Northern Soda Company Cherry Lime Soda

I opened this with supper last night, as the 2nd in the pack my wife picked up from Remix:

Brand: Northern Soda Company Cherry Lime Soda,

Origin: Arden Hills, MN.

Purchase Place: Remix Popcorn and Delights, St. Paul, MN.

Sweetener: Cane Sugar.

Review: This was good! Flavorful! The cherry was a bit tart, but with plenty of sweetness to balance it out. And then there's a nice kick of lime as well. This was a classic flavor that both my wife and I loved. A REALLY good soda! 

Score: 9 out of 10.

Northwoods "The Squeeze:" Lime Mint Soda Water

I think when I grabbed this, I thought it was soda, but it was unsweetened flavored water:

Brand: Northwoods "The Squeeze:" Lime Mint Soda Water.

Origin: Williamsburg, MI.

Purchase Place: Grandpa Joe's Candy Shop, Spring Lake Park,  MN.

Sweetener: None.

Review: I *think* I thought this was a NorthSTAR and not a NorthWOODS soda when I grabbed it. (And I thought it WAS a soda and not a water.) Oh well. The label was cool and pulled me in. The first sip reminded me of La Croix Lime (or lemon?) that I got from my uncle as a kid. So that was decent. And then each sip ended with that hint of mint flavor, and that was a nice combo with the lime. Not nearly as sweet as a soda (obviously), but still a fun drink.

Score: 6.5 out of 10.

Zia Sandia Cola: Watermelon, Mint, and Lime

Here's another soda that my friends sent me:

I was looking for a line like "separation or floating ingredients is normal" after seeing stuff at the bottom!

 

Brand: Zia Sandia.  

Origin: Taos, New Mexico.

Purchase Place: Smith's, Kaysville, UT.

Sweetener: Cane Sugar.

Review: This was intriguing to me. I thought the flavor combo sounded like a possible hit! But it was a little to tart and "zingy" for me. This is definitely an "adult" soda as it's not very sweet but has a lot of flavor. There's a subtle watermelon flavor/sweetness that is then met with a punch of mint and lime later in each sip. It's the mint and lime combo that I'm not 100% sold on - it's unique and it tastes sort of how you'd expect, but it's not ALL that tasty. Not sure what to think about this one... but it DID grow on me a bit as I kept sipping on the bottle (and it's definitely a "sipping" soda - this is not something that you'd chug!), so it raised the score from a 4 earlier on to a 5 by the end.

Score: 5 out of 10.

New Sodas to Try!

My soda-loving-friends have sent me another stash of things to try! (They first sent me some Shaq sodas 10 years ago, then stopped by with more shortly after that, and finally stopped over last year with more goodies!) Here's what arrived in the mail last week:

A heavy box that was $20 to ship!

Well-wrapped goodies inside.

Some root beer from Alaska, another fun Zia to try, and a few kinds of "Brigham's Brews!"

The 2 cans are in the fridge already as I'm excited to try those. Back with a review shortly. Thanks T and Brandon!!

Spindrift Lime Sparkling Water

This is NOT going to turn into a "sparkling water" blog, but I happened to grab this last week and figured I'd review it. 

At work with photo paper, negatives, and the darkroom door in the background.

Brand: Spindrift Lime Sparkling Water.  

Origin: Newton, MA.

Purchase Place: Menards, St. Paul, MN.

Sweetener: None.

Review: I was walking through Menards and saw these large cans, and they looked good. So I grabbed one. But I was pretty let down with my first sip. Yes, I get that it's JUST carbonated water and lime juice with no sweetener, but the lime flavor had an odd almost fruitiness to it (and not in a good way). I was expecting (and OK with) a sharper citrus punch, and it didn't have that. I didn't expect a smoother lime water - I feel like that wasn't what I signed up for.

But truth be told, it grew on me a bit as I sipped on these 16 ounces. Part of that might have been just figuring out what the flavor was and slowly becoming OK with that. It went from maybe a score of 2 or 3 at the start to more like a 4 by the end of the can. So I still don't love it, but it's not completely horrible.

Score: 4 out of 10.

Avery's Fungal Fruit

I brought this with me to my office today:

 

Brand: Avery's Fungal Fruit.

Origin: New Britain, Connecticut.

Purchase Place: Blue Sun Soda, Spring Lake Park, MN.

Sweetener: Pure Cane Sugar.

Review: Yes, that's rotten fruit on the label. Yippie. As always with these "novelty" flavors, I'm happy when they actually note what the flavor is SUPPOSED to be on the bottle: this "fungal fruit" was really pink passion fruit and lime. I made it a point to NOT look at that until AFTER I tried my first sip, and I got a weak "fruity lime" flavor from that initial sip. The flavor isn't very strong, and it's also not very sugary. It tastes a BIT more "adult" than I expected - I thought this would be strong and possibly really sweet, but it's not. The lime flavor is fine, but this needs a little more of a kick of something. It's just a bit lacking. Ranking it just below average.

Score: 4 out of 10.

Zia Piñon Cola

I brought this to Hyland Ski Hill this afternoon to drink as my boys skied:

Ski hills in the background!

 
Brand: Zia Piñon Cola.

Origin: Taos, New Mexico.

Purchase Place: Smith's Food and Drug, somewhere in Utah.

Sweetener: Cane Sugar.

Review: First of all, it's a clear soda, which feels weird to me. That might be part of the reason that it doesn't taste very traditionally "cola-like" to me. But it's not a bad thing. The first part of each sip has the "deepness" of a cola to me, but then it ends with a refreshing kick of lime (note that the bottom of the label says "kola nut & lime"). The flavor is a bit smokey (maybe from the "roasted piñon" nuts noted on the label), but then there's a tropical feel to it with the lime. Very unique cola with a citrusy kick!

I've enjoyed all 3 Zia sodas that some friends dropped off for me last fall - I'll keep my eye out for more from Zia in the future.

Score: 7.5 out of 10.

Yoli Sabor Limon

When we were in Mexico last month, my boys each had one of these on Ixapa Island:

Under a little thatched sunshade with the ocean crashing behind me.

 

Brand: Yoli Sabor Limon.

Origin: "Hencho in Mexico."

Purchase Place: Ixtapa Island.

Sweetener: Sugar.

Review: This was refreshing. But anything on the island would have been! It was a like a 7Up, but a bit smoother and with a heavier lime kick. Tasty while sitting in the sun!

Score: 7.5 out of 10.

Teem Lime Soda

I took this with me this morning to grade at one of the colleges where I teach:

Brand: Teem Lime Soda.

Origin: Mukilteo, WA.

Purchase Place: Blue Sun Soda, Spring Lake Park, MN.

Sweetener: Cane Sugar.

Review: I sort of pegged this as another lemon lime soda, but it was a bit different. First of all, it has caffeine, and none of my “normal” lemon lime sodas are caffeinated. Secondly, it’s labeled as a “citrus refresher,” but it’s only lime flavored. I have no issue with that - it’s just not what I’m expecting when I see “citrus” on a soda.

It was a pretty smooth lime, almost like key lime. But then there’s a refreshing pop/sharpness of the carbonation, so it has a little bit of everything. Good lime flavor, and good to sip on as I was working. Decent, but nothing amazing.

Score: 7 out of 10.

 

Lime Billy's Bubble Pop

I opened this with supper tonight: 

Brand: Lime Billy's Bubble Pop.

Origin: Spring Lake Park, MN.

Purchase Place: Blue Sun Soda, Bloomington, MN.

Sweetener: Pure Cane Sugar.

Review: This is another one of Billy's mixed up color sodas, and it's my favorite one yet! (The other's I've had I've ranked around average with scores around 5 to 6.5.) 

This tastes like an extra sweet and extra "limey" lemon/lime soda. It almost tastes like an overly sweet mojito like I've had in Mexico. One of my boys thought it tasted a little "key lime"-like, but I think he was just thinking it was sweet like a dessert. This was sweet, classic, child-like, and tasty. Nothing special, but sweet and drinkable!

Score: 7.5 out of 10.

O-So Key Lime Soda

My wife was at the Mall of America recently, and she got me this:

She was at Legacy Toys at MOA.

She sent me 2 photos asking if I'd had all of these...

... and the only ones I hadn't had were O-So Peach (not interested) and O-So Key Lime.

Brand: O-So Key Lime Soda.  

Origin: Mukilteo, WA.

Purchase Place: Legacy Toy Store, Mall of America, Bloomington, MN.

Sweetener: Cane Sugar.

Review: This REALLY tasted like Key Lime! My wife took a sip, and I thought she'd hate it (as it's pretty sweet, and she doesn't like overly-sweet things), but she said "wow... that's like liquid pie!" And she meant that in a good way. Very spot on key lime flavor, and quite sweet. Not bad!

Score: 7 out of 10.

Lime North Star Craft Soda

I opened this a few hours ago: 

Brand: Lime North Star Craft Soda.

Origin: Spring Lake Park, MN

Purchase Place: Blue Sun Soda, Spring Lake Park, MN.

Sweetener: Sugar.

Review: This was a VERY smooth lime soda. Good flavor and it went down easy. I left a sip in the bottle on the counter, and my wife tried it when she got home. She liked it and remarked that it tasted like a melted lime freezee (in a good way). This was very drinkable on a hot day!

Score: 8.5 out of 10.

Serenity Sodas Lime and Coconut

I've had good luck with "Serenity Sodas" - they make some interesting flavor combinations, and they are "2 for 2" in my book. Last night, I cracked into my 3rd: 

Brand: Serenity Sodas Lime and Coconut.

Origin: Spring Lake Park, MN.

Purchase Place: Blue Sun Soda, Spring Lake Park, MN.

Sweetener: Sugar.

Review: This is another small bottler that was purchased by Blue Sun Soda, so it's now bottled there. The first sip tastes very "limey," and then it ends with the coconut hit. It's a BIT heavy on the coconut, but maybe that's because I always think of what my wife told me years ago: "everything coconut flavored tastes like sunscreen." She's not wrong. So it totally lives up to it's flavor, but I didn't totally care for the combo. It'd be better sitting on a beach somewhere... not huddled next to our fireplace on a 30 degree evening. Not bad, just not totally for me.

Score: 4 out of 10.

Northern Soda Company 1950's Lime

I swung by Remix today for 2 small bags of popcorn, and I also grabbed this soda: 

Brand: Northern Soda Company 1950's Lime.

Origin: Arden Hills, MN.

Purchase Place: Remix, St. Paul, MN.

Sweetener: Cane Sugar.

Review: This was NEON green - I didn't realize that until I poured a little into a glass for my boys to share. And it was pretty good. It had a strong, sweet lime flavor that was enjoyable. My only complaint is that it was a little medicinal after a bit. Not bad overall, so I'll rank it as average.

Score: 5 out of 10. 

 

Whistler Lime Rickey Soda

I opened this with lunch just now: 

Brand: Whistler Lime Rickey Soda.

Origin: Spring Lake Park, MN.

Purchase Place: Blue Sun Soda, Spring Lake Park, MN.

Sweetener: Sugar.

Review: This is SUPER neon looking. And it was good. The lime flavor was very smooth verging ALMOST on "milky" (but not quite). It nearly had a "grasshopper" quality to it (talking about the adult beverage). It wasn't overly sweet, and went down easy. A solid soda!

Score: 8 out of 10.

Twig's Lime Soda

Jeez, it's been nearly 3 weeks since I've posted! Sorry! I've had this in my fridge about that long, and maybe I've been scared to try it because of it's almost radioactive color:

Brand: Twig's Lime Soda.

Origin: Shawano, WI.

Purchase Place: Blue Sun Soda, Spring Lake Park, MN.

Sweetener: Sugar.

Review: This was pretty "thick" (not in a bad way) and smooth. One of the ingredients is the controversial "brominated vegetable oil," and that maybe that lent itself to the "thick" feeling. It was good and went down easy. If things can be TOO sweet for you, this might be a little too much. But I thought its sweetness was good.

Score: 6 out of 10.

Whistler Lime Soda

I cracked into my first bottle from last Friday's trip to Blue Sun Soda:

Brand: Whistler Lime Soda.

Origin: Spring Lake Park, MN.

Purchase Place: Blue Sun Soda, Spring Lake Park, MN.

Sweetener: Sugar.

Review: This had a nice lime flavor that was pretty smooth. However, it was a little weak, and it was like I could taste the glass bottle a bit (if that makes any sense). It wasn't bad, but it needed a bit more. It's getting a pretty average score.

Score: 5.5 out of 10.

Americana Honey Lime Ginger Ale

I enjoyed this with lunch yesterday:

Brand: Americana Honey Lime Ginger Ale

Origin: Mukilteo, WA.

Purchase Place: Frattallone's Ace Hardware, St. Paul, MN.

Sweetener: Cane Sugar.

Review: I'm not the BIGGEST fan of the hardcore BITE produced by a good ginger ale. But the honey and lime cut through that powerful bite in this soda. It was one of the most interesting ginger ales I've ever had, and the flavor combination was fantastic. There's still just too much bite in the back of my throat from the ginger, but it was one of the best ginger ales I've had.

Score: 7 out of 10.

Howdy Lemon Lime

I had this because it looked refreshing on a recent hot day:

Brand: Howdy Lemon Lime.

Origin: Mukilteo, WA.

Purchase Place: Frattallone's Ace Hardware, St. Paul, MN.

Sweetener: Cane Sugar.

Review: I feel like I'm showing my background as an art and design professor when I say this, but here it goes anyway: it's not the greatest, but I like that it tried something different. (I've said that to students during critique before.) This isn't like 7-Up or Sierra Mist. This is a bit more tart, and a bit heavy on the lime. In fact, one of the ingredients is "lime juice with added lime oil." A bit TOO tart for me, but like I initially said, I'm glad they tried something different and didn't make another generic lemon lime soda. (Which is a common complaint of mine for colas.)

Score: 5 out of 10.

Jones Strawberry Lime Soda

I enjoyed this (with some pizza) the other night:

Brand: Jones Strawberry Lime Soda.

Origin: Seattle, WA.

Purchase Place: Frattallone's Ace Hardware, St. Paul, MN.

Sweetener: Inverted Cane Sugar.

Review: Let it be known that "strawberry lime" would never be my first choice for a soda flavor. But this one was done well. Each sip started with the sweetness and smoothness of strawberry, and then ended with a little tart "kick" of lime. It was a nice balance.

Score: 7 out of 10.