Better Libations | Healthy Drink Reviews

I'm green with. . .protein

Every once in a while I get an urge to try a protein drink, despite their notoriously gritty texture and ugly mouthfeel, mostly because I go to the gym and need the most protein without the added calories of fat and carbohydrates.  These experiments usually end with a grimace and a vow never to drink another one, but I inevitably forget and see something new.  That brings you today’s post, Mix 1 Key Lime ‘enhanced protein shake’!

Now, it isn’t fair to characterize all protein drinks as a horrible experience, that has just been my sum of experiences.  The idea behind it isn’t to enjoy a smooth, delicious beverage, it’s to pack a ton of protein into your body so you can blow out every major muscle group you have doing power cleans and bench pressing while groaning like a geriatric.  Protein builds and maintains muscle, and eating too much doesn’t necessarily harm you, your body uses what it needs and disposes of the rest.

It smells exactly how I expected it to, like a lime flavored protein shake. The taste is better than I anticipated, smooth and not as thick as I suspected it to be.  The sweetness is very light, and the lime is bold and sour, almost to the point of tasting artificial.  The ingredient list denies this, listing only juice concentrate (lime, apple) and citric acid.  This goes down surprisingly well, smooth and not a single bit of grit.  Overall this was much better than I hoped it would be, leaving only a milky feeling in my mouth due to the whey protein isolate, a milk by-product.  A large amount of vitamins and minerals was added, 23 total, with 15 g of protein and plenty of antioxidants.  Calories come in at 200 for the 11 oz bottle, but only 22 g of sugars.

Drinking this has changed my mind quite a bit on what a protein drink can be like; it doesn’t have to be a harrowing journey into an abyss of gag-inducing textures from gritty, tasteless mixes than slide down your throat like a stagnant oily slurry.  They can actually taste good.

Score: 4.5 out of 5. A tasty, smooth entry into a world of thick, gritty protein shakes.

– WiseGuise

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4-Star Reviews, Mix1 all natural, independent company

Simple designs are not always boring

I came by this simple looking can at my local Sunflower Market, and I liked the design and possibility of trying a new flavor from this established company, and though their reviews here have not yet broken past a 3, I’m more than willing to give a company another chance.  Also, I was thirsty and this was on sale.  Everyone wins!

Sparkling water doesn’t usually agree with me, and this isn’t quite an exception, but close.  The fizziness doesn’t totally turn me off, and I hear some people like that sort of thing.  The scents are understated but tangible, the cranberry doesn’t walk over the grapefruit or vice versa.  The taste is about the same, tame and fairly equal, although the grapefruit wins out for the aftertaste.  The fruitiness is light, as is the sweetness, 24 g of cane sugar in this 10.5 oz can (far below our benchmark can-of-Coke).  Aftertaste is pleasant and sweet, no dry-mouth or cotton-tongue.

Hansen’s seems to still be doing business independently, with several different lines of drinks and several new products like this one. I also noticed that they are quite open about their financial information and any inter-company agreements, so kudos on the transparency.  As for the beverage, I found the taste to be quite enjoyable, cranberry and grapefruit mix surprisingly well.  The carbonation was a little too intense for me, although others may enjoy it far more, I’m not a sparkling water kind of guy.

Score: 4 out of 5. A natural, fizzy sparkling water with the right amount of taste and sugar.

– WiseGuise

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4-Star Reviews, Hansen's all natural, independent company

Time to try out another entry from Zevia, the number one soda from our top 10 list of 2009.  Zevia already has a good lineup of soda flavors, including a lemon-lime, a cola, a ginger ale, and a root beer.  Following the soda chain of command, Zevia has developed a flavor called Dr. Zevia.  (Perhaps an ubercaffienated Zevia Dew is next?)  I like Dr. Pepper’s flavor anyway, so I’m curious to see what Zevia does with it.  So without further ado…

Fragrance: I smell a light, sweet cherry scent that reminds me of Zevia’s Black Cherry flavor, except not as deep.

Taste: Cherry is the prominent player in this flavor, backed up by hints of cola and spices.  It is similar to Dr. Pepper, but with more of a fruity twist.  In fact, it’s exactly what I imagine Dr. Pepper Cherry tastes like.  It’s pleasantly fizzy and just sweet enough.  A lot of flavor comes out in the aftertaste, too, possibly because of Zevia’s use of flavor oils.  As with the other Zevia flavors (or any stevia/erythritol-sweetened drinks), you can tell that there is something different from sugar-sweetened drinks.  But I find the stevia flavor to be much more palate-pleasing than any artificial sweetener.

Health: We’re all about natural at BL, and Zevia is good at that.  (They were the first all-natural diet soda, actually).  The stevia/erythritol sweetening combo delivers the illusive package of flavor and health properties.  It’s hard to argue with zero carbs, zero calories, and zero glycemic index.  I dare say that if we as a country were able to cut even half of our liquid sugar intake, we’d be in a whole lot better shape.  And Zevia is one great way to do it without sacrificing your penchant for sweet bubbly liquid.

Overall: This is another solid entry for Zevia.  Think of Dr. Pepper with a fruitier, cherry twist.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

-Danithius-

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***Review Rebuttal!***

I agree with Danithius, which renders this less a rebuttal than a yes-man follow-up.  The taste is slightly reminiscent of a Dr. or Mr. soda, with that obvious cherry kick at the end. I like the oils and flavors Esteban added, giving this soda an original taste that is sorely needed among the copycat formulation heavily prevalent in the industry.  Another win by Zevia!

4-Star Reviews, Zevia

While browsing at my local Fresh Market (formerly known as Albertson’s in Utah) and came upon this pricey bottle, sold at a staggering $6.79 for the 32 ounces.  But, it was a local product, and in the name of pure curiosity, I grabbed it.  I winced after scanning it, slid my card, and brought my new acquisition home.  The name, MOAB, stands for Most Optimum Antioxidant Beverage, which sounds like a forced acronym with a possible intentional reference to a famous Utah town of the same name.  Mangosteen is a relatively unknown taste for my palate, so I was excited to try it.  The next day, I carefully opened the bottle, careful not to spill the expensive liquid, and the rest, they say, is my post.

I came into this post with equal parts excitement and hesitation, like your first time jumping of the high-dive.  I am immediately wary of anything using the word ’superfruit,’ but I am always more than willing to try something new.    At first smell, the lychee (second ingredient) wallops me with its powerful, delicious scent, with a citrus-y background that should be the mangosteen.  After a sip of the precious fluid, I am amazed at how good it tastes, especially compared to other ’superfruit’ drinks (we will have more to say about them later).  There is a tangy sweetness that isn’t overpowered by the lychee.  There are several other filler juices in here to tame the flavors, but the end result is taste-bud ecstasy.  It’s a little thick, but not unpleasantly so, and not gritty.

Along with the long list of vitamins, antioxidants and other various contents like sterols (don’t worry, they fight cholesterol) there is a great deal of sugar in here.  About 30 g to the 8 oz serving, that’s more than Coke, but at least it’s from fruit.  The truth about mangosteen, as far as I can gather, is that its health claims are highly overblown; the supposed high concentration of nutrients and antioxidants are located in the inedible skin, called the exocarp, and can only be obtained when pureed as a whole or added, adding astringency and a purple color to the juice.  This looks more like a good, pressed, apple cider.

So, although the mangosteen is probably more of a novelty than a superfruit, all the good stuff is in this bottle, including flavor and possible health benefits.  However, there’s a lot of sugar in there too.  And don’t forget about the cost, although it’s a bargain compared to something like Xango.

Score: 4.5 out of 5. Would I purchase it again?  Probably not.  Would I drink it if offered? Hell, yes.  Delicious.

– Wiseguise

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4-Star Reviews, M.O.A.B. drink reviews, mangosteen, superfruit

Hey there Libationers!  I have a new selection here from a company called Jackson Hole Soda Company out of Wyoming.  I found it at Sundance ski resort out here in the great state of Utaw.  I’m still waiting to hear from the company about the sugar content – there is no nutritional information on the bottle.

For the time being, let’s judge this stuff on flavor merit.  A strong berry fragrance emanates from the bottle.  It smells tart and sweet.  I just hope it doesn’t prove too sweet.

I take a swig, and the sweet berry flavor swirls around my tongue.  It’s not too sweet, though, and it packs a surprisingly deep flavor.  Something like a berry cola?  A berry root beer?  It’s a pleasant surprise – there are definitely some bigger players at work than just the berry.  Then again, I’ve never tried a real-life huckleberry, so maybe this is what they taste like?  If so, I have to have one!

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 – a surprisingly tasty, independently bottled old-fashioned soda

Danithius

User Ratings: (2 votes, average: 4.50 out of 5)
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4-Star Reviews, Jackson Hole Soda Co. drink reviews

Greetings Libationers!  A couple of days ago I was wandering the aisles of my local food purveyor co-op, and what should I see there but a brand-new Lifewater flavor!  The title “Cherimoya Punch” grabbed my eyes from the frosted plastic bottle, and I knew I had to have it.  And of course, since it was a new flavor debut, it was on sale.  Double-score for me!

Cherimoya and I have a brief but torrid history together.  My chef at culinary school was the first to introduce me to this mysterious fruit.  He came into the kitchen one day with a big plastic bag full of exotic fruits for the class to try.

“Is there a fruit that I haven’t tried yet?” I muttered incredulously.  “Ppph, I don’t think that’s even possible.”

But my eyes widened as he pulled a lumpy, greenish-brown thing from the bag and immediately cut it in half.  It had white flesh on the inside with big, brown seeds.

“This,” chef said, “is the Cherimoya.”

I squeezed through my classmates for a better look.  What was this?  I had to try some!

The chef picked up a spoon - a spoon! – and scooped out a bit of the soft, white flesh.  He popped it merrily into his mouth and spat out the seed.  He told everyone to do the same.  Seeing some dubious faces, he egged us on: “come on, it tastes like bubblegum!”

I grabbed a spoon and scooped out a chunk of fruit.  Feeling the excitement of new experience, I raised it to my mouth and popped it in.

The flavor was amazing.  It was like bubblegum, except 50 times better.  It was like a big slap in the face to bubblegum flavor scientists everywhere.  By Mother Nature.  I didn’t even notice the giant seed in the middle until all of the delicious white flesh had melted away.  I had to have more!  Who had been keeping this fruit secret from me?!  They would pay dearly for their treachery…

But I digress.  In brief, I like the Cherimoya.  And I’m staring at this Lifewater bottle in my hands, hoping that Sobe doesn’t disappoint me.

I twist off the cap and take a whiff.  The smell reminds me of some kind of tropical bubblegum with a hint of sour.  It’s a good start, and I hope the taste can deliver that slice of heaven that I’m expecting.

I take a sip.  It’s… puzzling.  I can sense that bit of cherimoya-bubblegummy goodness coming out to greet me, but there are definitely other players here.  A tinge of sour.  A soft note of… banana?  Well, I suppose it is called “Cherimoya Punch“, so it makes sense.  And the flavors do come together in a nice harmony.  And, true to Lifewater’s tradition, the sweetness level is perfect. OK, I’m liking this.

Yes, I’m nearing the end of the bottle now, and I think Lifewater has pulled it off again with this one.  Cherimoya Punch’s flavor is deep and complex, while still being entirely chuggable and very refreshing.  I dig.

This beverage does contain an ingredient list that requires an encyclopedia to decipher, which can be worrisome.  I have ventured out on the internets to look them up, however, and they are mostly vitamins, weight-loss/fat burning ingredients, and flavors.   I haven’t found anything (yet) to be concerned about in this drink, but if there are any chemists or nutritionists out there who want to enlighten me, be my guest!

A quick note on the sweeteners – Lifewater is still one of the only “diet” products that I drink regularly (the other being Zevia soda), and it’s because they consistently get the sweetness level just right, and there is little to no strange “diet” aftertaste.  There is also the fact that they use Stevia and Erythritol, which are both natural ingredients.  (What do I think about artificially created sweeteners, you ask?  Well, you could make tire rubber taste exactly like sugar, but that doesn’t mean that I’d want to eat it.)

Finally, allow me to make one humble request:

Sobe flavor-creation people, could you please make me a batch of pure Cherimoya-flavored Lifewater?  Pretty please?  You don’t know what I would give for such a thing.  The least of which is my eternal love and devotion, and the most of which is something priceless.  Rhymes with shmeldest fun.  Call me!

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 – Another well-balanced, flavorful, “non-diety” diet drink.  Cheers!

-Danithius-

User ratings: (3 votes, average: 4.33 out of 5)
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4-Star Reviews, SoBe Life Water

As is usual when we receive a group of drinks to try, we split them up according to our preference, expertise, or just at random.  In this case it was all three.  I chose Esteban’s Rootbeer as my first, since Danithius had already tried it, and I gave my rebuttal.  My second oogave choice was this fruity number, since I am fond of citrus in mostly healthy ways.

Popping the top, my nose is greeted by  light, grapefruit-y scent, sweet and bubbly as your favorite waitress.  The taste follows with an undeniable link to the citrus waft, although more hinted at than fully explored, finishing with a grape-y mellow sweetness with a lingering memory of grapefruit o the back of your tongue.  None of the sour or bitterness I expected is evident, which is usually associated with this particular fruit, but not necessarily in a bad way.  Many are turned off by this pithy flavor in grapefruit, which is unwarranted.  Good grapefruits are sweet.

The agave tends to coat your mouth and throat, definitely leaning this towards being a sipping soda.  The agave nectar does seem to make me feel fuller after topping off my lunch with this, I don’t need to hit the water cooler or find something else to snack on.  I am refreshed and full.  I found this a welcome alternative to traditional sodas, oogave definitely has something here.

Score: 4.5 out of 5. A tad sweet, but definitely a citrus soda I will remember.

– WiseGuise

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4-Star Reviews, oogave oogave, organic

Time to pop open another oogave – this time it’s their Ginger Ale.  I take a whiff and am punched in the nose by a fresh ginger scent.  It smells real, not like some kind of ginger flavoring or powder.  It’s intense… I wonder how much will come through in the flavor?

Answer: a whole lot!  This is definitely on the intense side of the ginger-ale spice scale.  It has a honey-sweet (agave-sweet, actually) flavor that works well with the ginger extract.  Despite the sweetness, this flavor clocks in at only 24 grams of sugar per bottle.  Impressive.  It does have a slight astringency on the back end, but some of that can be ascribed to the ginger extract.

After nursing half of the bottle, I’ve decided that I’m a fan.  I like the bold ginger flavoring – it’s completely different from the “Dry” ginger ales that flood the popular market.  And yet it’s not so spicy that it’s overwhelming – it’s very sippable.  This could be a great palate-cleanser, or an accompaniment to a spicy meal.  It’s refreshing.

Rating: 4.0 out of 5. A spicy, agave-sweetened ginger ale that’s low on sugar yet high in flavor.

-Danithius-

User Rating: (1 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)
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4-Star Reviews, oogave agave, drink reviews, oogave

The folks at Oogave were kind enough to send us a sampler of their six Agave-sweetened sodas. As always, we use the same criterion to judge samples sent to us as we do for our normal reviews. (Though we do give priority in the review queue to them).

Today I’ll jump right to the flavor that first caught my eye – Watermelon Cream. I just now popped open the bottle, and I’m trying to figure out what candy this smell reminds me of. Cotton candy? No. Bubble gum? No… Razzles? Arg, it’s going to drive me crazy.

OK, enough time contemplating the smell, I’m thirsty. I take a sip and let it sink in. There is definitely a bubblegum high note in this, with middle notes that deliver the watermelon flavor nicely. I’m surprised that Oogave pulled off this sweet flavor with only 24 grams of sugar in the whole bottle. (Our favorite measuring stick is a 12 oz can of Coca Cola, which contains 39 grams. There are sodas with even more sugar, but a can of Coke is a good average.) I pour some out into a glass, and am amused to discover a nice light pink-champagne color. The drink doesn’t taste very creamy to me, but the bubble-gummy flavor works well together with the watermelon.

I could see this making my regular rotation – it has low sugar, a refreshing flavor, and a rare choice of sweetener. There are a lot of interesting facts about agave nectar, the most striking of which is its low glycemic load. On oogave’s website they assert that agave nectar has a substantive feel, which helps your body know when it’s “full” in a way that HFCS doesn’t. To use their words, your body “doesn’t allow you to pound down a two-liter bottle [of oogave]. It will let you know when you have had enough”. I just like the fact that oogave is actually advocating moderate use of its product! (And not because they’re forced to, like liquor companies).

For my part, I did feel “full” after drinking this bottle, but I was never one to “pound down a two-liter bottle” of anything, especially HFCS soda, so I don’t know what the difference is like. Maybe I’ll take one for the team and try an experiment sometime…

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.0 – A solid agave-sweetened soda with an original flavor and low sugar.

-Danithius-

User Ratings: (1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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4-Star Reviews, oogave agave, drink reviews, oogave, watermelon cream

Ito En, as a Japanese beverage company, is one of the leading manufacturers of tea, although this beverage is manufactured in China, brought in through Hawaii, and distributed through their North America office in New York.  Quite a journey for a small bottle of tea.  the FDA says it’s cool, so I’ll give this one a chance to prove it’s tea goodness, China is known for their tea.

I popped open their supposed environmentally-responsible bottle and gave it the old scent test.  I get the overwhelming image of a fresh cut pear wrapped in tea leaves, sweet and aromatic.  Good so far.  A swig later, and my tongue is reveling in the delightful pear-y taste, giving way to a surprisingly strong tea flavor for a white tea; and with surprising sweetness for only 30 g of the sweet stuff in the whole 16 oz bottle.  The finish is a little dry with a lingering sweet-pear flavor.

Fruit teas are hard to nail down properly, often the fruit overwhelms the tea, or is left far too understated to avoid this cover-up.  This tea has struck a good balance, a good pear flavor with a nice strong tea to follow, although the sweetness is beginning to feel like a little too much, they might want to take a cue from Honest Tea and tone it down a bit.  Ito En surely knows how to make a good fruit tea, although too sweet, it still has its merits.

Score: 4.5 out of 5. Excellent balance for a fruit tea, just a tad too sweet.

– WiseGuise

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4-Star Reviews, Ito En, Tasty Japanese Drinks all natural, drink reviews, white tea