Olipop Vintage Cola

Onli Green Tea Lemongrass Mango

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

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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

Xyience Xenergy Honey Ginseng

I don’t normally review non-carbonated beverages, but when the company who creates that beverage reaches out to me then who am I to say no.  Today’s drink up on deck is Xyience Xenergy Honey Ginseng.  Those of you who are fans of the UFC should recognize Xyience Xenergy as the official energy drink of the UFC.  If you didn’t know that, then perhaps they should rework their ad campaign.

Xyience Xenergy is sugar free, zero calorie, and vitamin fortified.  The Honey Ginseng flavor I’ve chosen includes Green Tea in the ingredients list along with several other words that you may have seen alongside some B vitamins and several other words that are much harder to say.

In case you weren’t aware Xyience means extreme science, and Xenergy is a blend of Zen and Energy.  With all nomenclature explained we should be ok to move on.

The faintest of faint aromas sits at the mouth of my newly opened can.  It smells slightly of honey and green tea...which is good because that’s what they’re going for.  Hopefully the taste is as inoffensive as the scent.

Four word review.  “Yay. Huh? Eh. Alright.”  Now let’s break it down.

Yay.  A cool refreshing burst of honey and green tea washes across my mouth.  It cools everything it comes in contact with, satisfying a thirst I wasn’t even aware I had.

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Twist is a Mad Xyientist.

Huh?  The gears change direction and now the ginseng and chemicals take over.  It’s not a complete 180 from what I first experienced, but I much preferred the initial taste to what I have now.

Eh.  So I guess I’m stuck with this new taste, but my mouth has quickly accepted this fate.  It’s not so bad and it’s still tastier than most energy drinks.  I really wished that first flavor would have lasted longer.

Alright.  So my wish is sorta coming true.  During the aftertaste the ginseng gives way once again to the honey and greet tea I initially enjoyed.  The only difference is that ginseng is still chilling there in the corner sulking because I didn’t like him as much.  The sweetness from the honey leaves a lasting impression and makes it very easy to return the can to my mouth.

Xyience Xenergy Honey Ginseng is a fantastic energy drink and a pretty solid regular drink to boot.  I could honestly see myself drinking this just because I enjoyed the flavor.  Yeah, there is a bit of weakness shown in the middle of each sip, but XXHG doesn’t tap out.  See what I did there?  I worked in an MMA reference to make part of the review quirky.  I should probably stop while I’m ahead.

~A

This soda supplied to us by Xyience

Zusma - Power Peach (Fan Review!)

Zusma is an energy drink produced by the HEB chain of supermarkets to be sold in its stores.  Actually its an energy "tea," and comes in a variety of flavors.  What makes this product an energy tea? Well it’s the ingredients.  Zusma is made with both black and green tea and contains all natural sweeteners.  This concoction seems to be a rather unique and refreshing brew compared with most of the energy beverage market in my opinion and seems to be worth a shot.  So I make the purchase, happy that I found what looks to be a decent drink to review.

Today's flavor is Power Peach.  I have chilled my can to a near frozen state for a couple of reasons.  The first is personal preference, and the other is a safety precaution.  I have found that even the worst tasting beverages are somewhat more palatable when chilled.  So with that being said I crack open the top.  Yep, this stuff smells like peach.  The smell isn't offensive and is actually inviting.  So I take a sip.  This stuff is decent.  The carbonation seems to overpower the peach taste somewhat, or it could be that the peach taste is mild enough that it doesn't stand out. Either way Zusma Peach is off to a good start. After a few more sips I notice that neither the taste nor the carbonation grow stale.  The base tea flavors are discernible and make for a seamless taste when added with peach.  This stuff isn't bad, and I would place it above most of the energy beverage on the market.  Actually, I would probably buy this flavor again! 

Folks Zusma Power Peach is a solid choice when searching for a decent tasting and affordable energy drink, or in this case energy tea.

C.W

Reed's Natural Energy Elixir

   My apologies for putting this review up so late after we completed the Popcast.  We try and have them up within a few days after recording, but with the holidays, and all, I got behind.  Wait a second… why am I apologizing?  I’m a Jerk!  Today I hold in my hand a beverage with an erupting volcano on the front, Reed’s Natural Energy Elixir.  I’ll tell you right now that I’m excited to drink this for a couple of reasons.  Reason one is that it’s from Reed’s, and they very rarely steer us in the wrong direction.  The second reason is that this beverage holds the title of an elixir.  I wish there were more elixirs on the market.

   Since this is an energy drink you would assume it has a chemical taste.  Well had you listened to the Popcast you’d know that it does not, and that can be attributed to its long list of natural ingredients.  Here’s the list that they put on the side of the can, with each of their benefits.

Ginger – powerful antioxidant, increases metabolism, elevates mood, improves digestion and nutrition absorption.

Green Tea – rich in epigallacatechin gallate (EGCG) a powerful antioxidant, a natural source of caffeine, lowers bad cholesterol.

Ginseng – a powerful adaptogen that counters stress and increases endurance.

Goji – Himalayan longevity secret with powerful antioxidants, counters aging, and increases resistance to disease.

Açaí – a rainforest super fruit packed with antioxidants, energy, and nutrition

Camu Camu – a rainforest super fruit with the highest concentration of vitamin C on any plant, antioxidant, mood balancing, antidepressant.

Jiaogulan – called the immortality herb, a powerful adaptogen that increases the body’s resistance to stress.

L-Theanine – an amino acid that creates a sense of relaxation and alertness similar to meditation.

B Vitamins – essential nutrients that help counteract stressful living.

   With this being my second can of Reed’s Natural Energy Elixir, I am sure I will achieve strenght, and immortality with the above ingredients.  I will overpower Mike (since he foolishly only had one can) and become the lone Soda Jerk.  Being a Soda Jerk is a lot like being a Highlander… except real.  Let’s move on shall we.

   After I crack open the top, I immediately get the strong smell of ginger, with a hint of honey.  It’s not exactly an inviting odor to me, but it doesn’t scare me away either.  It is nice to have such a powerful aroma coming off the top of a drink though; it means that each sip will more than likely be flavorful.  Let’s drink.

   As stated earlier, this drink doesn’t have the chemical taste of other energy beverages.  In fact if you look at the ingredient list as you drink, you can pick out the individual flavors.  You can taste the honey, the lemon/lime… this elixir has a complicated set of flavors if you look for it.  Ginger root is still the strongest flavor in the can, and it’s pretty well documented that I don’t like the burning sensation ginger produces when consumed, and Reed’s Natural Energy Elixir is a culprit as well.  I will say that it doesn’t have the burn of a ginger beer, and it’s tolerable by my own standards.  Since we judge all beverages the same, I will say that as sodas go it’s just alright.  On a second note, this drink does work well at giving you energy.  I don't feel jittery after trying it, just much more aware of what's going on around me.  The score won’t reflect how good of an energy drink it is, and let me tell you it’s a good one.  

~A

Twist has enjoyed 5 cans so far... there can be only one!

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

Oogave Esteban's Cola

   I’m very excited to try this next soda, Esteban’s Cola by Oogave.Before I begin, here’s a little history on the naming of Esteban’s Cola straight from the maker himself.

“We did the sodas in our restaurant for about four months before someone came up and said "you need a name." Funny, it never occurred to us to name it. And we decided to name the rootbeer after me with a Spanish flare because of how difficult the rootbeer was to achieve. The citrus flavors.......pretty much made themselves, but when you get into savory flavors like rootbeer and cola, you are taking on a whole world of possibilities. Incidentally, the only reason the cola has my name is because "Cola" is so short a word it looked strange on the packaging.”

   There, don’t you feel smarter?By the way Oogave soda is also USDA Organic, and Kosher... I think that’s pretty much everything that we may have previously missed on the label.Bonus information, the caffeine used in Esteban’s Cola is from green tea leaves... ok less typing, more drinking.

   Here goes.First off it has a good cola smell. I know that probably sounds weird, but smell is a big part of your taste.Now I sound like a 2nd grade Science teacher.The first thing I notice is how smooth this cola is.There’s not a lot of carbonation, so it’s not really fizzy.I can’t really compare it to another well known cola, which is good on their part.Since you’re forcing my hand to compare it to something I’ve had before, it would have to be Health Cola.Stop wincing at the name Health Cola btw, if you read that review you’ll know it scored well.While Health Cola was also low on the carbonation scale, it tasted a bit flat.This does not.Just because something doesn’t have carbonation doesn’t make it “taste flat”.This cola tastes very fresh actually, and every time I drink it I taste the slightest bit of cherry.Now there are no cherries to be seen in this beverage, I’m just saying what I’m taste.

   Not that you really wanted to know this, but Esteban’s Cola produces very clean burps.No “wow that root beer tasted better the first time” moments to be had.While I haven’t had all of the Oogave products yet, this is my favorite to date.If I had to improve it in some magical way, I would add a little more carbonation.I like my drinks a little fizzier... fizzyer....fizzier?Anywho, if you see Esteban’s Cola just buy it.

~A

Doesn't Twist look dapper in his black hat off to the side?

Cricket Pomegranate Raspberry Enhanced with Green Tea

Mike enjoyed the Cricket Cola he had so much, and spoke of the Cricket brand so highly, I decided it was time for me to try it as well. I went with Cricket Pomegranate Raspberry Enhanced with Green Tea. The bottle design is great, I really enjoy the style Cricket uses in their products. The label also claims to be "All Natural", and I'm sure you know by now that usually equates to higher ratings in our book. The ingredients are as follows: Sparkling Filtered Water, Invert Cane Sugar, Brewed Green Tea Concentrate, Citric Acid, Natural Pomegranate Raspberry Flavor, and Fruit and Vegetable Juice for color.

That is a very impressive list of ingredients, it may not go to the ends of the earth like Virgil's Root beer, but it doesn't need to. Also on the bottle they make sure you see that there is an equivalent to two cups of Green Tea in each bottle. I personally have no hatred, nor fondness of green tea. It works in some situations, like we are about to see. In others it's a bit odd, like in Steaz Green Tea Root beer.

The mouth feel of this is very light, slightly bubbly, and just enough flavor. You can taste both the Pomegranate and Raspberry very easily. It tastes healthy, and I don't mean that in a V8 kind of way. It's so light, and has just the right mixture of fruit flavoring that it couldn't be bad for you. The green tea flavoring makes an appearance at the end of you drink, a bit strong for me, but still needed. Never does your mouth feel syrupy, which is nice. If I had to make any improvements on it, I'd probably move it a notch or two in a stronger flavor direction. The only problem with that is you begin testing the balance of flavor, and light mouth feel.

~A

Canada Dry Green Tea Ginger Ale

So a coworker mentioned that during the little hurricane we had down here, she went to the local grocery store to stock up on whatever everyone hadn't already hoarded for no reason whatsoever. Anyhoo, she stumbled upon Canada Dry Green Tea Ginger Ale, which as soon as I heard those words I knew I had to seek it out considering it contains three wonderful things: ginger ale, green tea, and Canada.

Thankfully it's really good. Crisp and refreshing are the two words that come to mind when I drink it. It's very lite tasting, and I don't mean in a sense of low in sugar or diet, I mean the flavor is lite; there is no heavy ginger ale taste, it's milder, and I'm really enjoying the change. Of course there is green tea flavour, and that too is mild but balances well with the ginger ale. I'd say in comparison with the previously reviewed Cricket, the green tea in this is on par, possibly just the tiniest bit less. The sweetness is at a perfect level with the ginger ale and green tea tastes.

Unlike the usual crop of sodas we review, this is not chock full of natural ingredients, like, ya know, sugar. We get good ol' high fructose corn syrup here, but again this is already very lite tasting, so it doesn't have the high level of sticky flavour that HFSC gives. The unique ingredients in this one are, of course, the green tea, but there is also 100% of your daily value of vitamin C per can, which honestly, seems to be in everything now. That along with the green tea provide 200mg of antioxidants.

Being that it's sold with the "mainstream" sodas, the price is on par with Coke, Pepsi, and other normal soda products. I really hope this sticks around, I like it a lot and would make this my ginger ale of choice easily. From the miracle of the internet it seems that this is also available in 20oz and 2 liter bottles.

-Mike

Cricket Green Tea Cola

This had to be one of the most aesthetically pleasing packages I've seen, which is honestly part of the reason I picked it up. That and I actually wanted to enjoy the beverage of choice this week so I played it safe with cola.

My theory was correct as I found another winner. The box exclaimed "Cane Sugar. Kola Nut. Green Tea." How could this not be good? In fact, it also stated "Expect this to be good." Sold.

This cola, in comparison to the ginseng cola I reviewed not too long ago, is more of a Coca-Cola rather than an RC, which is okay, although between those two I'd prefer RC. It's hard to explain but there's almost a lemon-tea flavor going on in the background. I guess that should be easy to notice considering lemon cola exists, but honestly I think it's just the crispness of the cane sugar along with the subtle green tea in the background. Green tea is the third ingredient, even above that "less than .5%" of kola nut, so this is more of a green tea soda than a cola, so you will taste it. Being a green tea fan, that's a very good thing.

Whatever it's boiled down to, it's delicious. Easily as good as ginseng cola, but quite different.

-Mike