Better Libations | Healthy Drink Reviews

Simple, just like this beverage

Hello fellow libation connoisseurs, I bring you the last in our new series of Zevia reviews, just as Danithius promised.  This last round has been fun, and what a better way to end it than with a caffeine-free diet cola!  I’ve always been a fan of colas, and I have recently (last year or so) attempted to gain an appreciation for the diet version, trying to cut the excess sugar out of my life.  When I tried  Zevia’s Natural Cola, I was pleasantly surprised. It had a few things mainstream colas don’t (like no sugar) and has a pleasant taste.  It is only fitting that Zevia compliment it with an uncaffeinated version for those who don’t imbibe this stimulant.  It comes in a bright blue can, and honestly, I like the new design; it’s simple but stands out in the crowded soda aisle.

This has a light cola effervescence, lacking any strong olfactory kick, which works for a diet cola.  The soda is nice and fizzy, without being too much so, like the rest of their line.  A kola flavor is very evident, without taking over the tongue enough to obscure the citrus background flavors and the spicy sweetness given to it by the nutmeg and stevia.  I’m rather fond of this flavor combination, removing the caffeine doesn’t seem to have effected the taste in any noticeable way.

As with all the other Zevia beverages we have reviewed, this is made from all natural ingredients, has no calories or sugar, being sweetened with erythritol and stevia.  I’m seeing them in more and more stores that I frequent, which pleases me.  I would highly recommend this to anyone trying to kick a sugary cola habit, or looking for an alternative to those mainstream diet colas loaded with artificial sweeteners and preservatives.  And on the plus side it tastes great, I may like it even more than its caffeinated comrade.

Score: 5 out of 5. A pleasing and flavorful alternative to sugary, caffeinated colas.

– WiseGuise

User Reviews: (1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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5-Star Reviews, Stevia, Zevia all natural, Stevia, Zevia

Today's model, Edel the corgador.

We’ve reviewed a surprising number of grapefruit-themed beverages on this site (search it if you don’t believe me) and I am pleased to see this flavor being tackled by Zevia, one of out favorite soda companies.  The mainstream attention to this complex flavor is sparse, limited to just about Fresca and Squirt; however, the independent companies seem more keen on their attempts to master it, so we’ll see how this one fares.

The scent is thin and citrusy, like being in a room where someone is cutting open citrus fruits. The taste is suddenly tart and vaguely citrus, with a very light hint of something like  grapefruit, but it fades quickly, leaving me with the iconic sweetness of stevia and just a memory of the flavor.  In fairness, the word ‘citrus’ is bigger than the word ‘grapefruit’, but  I was still hoping for more of a grapefruit taste.

The overall impact of this on my taste buds was less than I had hoped, despite its still unique flavor, and left me wanting the dry, tart, sweet taste of a grapefruit.  Don’t get me wrong, it’s still tasty and refreshing, with a perfect fizz factor, it’s just not what I was expecting.  For those not fond of lemon-lime sodas but still crave a fizzy citrus beverage, this might be right up your alley.

Score: 3.5 out of 5. Citrusy for sure, but misses the mark on the grapefruit.

– WiseGuise

User Reviews: (1 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)
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**Danithius Review Rebuttal!**

Hmm, I agree with WiseGuise on this one.  It is vaguely citrus-y, but if you blindfolded me with a gun to my head and asked what this tasted like, the last words out of my lips would be “Diet Sprite?”  I don’t pick up on the grapefruit much at all, but I wish I did – I’m a big fan of a good grapefruity drink.  I think this one could use a trip back to the lab.  I’ll give it the same score as WiseGuise.

3-Star Reviews, Zevia all natural, drink reviews, Stevia, Zevia

For our final Zevia review, I bring you Natural Orange, Zevia’s calorie-free, all-natural answer to every other generic orange soda out there.  Even the pleasant orange color is all natural, pulled from the annatto plant (where achiote comes from, for you foodies).

The scent reminds me of Sunkist, although, I’ve always been partial to Hi-C.  The taste is a tad more subtle than other, uber-sweet orange drinks.  The carbonation bite hits you first, and the orange is ushered in after, a tangy-sweet that is light on your tongue but lasting.  I have noticed this about the Zevia drinks, the sweetness always lingers for a while, with no bitterness accompanying it.  The lack of chemicals and preservatives is my top suspect in this case.

This comes off as a little weak in flavor in comparison to more well-known orange refreshers, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.  The fake citrus taste in many of these is often too strong and sugary to enjoy, and this is where the simplicity of Zevia lifts itself above the crowd of generic, knock-off sodas as well as the top-sellers.  The stevia/erythritol combination gives it a distinct taste, which rises over the carbonation and then tapers off to the lasting sweetness.

One thing that bugs me about Zevia, despite the great re-design, is that it’s damn hard to see the ingredients list on the side of the can.  It blends in too well with the background.  Other then that, I have had a generally positive experience with Zevia, despite my bias against diet-sodas.  Kudos to Zevia for putting an all-natural, calorie-free soda out in a market saturated with chemically-sweetened drinks.  Now that those who like soda but not the sugar have a better option, I hope they do well.

Score: 4.5 out of 5. Not a flavor explosion, but subtle, sweet and better for you.

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**Danithius Review Rebuttal!**

Well, it’s not so much a rebuttal, because I am in complete agreement with Wise Guise on this one.  It’s true, the real orange flavor of this contender is in the aftertaste, which blends nicely with the sweeteners as they build up to a nice climax a few seconds after it hits your tongue.  It’s pleasantly different from other orange sodas, and like the other Zevia flavors I don’t really get a “diet soda” vibe from it.  You can tell it’s different from sugar-sweetened sodas, of course, but it’s a subtle, natural sweet that I’ve taken a liking to.  I’ll drink this stuff any time.

Danithius’ score: 4.5 out of 5

4-Star Reviews, Zevia all natural, drink reviews, Stevia, Zevia

Yes, those are bright red cabinets.

Danithius thought that he could steal this review from me, but I’m going to one-up him and steal it back.  That’s right, take that, my soda-loving friend. I promised the people my words, and they will have them! I completely agree with the following.

I split my remaining sodas with my roommate, who enjoyed this drink as much as I did.  After opening the can, your nostrils are lovingly caressed by a rich, earthy root beer scent.  It has all the right ingredients – anise oil, wintergreen oil, cassia and citrus oils, and ginger root extract.  So how is the flavor for this one?

I can taste a little bit of the ginger and anise extracts immediately, but the real flavor of this root beer comes through in the aftertaste, as all of the different flavor oils mingle on your tongue.  This is good, because any Stevia/Erythritol flavor seems to come out in the aftertaste as well.  It’s a different sensation that I’m used to with sugar-sweetened root beers, who usually have a very up-front bite that fades away at a steady pace.  This root beer seems to have a bite that builds for another second or so after you swallow, and a flavor that lingers longer than the norm.  I can still taste the sip I drank over 30 seconds ago.  But it’s a good, savory flavor that I don’t mind hanging around.

Score: 4.5 out of 5

-Danithius-
and
–WiseGuise

User Reviews: (1 votes, average: 3.00 out of 5)
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4-Star Reviews, Zevia drink reviews, Zevia

Au natural, on concrete.

I’ll be taking up the reins for the rest of the Zevia reviews, since I’ve been slacking off a little due to school and now have more time to burn.  Danithius should be adding his two-cents in rebuttal form later.  Enjoy my sarcasm and superfluous links.

This is my favorite, so far, of the Zevia products I have tried, a simple, citrus-based soda.  It has a pleasant aroma that reminds me of Sprite, and the flavor is close to it as well, but without the carbonation bite I recall from my days of chugging it relentlessly.  This leaves a lingering sweetness on the back of your tongue, not at all like a diet soda that leaves that chemical taste behind. It is overall refreshing and I have a hard time detecting the erythritol/stevia blend, which I like.  The citrus oils blend nicely and make me wish I have more than just this can left.

Something I found out while preparing this post: Zevia packages their drinks in cans made from recycled aluminum, which is earth-friendly and awesome.  I support recycling and recycle aluminum myself, so it’s quite possible I’m drinking out of a can that I may have helped make.  I urge all BL readers to try and recycle whenever and whatever possible, especially aluminum, if you have local recyclers.  And hey, it’s a little free money.

Score: 5 out of 5. Refreshing and familiar, but different.

–WiseGuise

**Danithius Review Rebuttal!**

Yep, Mr. Guise is right, this doesn’t taste diet to me, either.  (Although I seem to have become immune to the Stevia taste.)  It’s light and smooth, with a nice hit of citrus.  It has a more natural flavor than Sprite does, likely because they use lemon and lime oil as the primary flavorings.  I’m down with this stuff.  Personally, I think it could benefit from a bit more pronounced lemon-limey bite.  But, when it comes right down to it, I, like WiseGuise, am sitting here with an empty can, wishing I had more.

Danithius Rating: 4.5 out of 5

User Ratings: (1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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5-Star Reviews, Zevia drink reviews, Zevia

***Note: this is a review of the pre-2009 version of Zevia’s Natural Twist.  See the other Zevia reviews to find a review of  the new reformulated flavor.***

Smells like sprite lite!

This stuff is sweetened with Stevia, an herb extract that was banned by the FDA, reportedly after receiving one anonymous complaint.  Hmm… I wonder if that call could be traced back to the Corn Refiners Association.  Anyway, check out the Orange flavor for a more detailed exploration of the Stevia topic.

Down to business.  While I’m an advocate of Stevia use (especially when compared to other artificial sweeteners on the market), it has to be used right.  If you don’t have the right flavor to begin with, it doesn’t matter what you use to sweeten it, you’ll still end up with a subpar finished product.  This drink had an off aftertaste, and hardly any citrus flavor, or any flavor at all, for that matter.  The lemon and lime flavor could be much more pronounced.  Nay, they must be more pronounced for a beverage that’s trying to subvert the diet drink market!  I’ve tasted lemongrass teas that had stronger flavor than this.  There’s no punch, and it leaves a bit of phlegm buildup in the back of your throat.

Again, I love the idea of getting away from heavy sugar use, but you still have to sport sufficient flavor to give me and the rest of the population a reason to switch to you.  If I was dieting and I had a choice between this and water, I’d go with water.  For the narrow segment of people that want something fizzy without any sugar and without chemical-based artificial sweeteners, this may do the trick.  But I warn you, Zevia, they’d be fair-weather consumers at best!  As soon as another Stevia option comes along with a halfway decent flavor, you’ll be wondering where your sales revenues have gone.

I love what you’re trying to do, but you could be so much more than than what you are now!  With the right flavors on your side, you could make something that would woo all soda drinkers into your sweet herbal embrace!

Rating 2.0/5 – great potential, but this particular entry fizzes out.

- Danithius -

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2-Star Reviews, Zevia drink reviews, Stevia, Zevia