I had this as a caffeine boost 2 days ago:
Brand: Johnnie Ryan Diet Soda.
Origin: Niagara Falls, NY.
Purchase Place: "Minnesota's Largest Candy Store," Jordan, MN.
Sweetener: Sucralose.
Review: This tasted like a good cola. I was thinking it was pretty decent with a rich, almost berry flavor, and that it was alright. Then I remembered it was diet, and was quite impressed. There's a lot of flavor here for a DIET soda.
Score: 7 out of 10.
Friday, November 27, 2015
Tuesday, November 24, 2015
Harmony Springs Sarsaparilla
Had another soda in class today:
Brand: Harmony Springs Sarsaparilla
Origin: Ludlow, MA.
Purchase Place: "Minnesota's Largest Candy Store," Jordan, MN.
Sweetener: Cane Sugar.
Review: This was just OK. It had a strong, earthy, herby flavor that was just a BIT too much for me. If you're into that sort of thing (and I know many people are), then give this a try. But it wasn't quite what I'm into, so I'll give it a slightly lower-than-average score.
Score: 4 out of 10.
Don't judge my messy desktop. |
The flavor isn't listed anywhere on the bottle. The bottle says "flavor on crown," and that's the only place to see what variety you're drinking. |
Brand: Harmony Springs Sarsaparilla
Origin: Ludlow, MA.
Purchase Place: "Minnesota's Largest Candy Store," Jordan, MN.
Sweetener: Cane Sugar.
Review: This was just OK. It had a strong, earthy, herby flavor that was just a BIT too much for me. If you're into that sort of thing (and I know many people are), then give this a try. But it wasn't quite what I'm into, so I'll give it a slightly lower-than-average score.
Score: 4 out of 10.
Thursday, November 19, 2015
Original New York Seltzer Root Beer Soda
I was intrigued by this tiny bottle, so I brought it to class with me today:
Brand: Original New York Seltzer Root Beer Soda.
Origin: Walnut, CA.
Purchase Place: "Minnesota's Largest Candy Store," Jordan, MN.
Sweetener: Cane Sugar.
Review: This first struck me because it only had 4 ingredients: carbonated water, cane sugar, citric acid, and natural flavors. That's not unheard of, but definitely on the lower end of ingredients. So I was ready for this to be more of a "flavored water" than a "soda." I sniffed it, and it smelled like root beer. The first sip was totally root beer. And then there's a sharpness and crispness that comes later in the sip that's the normal "carbonated water" experience. So really, it's like a carbonated water drink that's flavored like root beer. The sharpness is a LITTLE weird at the end of each drink, but it's not bad. The root beer flavor is pretty classic and smooth (until the sharpness hits). It's a very unique experience - I'll give it a slightly better-than-average score.
Score: 6.5 out of 10.
p.s. Under the cover, there was a message. They were founded in 1981, so it asked "What's the best thing 2 happen 2U in 1981?" Well, I was born. So that was good.
Brand: Original New York Seltzer Root Beer Soda.
Origin: Walnut, CA.
Purchase Place: "Minnesota's Largest Candy Store," Jordan, MN.
Sweetener: Cane Sugar.
Review: This first struck me because it only had 4 ingredients: carbonated water, cane sugar, citric acid, and natural flavors. That's not unheard of, but definitely on the lower end of ingredients. So I was ready for this to be more of a "flavored water" than a "soda." I sniffed it, and it smelled like root beer. The first sip was totally root beer. And then there's a sharpness and crispness that comes later in the sip that's the normal "carbonated water" experience. So really, it's like a carbonated water drink that's flavored like root beer. The sharpness is a LITTLE weird at the end of each drink, but it's not bad. The root beer flavor is pretty classic and smooth (until the sharpness hits). It's a very unique experience - I'll give it a slightly better-than-average score.
Score: 6.5 out of 10.
p.s. Under the cover, there was a message. They were founded in 1981, so it asked "What's the best thing 2 happen 2U in 1981?" Well, I was born. So that was good.
Sunday, November 15, 2015
Iron Horse Diet Root Beer
I was at school grading projects yesterday, and I took this with me:
Brand: Iron Horse Diet Root Beer.
Origin: Edina, MN.
Purchase Place: "Minnesota's Largest Candy Store," Jordan, MN.
Sweetener: Sucralose.
Review: This was thin and a bit weak as diet sodas can be, but the flavor was pretty good. There was a hint to wintergreen, and it was pretty smooth. I wish it had a deeper flavor, but it wasn't bad for a diet.
Score: 7 out of 10.
Brand: Iron Horse Diet Root Beer.
Origin: Edina, MN.
Purchase Place: "Minnesota's Largest Candy Store," Jordan, MN.
Sweetener: Sucralose.
Review: This was thin and a bit weak as diet sodas can be, but the flavor was pretty good. There was a hint to wintergreen, and it was pretty smooth. I wish it had a deeper flavor, but it wasn't bad for a diet.
Score: 7 out of 10.
Wednesday, November 11, 2015
Soda Boy Caramel Cream
This was my LAST soda in my (current) Frattallones Ace soda stash before I get to crack into my 2 cases from MN Largest Candy Store that I got last month.
Brand: Soda Boy Caramel Cream.
Origin: Mukilteo, WA.
Purchase Place: Frattallones Ace Hardware, St. Paul, MN.
Sweetener: Cane Sugar.
Review: Holy crap. It tastes like a liquified caramel candy. And you know what? That's not really a good thing. It was WAAAAAAY too sweet. I couldn't finish it. I just had about a dozen small sips. The flavor was pretty spot on for "caramel," but just to flippin' sweet!
Score: 3 out of 10.
Brand: Soda Boy Caramel Cream.
Origin: Mukilteo, WA.
Purchase Place: Frattallones Ace Hardware, St. Paul, MN.
Sweetener: Cane Sugar.
Review: Holy crap. It tastes like a liquified caramel candy. And you know what? That's not really a good thing. It was WAAAAAAY too sweet. I couldn't finish it. I just had about a dozen small sips. The flavor was pretty spot on for "caramel," but just to flippin' sweet!
Score: 3 out of 10.
Sunday, November 8, 2015
Old Red Eye Root Beer
I took this outside with me yesterday to enjoy while doing some yard work:
Brand: Old Red Eye Root Beer.
Origin: Mulkilteo, WA.
Purchase Place: Frattallones Ace Hardware, St. Paul, MN.
Sweetener: Cane Sugar.
Review: This was heavy on the wintergreen, but pretty tasty. Besides that, it's got good flavor and is a solid root beer. It seriously was one of the more "wintergreen-y" root beers I can remember having, so if you like wintergreen, you should try this.
Score: 7.5 out of 10.
Brand: Old Red Eye Root Beer.
Origin: Mulkilteo, WA.
Purchase Place: Frattallones Ace Hardware, St. Paul, MN.
Sweetener: Cane Sugar.
Review: This was heavy on the wintergreen, but pretty tasty. Besides that, it's got good flavor and is a solid root beer. It seriously was one of the more "wintergreen-y" root beers I can remember having, so if you like wintergreen, you should try this.
Score: 7.5 out of 10.
Thursday, November 5, 2015
Grapefruit Kiss Soda
I brought this to my board meeting earlier this week:
Brand: Grapefruit Kiss Soda.
Origin: Mukilteo, WA
Purchase Place: Frattallones Ace Hardware, St. Paul, MN.
Sweetener: Cane Sugar.
Review: You know, it tasted like Squirt. All "citrus" sodas taste that way to me. It's like I'm racist, but only towards citrus sodas.
Score: 6 out of 10.
Brand: Grapefruit Kiss Soda.
Origin: Mukilteo, WA
Purchase Place: Frattallones Ace Hardware, St. Paul, MN.
Sweetener: Cane Sugar.
Review: You know, it tasted like Squirt. All "citrus" sodas taste that way to me. It's like I'm racist, but only towards citrus sodas.
Score: 6 out of 10.
Monday, November 2, 2015
Mong Lee Shang Pearl Soybean Drink with Tapioca Ball
I was getting some groceries at Cub Foods yesterday morning, and I found myself in the ethnic foods section. I ended up leaving with this:
Oh wait, I can't read that side. Here's the english side:
Yeah, I know. A little risky. Still, it sounded like it could be good. I searched the can over for "shake well before opening" because I figured I needed to do that, but I didn't find that anywhere. I shook it well hoping it wasn't carbonated. Here it is partially poured out into a glass:
That glass had NO tapioca balls in it! I felt robbed. But then a fair amount came out in the final pour. They weren't dark like on the can (and like what I'm used to in my bubble tea), and they were tiny. Here's a spoonful of them:
Brand: Mong Lee Shang Pearl Soybean Drink with Tapioca Ball.
Origin: Taipei, Taiwan.
Purchase Place: Cub Foods St. Paul, MN.
Sweetener: Sugar.
Review: This was pretty tasty. It DID taste like soybeans! (Soybeans was the 2nd ingredient behind water, and before sugar and non-dairy cream.) I was born and raised on a farm, so I know what a soybean tastes like when popped into your mouth. It was like sweet soybeans. It was about as thick as whole milk, and pretty good. I figured this could be something I don't finish, but I downed it all pretty quick.
Score: 7.5 out of 10.
Oh wait, I can't read that side. Here's the english side:
Yeah, I know. A little risky. Still, it sounded like it could be good. I searched the can over for "shake well before opening" because I figured I needed to do that, but I didn't find that anywhere. I shook it well hoping it wasn't carbonated. Here it is partially poured out into a glass:
That glass had NO tapioca balls in it! I felt robbed. But then a fair amount came out in the final pour. They weren't dark like on the can (and like what I'm used to in my bubble tea), and they were tiny. Here's a spoonful of them:
Brand: Mong Lee Shang Pearl Soybean Drink with Tapioca Ball.
Origin: Taipei, Taiwan.
Purchase Place: Cub Foods St. Paul, MN.
Sweetener: Sugar.
Review: This was pretty tasty. It DID taste like soybeans! (Soybeans was the 2nd ingredient behind water, and before sugar and non-dairy cream.) I was born and raised on a farm, so I know what a soybean tastes like when popped into your mouth. It was like sweet soybeans. It was about as thick as whole milk, and pretty good. I figured this could be something I don't finish, but I downed it all pretty quick.
Score: 7.5 out of 10.
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