us; in fact they are one of the few brand names to make it to our Best Friends List.  The bottom line is that Jones Soda makes quality beverages.  Recently they sent us 4 new flavors from their lineup.  Three of them from their Jones Zilch line… which has zero calories/zero sugar; and another flavor that I’m a bit more nervous about, Tofurky and Gravy.  Today we examine the first of the Zilch flavors, Black Cherry Soda.

   I picked Black Cherry Soda because it’s a flavor I’m familiar with.  IBC Black Cherry Soda was something my mother and I sought out at the grocery store when I was a kid.  We didn’t buy it often, but more as a reward for when times got stressful.  So I associate the flavor with good times. 

   As I look on this bottle though and stare at the calorie/sugar content I’m a bit nervous.  Here I have a double whammy of things I love, Black Cherry Soda made by Jones, coupled with two things that I avoid, zero calories/zero sugar.  Jones uses the word “Zilch” in their labeling instead of diet, which I think helps my mind from thinking about it being sugar/calorie free.  On the upside though, they have added some Vitamin C (30% your daily value) to the soda, and that always score points with us.  Before we being though, let me say that this will be reviewed as a soda, not a diet soda.  We’re not looking for the best diet soda’s out there.  We aren’t TheDietSodaJerks, but that does give me some idea for a spin off site…kidding.

   Jones Zilch Black Cherry Soda has a great maroon coloring to it, just what I expect of a good black cherry soda.  Upon opening it I have to really try to get a whiff of black cherry into my nostrils.  This is a bit off putting to me as the smell often mirrors the flavor.  Ah well, bottoms up!

   The initial taste of Jones Zilch Black Cherry Soda is that of a diet black cherry soda.  I know, I know, no sugar… but I my hopes were high.  It’s also has a flavor that seems to be more on the sharp side, instead of rich like I would have predicted.  That’s not necessarily a bad thing, as after you ingest it your mouth is left with a sweet aftertaste…not a heavy chemical cocktail.  Honestly it tastes more like a strongly flavored carbonated water to me, very light, with a good amount of fizz.  It does refresh the pallet a bit, not as well as maybe a tall glass of ice water, but better than the few diet drinks I’ve had.  The last taste I had was sweeter than all the rest, maybe I should have up-ended the bottle once before tasting.  Overall impressive for a sugar free soda, as I’ve had sugar filled black cherry sodas that weren’t this good.

~A

Twist is watching his waistline

(Note:  This beverage was provided to us by Jones)

Tru Blood: Blood Orange

   Let me preface this article by telling you that I have no knowledge of the True Blood television series.  The previous sentence is a bit of a lie since people at work tell me I’d love it, but I still haven’t seen second one of the show.  Since we’re going through a Vampire/Zombie phase right now in pop-culture (TheSodaJerks are guessing that Cowboys or Robots are coming up next) I decided to try out Tru Blood: Blood Orange for my Halloween review.  Before I officially begin, let me thank my co-worker “The Man Known as R” for giving me a bottle of Tru Blood: Blood Orange beverage from his own supply.  I know these things aren’t cheap, and I’m most grateful.  Here we go.

   I’m impressed with the bottle art; it’s very simple with an Asian flare, but classy.  It’s slightly amusing that the label says “O Positive” on it.  I had to look up what the Chinese symbols that adorn the neck read, and another review that they say “True Blood” as well.  The liquid looks to be the very color of blood, but sadly I can see that the bottle is masking the true color of the beverage.  That actually bothers me more than it should; when I pour this in a glass I want it to stay the exact color of the bottle. 

   Upon opening it, I smell a very strong scent of orange.  I’m much more excited to try it now as it seems the flavor will be strong with this one.  With my first taste of this blood orange beverage I had to check the label and make sure it’s not a diet soda.   It does have only 99 calories, so I’m not sure if that qualifies, but it definitely has a diet taste to it.  I find it odd that I taste that because it’s sweetened with cane sugar, which I thought would bring a richer sweetness.  Looking past the diet flavor, it does have a tangy light orange flavor when it first hits your mouth.  Fortunately, after drinking a sip you can lick your lips and still taste how sharp the flavor was… it’s kind of nice.  The sweetness is very subtle to me, again though you taste most of it in the aftertaste.   This seems like a beverage many will mix with alcohol, but I have to grade it as it stands alone.  I wanted a rich, sweet, blood orange soda,  and while not a bad drink this tastes like a diet orange soda that leaves a nice taste on your lips.  I guess that’s why Vampires never wipe their mouths with their sleeves after feeding.    

~A

Twist went as a Diplodocus for Halloween

Big Peach

   I’m a little nervous about this review of Big Peach Soda.  The reasoning behind my nervousness is the fact that I’m not a huge fan of Big Red soda at all.  Big Red, for those of you who don’t know, is “America’s #1 Red Soda” per their website.  It has a very unique flavor, but not one I’m fond of.  It’s a bit too “candy/cream soda” for me.

   I found out about Big Peach from a co-worker of mine.  I saw him drinking it probably 2 years ago and asked what it was.  When he told me it was from the Big Red line of sodas I dismissed ever trying it.  Well that must have been before my soda reviewing days, because now it sits in front of me thanks to that very same co-worker.  A large reason of why it sits in front of me is because of his answer to a question I asked.  “Does it taste anything like Peach-O’s?”  To explain another unknown product, Peach-O’s are gummy (delicious) peach rings… and if you like peach flavored things; you’ll love Peach-O’s.  Anywho, long story short, he said that Big Peach tasted a bit like Peach-O’s, which was good enough for me.

   Immediately I'm not impressed with their bottle art.  I don't mind the font, the color, or the splash of peach juice, but the actually peach is bothering me.  Why make it realistic looking?  Why not go for a more pop-art looking peach.  To me it detracts from what could be inside; add that to the fact that the peach looks kind of gross as well.  On the bright side, things are looking up now because upon opening the bottle I get the very familiar smell of Peach-O’s.  Hopefully the taste will coincide with what my olfactory glands have already told me.  (I just wanted to use the word “olfactory”, but the statement still rings true.)

   Ya know what?  I like this.  When you first drink your mouth is flooded with peach flavoring, not unlike biting into a peach.  After the flavor greets your mouth, it slowly exits at a great rate.  Pretend you’re in a conversation with someone you don’t particularly like… then one of their friends steps up, and begins to converse with said “hated person”.  Even though they were in the middle of telling you a story, you decide to slink away… but you can’t just turn and leave.  You have to slowly back up, until you are no longer in their circle of horrible conversation.  That’s what Big Peach flavor does in your mouth; it leaves at just the right speed, and time.  The amount of fizz in Big Peach is at a pretty good level as well, it’s just bubbly enough.  My fiancée, who isn’t a big fan of soda, even enjoys this.  She compares the flavoring to that of a jolly rancher.  The setbacks of this beverage are the fact that it’s made with chemicals (including our old friend Sodium Benzoate), the fact that my stomach burns a little after drinking it, and the bottle art.  This beverage does make me wish for more peach flavored sodas though.  Hopefully in my soda searching endeavors I’ll find one.

 ~A

Oddly enough "Big Peach" was Twist's nickname in college.

Virgil's Orange Cream Soda

  TheSodaJerks love of Virgil's brand soda is well documented on this site.  Virgil's Real Cola is the highest rated soda on the site, and Virgil's Root Beer is what gave us the idea to start the site.  Anytime I go into a grocery store I look for a label with "god giving soda to kids" as my counterpart would say.  I'm sure that's not what the label is, but it's more fun to pretend. 

  I must apologize to Virgil's for taking so long on this review.  Back when Virgil's Orange Cream Soda was first released it was sadly not in our area, it still isn't from what I see.  Virgil's sent us a package of it for review, and we initially were going to give it the treatment of a king.  That is to say we were going to do a pod cast about it.  Well life happened, and schedules never matched up, and I moved...needless to say the pod cast never happened.  Now that I'm settled I felt it was time to review Virgil's Orange Cream Soda.  This review will be a bit different as I've tasted this before.  In fact I've had several of them, it was only through the strongest of will that I was able to keep 1 or 2 for review purposes.  I can say that throughout all the bottles my opinion stays the same.  So here I go, opening a bottle, enjoying the orange-cream aroma, and taking a sip.

   The initial taste is a nice orange flavor, as it should be.  The finish of this soda is a smooth cream, again as it shoud be.  The transition between the two flavors is a bit awkward though.  It's like your taste buds can't decide if they should stick with the citrus orange, or move on to the smooth cream.  When my fiancée tried it she said it tasted like it was missing one thing that kept it from being awesome.  I believe it's that transition of flavors that caused her to birth that remark.  My father, and stepmother gave it a two word review "ummmmmmh YUK".  The only reason I mention both of those is that I want this to be an awesome drink.  This should be rocking my world right now, and while it's above average, my world is not rocked.  I feel that I unfairly hold Virgil's to a higher standard than most sodas.  Their product always has great ingredients, with a good flavor all around, and ample carbonation.  Virgil's Orange Cream Soda is excellent, but you can taste that something is missing, and that's where I must detract.

Better resolution + Marilyn Monroe + Virgil's Orange CreamSoda = Happy Twist

(Note:  This beverage was provided to us by Reed's)

Dr. Pepper Cherry

   Being from Texas, I love Dr. Pepper (Especially Dublin Dr. Pepper).  Dr. Pepper is a staple soda here in the Lone  Star State, as it was invented here.  I also like cherry flavoring in soda, so normally you’d think that Dr. Pepper Cherry would be something I’d be all over.  Let me tell you in four words why I’m skeptical:  Dr. Pepper Red Fusion.  Red Fusion came out in 2002 and lasted a whole 2 years.  They never came out and said what flavored Red Fusion, but I always assumed it had a cherry base.  Sadly though, Red Fusion tasted like flat Dr. Pepper.  So excuse me if I don’t get all excited when I try this Dr. Pepper Cherry.  I will tell you one positive thing right off the bat about it though… I got this for free!  Thanks to reader D.W. (Not the caped crusader that graced The Disney Afternoon toon block) but a cool guy nonetheless. 

   Looking at this can, I can’t avoid thinking that Dr. Pepper is trying to seduce me.  It’s a black can, which isn’t something that’s very common right now (I can only think of Coke Zero off the top of my head).  At the top of the can in lowercase is the phrase “amazingly smooth”.  I seriously doubt that I’m going to be amazed at how smooth this tastes, but let’s give it a shot.  Oh before I continue, you know this is full of chemicals right?  I didn’t bother going into the ingredients list because they would just depress you.

    The aroma wafting (ok maybe wafting is a bit strong) out of the can smells just like Dr. Pepper… with a tiny, tiny amount of cherry in it.  Time for drinkin’.  The first sip I take puts one thought into my mind… normal Dr. Pepper is better than this.  I will never favor this over Dr. Pepper.  Ok, that was technically two thoughts, but let’s continue anyway.  While somewhat smooth it’s not “amazingly smooth”, but no one here is surprised by that.  Actually, when it first hits your tongue you get a nice bubbly sensation.  To put it somewhat bluntly it tastes like a slightly weaker Dr. Pepper with a little bit of a cherry taste to it.  I will say that this tastes better than Red Fusion did though.  I’ve harped on this drink more than it deserves, but I’m disappointed.  In my opinion you could make this a lot better by ramping up the cherry flavoring, and using sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup.  I don’t say that because I prefer sugar, (I do prefer sugar, but I didn’t say that because I did… stay with me here.) but because sugar adds a crispness to soda that HFCS does not.  All in all, this is about what I expected… which saddens me.

As you can see by his expression, Twist was not seduced.

Romano's Orange Cream

   Romano’s and I have an odd relationship.I started off with high hopes when I tried their Raspberry Soda, then I was intrigued (but didn’t love) their Sour Apple, and finally, I didn’t like Blackberry Soda at all.

   Upon opening the bottle, I get quite the nice fragrance. Honestly, it smells more of cream than it does of orange.... I don’t know if this is a good sign or not, though. First, the good news...it’s better than the Blackberry Soda. It’s a subtle soda flavor, however. It doesn’t punch you in the mouth like the Sour Apple, so it’s much more drinkable if some sodas are rough on your throat. By no means is it smooth, but it has less bite than a Coke for instance. The coloring is what you’d expect an orange soda to be...orange; it matches the bottle art nicely.

   My qualm with this soda is the lack of orange flavoring. While the cream can be smelled and tasted easily, it masks the orange. If you like cream more than orange, then buy a drink I just made up called Creamy Orange... not Orange Cream. I want to taste the tangy citrus as well as the smooth cream. Those two flavors are what make drinks like this so great. I’ve had another brand of orange cream soda; it’s delicious and balanced, so I know it can be done. I’m not going to tell you that it’s a bad drink...it’s not. I just want to taste something a little more interesting when I see the words “Orange Cream” on a bottle. Sitting in front of me is an Orange Cream Soda by Romano’s. I can only hope they don’t continue down the same path.

~A

(Note:  This beverage was provided to us by Romano's)

Romano's Blackberry Soda

   Blackberries intrigue me. They taste great on their own, make delicious cobbler, and yet you rarely see a blackberry soda. Fortunately Romano's Italian Soda has produced a blackberry flavor of its own. I'm looking forward to it as well as I enjoy blackberries, coupled with the fact that their Sour Apple Soda was a taste explosion all its own. I'm hoping that it's tart... as blackberries are, just a little sweet... as blackberries are, and not full of seeds... which blackberries are not. (Blackberries are not, not, full of seeds...thus making them full of seeds.  I think that last sentence works.)

   Let's get on with it. The initial aroma is pleasant, but not as strong as I'd like it to be... dah well, who else besides a Jerk smells their soda before consumption. The initial swig of drink is quite nice, you can tell that your mouth is about to enjoy a great blackberry flavor. Following up said swig is a bit of a disappointment to me though. I expected tart, I wanted tart, and I’m missing tart. Instead what I get is a sickly sweet taste that I've never experienced with an actual blackberry. There is not a drop of tartness to be found... even the sweetness that goes along with it is still too much for a blackberry. I'm sorry, but this just won't do.

~A

(Note:  This beverage was provided to us by Romano's)

Hot Lips Strawberry Soda

   Hot Lips is a soda brand from the Pacific Northwest... it’s not available down here in Houston.In fact the ingredients listed on my Strawberry Soda are as follows:

Carbonated Water, Strawberries grown in the Pacific Northwest, cane sugar, and organic lemon juice.

   That’s an impressive list of ingredients in my book.There is no ‘natural strawberry flavor’ listed, they just list Strawberries grown in the Pacific Northwest.In fact the bottle says that this soda contains strawberry pulp, another plus.Wait a second; this drink has vitamins in it!40% of the Vitamin C you need in a day!If there is one way to get your score higher with this Jerk it’s to have me drink my vitamins in a soda (as long as it tastes good of course. I’m looking at you nasty tasting 7up Plus).The bottle art is simplistic, it reminds me of a children’s book about fruit.This is what a strawberry looks like kids, on a simple white background.Of course the Hot Lips logo is a lipstick kiss, but that’s pretty predictable in my opinion.We were able to procure this soda directly from the nice folks at Hot Lips... but don’t think that’s going to improve the score at all just because we were sent samples.Actually a lot of our sodas have been samples from companies, we just haven’t told you until now.

   Onto the tasting.Upon opening this you get a strong natural fruit sensation in the smell.Like one of those really awesome strawberry lemonades that has real strawberries in it... minus the lemonade smell of course.I’m now officially excited to try this, bottoms up.The first thing running through my head is that it doesn’t taste much like a soda.There is very little carbonation, but that could be due to the fact that the CO2 doesn’t stick very well to the ingredients listed above.I would also like a little more sweetness in this.It’s not tart like a strawberry, but it’s not all that sweet as well.It’s almost like I can taste too much of the organic lemon juice in it.This has a pretty good taste, but I just don’t feel like I’m drinking a soda.It feels more like strawberry juice, with a hint of lemon.My last run in with a drink like this was Fizzy Lizzy, but I’m happy to say that Hot Lips surpasses Ms. Lizzy in the flavor department.It’s a moderately refreshing drink, but nothing that I’d grab for on one of our 103 degree summer days.This is more of a solitary drink... something that you’d want to drink by itself so that you could enjoy the natural, but quiet, strawberry flavoring.All in all it’s a good soda, I’m sure there are non soda fans out there that would love this, but I just kinda like it.

~A

Twist likes strawberries

(Note:  This beverage was provided to us by Hot Lips)

Romano's Sour Apple

   As you know my opinion on green apple flavored things isn’t a pleasant one.Fortunately Jones Soda Green Apple Soda helped me overcome that hatred, so I’ve decided to try other Green Apple flavored beverages.I hold in my hand a Romano’s Sour Apple beverage.I’m assuming (yes I know what assuming does) that Sour Apple, is just another way of saying Green Apple... since the green apple’s are the one’s that are sour.The color also tells me that this is a green apple based drink, so hopefully that phrase on assuming doesn’t come true.

   Here we go.First off I’d like to comment on how much I like the neon green color of this beverage.The smell coming out of this bottle is very much like Jolly Rancher Green Apple.I’m looking forward to this taste now, knowing that green apple flavor is abounds.Time to drink.WOW... this is some powerful stuff.Sadly, because of my previous assumption, ‘u’ and ‘me’ have both been made into asses.This is the sourest beverage I’ve ever had.It’s not “Warhead” sour, but it’s very sour when compared to other beverages.This is completely different then the Jones Soda, the amount of fizz is way higher in the Romano’s.Once it hits the back of my throat it burns... almost too much.I know in one of my recent reviews complained about not enough carbonation, and bite... but this one needs to tone it down a bit.Let me make sure you understand me.This beverage has a good taste, but the amount of sour, and fizz take away from it.As odd as it might sound though, I’m looking forward to more Romano’s beverages because of this experience.Now I know that Romano’s doesn’t mess around when it comes to flavoring, and mouth feel.So even though this might not get the best rating, know that I’m not normally a fan of green apple flavored things (as previously stated), and that I think those who truly like Sour Apple candy will love this beverage.

~A

It was so different I forgot to snap a pic before I started drinking.

(Note:  This beverage was provided to us by Romano's)

Romano's Raspberry Soda

   I like raspberry flavored things.That is to say, I like red raspberry flavored things.When the whole blue raspberry thing happened, I was initially exited, then let down at how much I disliked blue raspberry.This beverage comes from our friends at Romano’s Italian Soda, as you can see from the bottle it’s their raspberry flavored beverage.Now I’ve only seen one place in Houston that sells it, and that would be specialty store Harry and David.Before we get to far ahead of ourselves, let’s learn together what an “Italian Soda” is, by reading the label.

    It’s a refreshing drink that you can order in any café in Italy.Rich, flavorful syrups are mixed with sparkling water and poured into a tall glass of ice, add a splash of cream for a delicious cremosa.  

   The secret to Romano’s Italian Soda was brought to America in our Grandfather Romano’s suitcase over a hundred years ago.This perfect blend of sweet syrups and sparkling water, it’s what separates Romano’s Italian Soda from any other bottled soda on the market today.   

   It’s the definition of “La Dolce Vita” (the sweet life)   

   Our mission is to continue the tradition of these distinctive Italian style drinks so everyone can enjoy them.Salute!

   So there we go, there’s our history lesson.Now I don’t have to type that again for the remaining Romano reviews, although I like the idea of how it got over here to America.I picture an older gentleman of Italian decent looking out across Ellis Island.He catches his footing as the boat rocks back, and forth; his legs weak from the travel.The sea spray hits his face, but he can’t wipe it away, because in his arms he clutches one of his only possessions, a homemade Italian soda... Romano’s Italian Soda.Enough babbling, let’s try this.

I open the bottle, and take a whiff (as I normally do).There is no over powering aroma here.Time to drink.This drink makes me happy.It’s very fizzy, but not overly so.When I initially tasted the raspberry flavoring I was afraid it was going to be flavored like a strong flavored sparkling water.Fortunately for me, the raspberry flavoring goes beyond that.It’s a light drink, moderately crisp, but still packs enough of a punch in the flavor department that you won’t be left saddened by what could have been.Another plus is that it’s sweetened with pure cane sugar.I couldn’t picture Grandfather Romano brining high fructose corn syrup over, and I’m glad the creators of this drink couldn’t picture that either.The labeling on this container isn’t all that flashy, in fact it’s kind of classy looking, almost like something you’d see in a bar in the early 90’s.This seems like it would pair well with food, or you could enjoy it by itself.I would add more raspberry flavoring if I wanted to improve upon this product,I might spice up the label art a bit too.Overall a good product, if you can find it.

~A

(Note:  This beverage was provided to us by Romano's)

Jones Soda - Green Apple

   Any time I tell someone that I review sodas, a very common question that follows is "Have you tried Jones Soda?" The answer is always "No I have not". I've never even tried Jones Soda before this website. I was given some as a Christmas gift a while back, but it was the Christmas meal flavors like 'Brussels sprouts', and 'turkey and gravy'... so I wasn't all that enthused to try it. I don't really know why I've avoided Jones Soda; I guess I just viewed it as too trendy. We try to stay away from the mainstream here on this site, unless it's given to us for free to try. I compare Jones Soda to Apple Computers, it's hip to like them, and their software... ignoring that other companies (Microsoft, and Linux for example) are equally great. Just like Apple though, Jones Soda is popular for a reason, and I care to find out what makes it so good.

   Right off the bat I enjoy the fact that a bug is on my label... it has no reason to be there, it's just there. Upon further investigation I see where on their website you can send in your photos, and if they like them they'll place them on a label... pretty cool. While I'm very pleased with the label, the screw top bottle cap keeps catching my eye. I prefer your standard bottle cap when it comes to topping a glass bottle, much like every other bottle drink we've reviewed... The cap on this Jones Soda is like a metal version of one that you might find on a 20 oz Coke. While it looks like a mini-top hat on Twist's head, sad to say, but this takes away from the product for me. Call me picky if you like, but we are The Soda JERKS. The green coloring of the beverage is also nice to look at, but I digress. Alright, now that I've been distracted by all the pretty colors I guess I should start the review.

Right off the bat this seems to have a medicinal smell to it, I like Dimetapp, so maybe this has promise. Aaaaand now I know why they're popular, this is delicious. I'm not even that big of a fan of green apple flavored things, but the flavor is fantastic. It almost tastes like liquid Jolly Ranchers, but not overly sweet. Since it is green apple flavored there is a hint of sour to it as well. It's not pucker up sour, but very much like the sour you would enjoy after biting into an actual green apple. The flavor does linger a bit longer than I'd like it to in my mouth, it could be worse though as the lingering flavor is nice. The flavor of Jones Soda Green Apple is a strong one, with just the right amount of carbonation. It might be a little too sweet for rapid fire consumption, but it's just fine when you're searching for something unique to drink.

~A

Twist the Iguana likes his new mini-top hat

Safeway Grape Soda

   This may be my last generic grape soda for a while... as much as I love them I’m kind of tired of reviewing them so often.Who knows, maybe I’ll move onto orange.Anywho, today’s entry is Safeway Grape Soda (purchased at Kroger).This is another free drink from a co-worker, which I love getting.If I knew all the drinks I’d get for free by just reviewing them, I might have reviewed electronics instead.

   The can art is simplistic, which is always a plus with me.I’m not really fond of the fact that the Safeway name is clearly visible on the can, I’d much rather them title it something besides “grape” and remove the store label.The ingredients are chemicals, which is why I’m not going to even bother listing them.Something I did learn though is that it takes Red Dye 40, and Blue Dye 1 to make this particular shade of purple.Here goes the test.

   First off there is way too much burn for me in this drink.I can feel it on the roof of my mouth, my tongue, and even under my tongue.I’m all for a little kick with my drinks, but this is too much.When an “All Natural” drink has some burn, I usually savor it... unlike a “chemical” drink where I just associate the burn with chemicals.Grape sodas should have some sort of smooth taste to them; this one has way too much tingle.Past the actual feel of the drink, it’s your generic grape soda.It’s a little weaker on the grape flavor, but that may be because your mouth is more concentrated on the previously mentioned feel.Safeway Grape Soda isn’t a bad grape soda, I’ve just had several better.If given the opportunity, just get Grapette.

~A

Oogave Grapefruit Soda

   Mike's review on Oogave Key Lime was so good that I decided to take the full plunge into Oogave, and get a flavor I normally wouldn't... grapefruit. Grapefruit soda's don't really appeal to me, so take that into consideration during this review. I don't think that Mike particularly likes them either, so I just went ahead and decided to review it.

   I will say that Oogave gets points instantly from me for having a different bottle cap for each beverage. I know that seems stupid and small, but I like it when people change up their bottle caps for different flavors, even if (in this case) it's just the color. My other favorite thing about this bottle is the tiny Esteban's Seal of Approval on the bottom right of the main logo. I'd love to have a shirt with that on it for some reason. That'd be on one side of the shirt, with the Oogave logo on the other... instant gold.

   Upon opening the bottle I take a whiff, and notice some solid citrus scent, almost orange, but not quite. I guess that's sort of what a grapefruit is most like though... sort of an orange. Wow... I can honestly tell you the flavor surprised me a lot. My feeling toward most grapefruit sodas is marred by the fact that they are usually sour/bitter much like a normal grapefruit. This soda has zero bitterness in it, making it good for even someone that would hate grapefruit.   Some might say "doesn't that mean if I love grapefruit, I'd hate the soda?"  Not necessarily, you'd have your grapefruit, the flavor would just be more subtle.  I would like for it to have a little more flavor though, as I have to search for it on occasion. There is little to no bite to this at all, as it's very smooth. It's also not overly carbonated, so those of you who don't like a lot of carbonation would enjoy this beverage. The more I drink, the more recognizable the grapefruit flavor becomes, which means I probably should have up-ended the bottle before enjoying. Still though, it's not an over powering flavor. Overall a good job by the people at Oogave.

~A

Oogave Grapefruit, and Twist the Bottle Cap Iguana

Grapette

   I've gotta say, when I first laid eyes upon Grapette I didn't think it was a store brand soda.  After further investigating, I realized that it was Wal-Marts version of grape soda.  I looked around for the Sam's Choice grape soda, but I couldn't find it, so I assumed that Wal-Mart had put all of their eggs in the Grapette basket... I was only partially right as the Grapette website reveals.

 In the late 80s, Grapette International's chairman, Brooks Rice, met Sam Walton, founder of Wal-Mart. Without wasting words, Walton told him, "I want Grapette in my stores." Rice explained that although he couldn't provide the use of the brand names in the United States, he could offer the flavors that once made the famous brands. Rice also personally pledged that some day, he would fulfill Walton's request to have Grapette and Orangette in his stores.

Soon, Wal-Mart was using some of the authentic Grapette Company flavor profiles in its Sam's Choice line of signature sodas. These flavors fit perfectly within the Sam's Choice brand, offering innovative, quality products at a better value than the leading national brands. But it always felt like something was missing — specifically, the famous Grapette and Orangette brand names.

In early 2000, Grapette International was able to purchase the U.S. rights to the Grapette and Orangette trademarks, finally reuniting the flavors with their brand names. Now the third generation of founder Paul May's family has given Wal-Mart what Sam Walton requested almost twenty years earlier.

In 2005, Sam's Choice Grapette and Sam's Choice Orangette became available exclusively in Wal-Mart stores nationwide. The drinks' quality is reinforced by their nationally-recognized brands at an exceptional value to the consumer. We invite you to enjoy Sam's Choice Grapette and Orangette today — Thirsty or Not!

   So as you see, Grapette has been a part of Wal-Mart for a while... it was just recently that we have the official Grapette name, and flavor.  One thing from the Q and A portion of the website that bothered me.

Q: Is Sam's Choice Grapette the authentic Grapette?

A: Yes. Grapette International, Inc. is part of the original Grapette Company formed in Camden, Arkansas in 1939, with use of all the original formulas.

Using these formulas, Sam's Choice Grapette and Orangette have the same great flavor profiles of the sodas you remember.

   Looking at the ingredients on the side of the can I see words like, High Fructose Corn Syrup, and Potassium Benzoate.  Without looking I can safely assume that High Fructose Corn Syrup was not part of the original sweetening.  So that lie bothers me.

   Well now, with all of the history out of the way, here goes the test.  At first look I really enjoy the can art it's displaying.  It's retro, and thirst provoking.  I say that because, when I read "Enjoy Grapette Grape Soda" I really want to drink it.  Maybe I'm easily swayed, but oh well, it's time to drink either way. 

   Wow... I can say that I'm impressed.  It's got a good grape taste, and a slight kick to it.  It doesn't leave too much of an after taste either.  In fact after the initial bite it slowly fades away to be quite smooth.  The cost of Grapette is quite cheap, and it should be readily available at your local Wal-Mart.  Other than the lie (or what I am assuming is a lie) that they use the original formula, this is easily a top 3 grape soda.  My favorite of all time is still Mighty Grape, but that's mostly because of it's association with my childhood.  I haven't had Mighty Grape in over 15 years, but I hope to find it.  Any who, I digress... Grapette is my favorite store brand soda to date, and I highly recommend it.  I really wish that other stores would try and go the route of Wal-Mart when it comes to their sodas (I know they don't have the money Wal-Mart does, but they could still try a little harder.)  Since Grapette was such a success I will also review Orangette, and their Keg Style Root Beer in the near future.

~A 

MTN Dew Live Wire

   We always like it around here at the Soda Jerk labs when someone gives us a drink to try for free. This week's installment is somewhat mainstream. From the Mountain Dew line, I have been given Live Wire. This will be the first 20 oz. plastic bottle I've reviewed, so I guess there is some history here. The packaging used is your basic Mountain Dew style; although, I do notice that it isn't "MTN DEW" but "Mountain Dew," so apparently they don't care as much about relabeling their other flavors. By the way, under the words "Live Wire" is the statement, "DEW sparked with orange." I don't know how you wouldn't guess this, given the bright orange color of the drink. I can't, off the top of my head, think of another flavor of drink when the color is orange.

    Anywho, here goes the test. It's a pretty sharp initial taste, with a slight burn. That is quickly dissolved by a candy-esque flavor that finishes off the experience. It's like a sweeter Sunkist Orange soda taste, which to me is the superior drink. There is hardly any, if any, original mountain dew flavor to be had. It's not a great drink, but it's not a horrible drink... in my opinion it's pretty average. I guess this should be a given, seeing that it's a branch of a mainstream drink line. While Code Red and Original Mountain Dew would be my top choices in this drink line, if someone offered me this, I wouldn't refuse them.

~A

Hill Country Fare - Black Cherry Soda

Back to the store brand sodas again... and this time we dabble with HEB brand Black Cherry Soda.  Same can art as all of their other soda's.  The person that designs these cans must have no incentive to be creative at all.  So far all of the HEB brand sodas have been remarkably average, so let's just get on with this shall we?

The smell is very light, and it takes quite a whiff to even detect the smell of black cherry.  Drinking now.... Ok, this is smooth... smooth to a fault... not smooth, watery.  There is no kick to this soda at all.  Even swishing it around doesn't create any extra carbonation.  It's not that it feels flat, it's that it feels like it has no carbonation at all, until you burp.  The black cherry flavor is also pretty weak, no where near the quality of an IBC brand or greater.  To me it feels like HEB wanted to make a black cherry soda, but then realized it might cost a little more than other sodas to make, so they skimped on the flavor.  Don't let me lead you to believe that this tastes badly, it tastes ok.  If you don't like a lot of carbonation or flavor in your soda, and you're a fan of chemicals... then this is the soda for you.

~A

Hill Country Fare - Pineapple Soda

Sticking with the class of store brand sodas we move on from HEB brand grape to HEB brand pineapple soda.  The packaging is much of that like the grape, with the difference being a color scheme change. 

Upon first taste of this soda it gives you a crisp pineapple taste, with a little too much carbonation burn following it.  Although it doesn't taste as syrupy as pineapple juice, it does coat your mouth in a pineapple blanket after each sip.  Of course there isn't any real fruit juice in each can, since it's produced by a store. (it would be nice to see a store brand soda do such a thing though)

Overall it delivers exactly what you'd think a store brand pineapple flavored soda would.  It's a bit too sweet for me to consider making it a regular drink of mine.  If I'm thirsty and happen to have anything else in my fridge, I can see myself drinking the other most of the time. 

On an amusing note, the following is printed on the side of the can:

WE HOPE YOU ARE SATISFIED WITH THIS PRODUCT.  IF NOT, WE WILL CHEERFULLY REFUND YOUR MONEY.

Maybe it's just me, but I find humour in picturing someone returning this single can of pineapple soda.  The 1950's style store clerk behind the counter smiles at them, then gets 40 cents, and hands it to the customer... never breaking gaze.

~A

Hill Country Fare - Grape Soda

It seems that we start a lot of these stating that we haven't written in a while... so I'm gonna avoid that. I love grape soda, and I'm always open to trying new ones. I have a theory about them as well. I think that the cheaper the grape soda, the better it tastes. Couple that with the fact that we're trying to do beverages with a lower cost this year, and you have a review I'm happy to do. Hill Country Fare - Grape Soda is the store brand grape soda from HEB. It comes in 6 packs with those rings you should cut up to keep the dolphins and birds alive.

The can art is very generic, as it should be. The words "Artificially Flavored" are in a font that is equally as large as the word "Soda." They do not care that you know how un-natural that their soda is... and I appreciate that. This soda tastes like grape Dimetapp with some carbonation. It's got a fizzy mouth feel to it. My throat burns a little bit due to the carbonation, but it's not annoying by any means. The after-taste of grape soda lingers in your mouth a while after you've finished as well. I could sum up this review in one sentence. "This tastes like most any generic grape soda." I didn't do that just so you would know how much I enjoyed generic grape soda to begin with.

~A

Fizzy Lizzy - Yakima Valley Grape

Ok... in my ongoing search for an awesome grape soda, I think I may have found a strong contender. Fizzy Lizzy. First off, you gotta love the name. The packaging of Fizzy Lizzy is great. With such great quotes as "Fruit & Fizz With Body" or "No Gunk, No Junk, Pure Crisp Filtered" and my personal favorite "Gently SHAKE my hips, Before placing to your lips." This drink is flirting with me and I like it! The back of the bottle reads as such "51% fruit juice + 49% fizzy water. No added sugars" The ingredients are Triple Filtered Water, Concord grape juice concentrate, white grape juice concentrate, lemon juice concentrate, natural flavor, and vitamin C. I'm gonna take this moment to tell you how happy it makes me when a beverage is good for you. This includes 100% of the vitamin C you need in a day. It also has 29 grams of sugar, all from fruit juice. As I said before, I've hyped this up in my mind to potentially being the greatest grape soda ever. Let's you, and me, find out together.

It smells like grape juice, which I guess would be pretty obvious after reading the back of the bottle. Well I can't very well call it grape soda anymore because of the amount of juice. In a sentence it tastes like fizzy grape juice... which is exactly what it is. It seems to have a bit of a fermented taste as well, but nothing over powering. I like the crisp grape flavor that it leaves in my mouth. I like grape juice, but this doesn't leave that mucus feel that straight grape juice would. While the bottle pleased me greatly, the beverage is just above average. I can't criticize them though, they delivered exactly what they said they would. Fizzy water + Fruit Juice = Fizzy Lizzy.

~A