From The Vegetable Garden

Summer is here. To help celebrate this event, we're going to review several vegetable flavored sodas beginning with Mr. Q. Cumber.

Mister Q Cumber is bottled by Global Beverage Enterprise, who bills this drink as a “sparkling cucumber beverage.” The contents of this 7 oz bottle are natural. Ingredients of this pasteurized drink include: sparkling filtered water, cane sugar, citric acid, and natural cucumber flavor.

The Reviews
Sodas are rated from one to five bottle caps with five being the optimum in carbonation and flavor.

4 Sweet Soda Sue: There is a lot of fizz initially when you open the bottle. At first sip, I wondered what this drink would taste like mixed with a splash of tomato or V8 juice. It’s definitely very cucumber-y and pleasant.

3 The Soda Jerk: It’s not very carbonated, so if you are looking for zing in your pop, this is not it. But if you are looking for something refreshing, this is like lemon and water, except with cucumber….Not too shabby.

"...If you are looking for something refreshing, this is like lemon and water, except with cucumber…"

¡Toronja Tango!

We included these three readily available grapefruit or toronja flavored sodas in our citrus festival. These were found at a local Food City supermarket and the 99 Cent Only store.

Jarritos Toronja

Jarritos makes this claim of their grapefruit flavor, "Finally, the grapefruit you don't need a fork to drink!" Strangely, we found this statement to be true. This soda really doesn't "need a fork...." Ingredients: Carbonated water, sugar, citric acid, natural flavors, sodium benzoate (as preservative), yellow 5, yellow 6.

2.5 Fizzlebo-Bizzle: The grapefruit flavor is a little weak. The carbonation is about right, however.

2.5 Sarsparilla Sam: It’s not a strong grapefruit taste…maybe more like carbonated citrus water.

3 Popa Pop: Not bad. The grapefruit taste could be a little stronger.

Toronja Sol Grapefruit Soda

Sol brand appears to be operated by Pepsico. This flavor soda contains: carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, citric acid, modified food starch, sodium citrate, sodium benzoate (preserves freshness), glycerol ester of rosin, natural and artificial flavors, potassium sorbate (preserves freshness), calcium disodium EDTA (to protect flavor).

3 Fizzlebo-Bizzle: This drink has a little more flavor than the others we tried, but it is still a little more watered down than what I would like to taste.

4.5  Sarsparilla Sam: This is the drink you want on a hot summer day. I like it.

4.5 Popa Pop: Enough bite to be thirst quenching and make you clench your jaw.

Shasta Zazz Grapefruit Soda

Shasta began as a regional soft drink company in the California/Oregon border region at the base of Mt. Shasta. Ingredients for Zazz are: carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, citric acid, gum acacia, potassium benzoate (preservative), natural flavor, glyceryl abietate, sucralose.

3.5  Fizzlebo-Bizzle: It tasted a little watered down to me.

4  Sarsparilla Sam: I think Shasta brand is a good value. I liked it.

3 Popa Pop: The grapefruit taste was definitely solid. It really does, "Hasta be Shasta!"

Zest: Our Mandarina Festival ¡Olé!

Zow!

As part of our citrus celebration, we selected several mandarin tangerine drinks to sample from Mexico. Here is what we found:

Casera Mandarina
This bottle of mandarina or mandarin tangerine drink is distributed by S. Garay&Co. LLC of Chula Vista, CA.  In Spanish, "casera" can mean either landlady, or homemade. We vote for "homemade." Though it contains no fruit juice, it claims to contain some natural flavors. Ingredients are: carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, sugar, citric acid, vegetable gum, natural flavors, yellow 5, yellow 6, red 40, sodium citrate, and sodium benzoate (as preservative).

4  Fizzlebo-Bizzle: It is a little too carbonated for my taste, but still has a good flavor.

4  Sarsparilla Sam: That hit the flavor of “mandarina” spot on. ¡Que bueno!

4  Popa Pop: Sure, it’s on the carbonated side, but it is still good!

Barrilitos Mandarina

Barrilitos was established in 1938. This drink contains carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, citric acid, sodium benzoate (to protect taste), modified food starch, natural and artificial flavors, glycerol ester of rosin, brominated vegetable oil, yellow 6, red 40.

.5  Fizzlebo-Bizzle: Tastes a bit like lime salt.

.5 Sarsparilla Sam: This is a "no go" for me. What's brominated vegetable oil?

.5 Popa Pop: Tastes like carbonated powdered orange drink.

Jarritos Mandarina

Contents: carbonated water, sugar, citric acid, natural flavors, sodium benzoate (as preservative), yellow 6, red 40.

2.5 Fizzlebo-Bizzle: I’m thinking melted orange popsicle.

3 Sarsparilla Sam: Not overpowering. I like Jarritos

3 Popa Pop: I thought it was sparkling and refreshing. I love tangerine. I would definitely purchase this again.

Blue Crew Review

The Blue Crew

The Blue Crew assembled on Mothers’ Day 2013 to compare and contrast three Blue Cream Sodas purchased respectively at World Market, BevMo and 99 Cent Only stores. Blue Crew members are: Fizzlebo-Bizzle, Popa Pop, and Sarsaparilla Sam. As always, our reviews rate beverages on a one to five bottle cap scale with five being the best.

 Selections:

Goody Blue Pop

We couldn’t find a website for Goody but the bottle claims, “Since 1923.”

Ingredients are: carbonated water, pure cane sugar, natural and artificial flavors, citric acid, sodium benzoate (a preservative), Blue 1.

3  Fizzlebo-Bizzle: This drink has a bit of an unusual after-taste. Though the ingredients are pretty much the same for all of the blue sodas, this one is a little different.

2.5  Popa Pop: This soda reminds me of a blueberry Freeze, like I used to get at Dairy Queen growing up...or maybe an melted Otter Pop.

3  Sarsaparilla Sam: This is a good soda, I just don't like this style or flavor of drink.

Dad’s Old Fashioned Blue Cream Soda

Dad’s Root Beer company was born in the basement of one of its founders, Ely Klapman of Chicago in 1939. Most famous for their root beer, the ingredients of Dad’s Blue Cream Soda are: water, high fructose corn syrup, natural and artificial flavor, sodium benzoate (as a preservative) citric acid, FD&C Blue 1.

3.5 Fizzlebo-Bizzle: I like Dad's. It hits the back of my jaw with a tingle.

3 Popa Pop: I remember Dad's Root Beer. This is the first time I have tried the cream soda.

3.5 Sarsaparilla Sam: I like it, but it doesn't finish strong.

Frostie Blue Cream Soda

George Rackensperger of Catonsville, Maryland, rented a former jailhouse in which to begin his soda company in 1939. Originally, sugar and supplies were kept in the jail cells. The ingredients of this drink include: carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, and/or sugar, sodium benzoate (a preservative), citric acid, natural and artificial flavors, and Blue 1.

4 Fizzlebo-Bizzle: I think this brand has captured the essence of what a cream soda should be.

3 Popa Pop: Yup, it's good!

4 Sarsaparilla Sam: I like this one. The sweetness is just about right.

The Reviews Continue

More Reviews:

Fentimans Mandarin and Seville Orange Jigger: This drink sounds delicious and is beautiful to look at. The orange color is vibrant and the bottle design is fun.  Ingredients: carbonated water, fermented ginger root extracts (ginger root, water, yeast) cane sugar, mandarin juice concentrate, flavors (Seville orange, speedwell, juniper extracts).

Reviews

5 Root Beer Belly: I loved it. I couldn't stop drinking it!

-5 Effer V. Sense: It tastes like something I might have collected garbage-picking.

½ The Fizz: This tastes like those tangerines that drop off the tree, fall to the ground, and lay around for a week.

                                                 A Bundaberg sampling from Australia.

"Mmmmm. Leaky Cauldron Butterscotch Cream Soda!"

"Sooooo GOOD!"

Bundaberg Root Beer: carbonated water, cane sugar, root beer brew (water, sugar, molassas, ginger root, sarsparilla root, licorice root, vanilla bean, yeast), caramel color, citric acid, preservatives potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate, antioxidant (asorbic acid), root beer flavor.

Review

3 Effer V. Sense: I give the first three seconds of this drink on my lips a five. After that, I give it a two because it had a fruity aftertaste that reminded me of cough syrup. I would drink it again though.

3 The Fizz: I felt like it tasted like a root beer that had been stored for a year in a chemical factory.

Bundaberg Ginger Beer: Bundaberg claims that they bottle their ginger beer to protect its flavor. Brewed for approximately one week, this is a premium, naturally brewed, non-alcoholic beverage. It should be inverted before opening. Ingredients are: carbonated water, cane sugar, ginger root, natural flavors, acid (citric acid), yeast, preservatives (potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate), antoxidant, asorbic acid.

Reviews

4 Bubble Trouble: This was great. It shot bubbles up my nose. Nothing negative about it. No bitterness, no aftertaste. It was enjoyable.

4.5 Effer V. Sense: Because of the nostalgia of ginger ale, this drink was fun. It was better than ginger ale, though it was lighter and sweeter.

5 Root Beer Belly: Like a root beer, so I found you couldn’t put it down. You will not put it down until you finish the bottle.

Bundaberg Peachee: Bold in color, the ingredients for this very peach-y drink are: carbonated water, cane sugar, 5% peach juice from concentrate, peach brew (water, peach fruit, sugar, yeast, citric acid), citric acid, flavors, preservatives (potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate), colors (Beta carotene, carmine), stabilizer (xanthan gum), antioxidant (asorbic acid).

Reviews

3 Bubble Trouble: I smelled it first and it reminded me of a powdered orange drink.

4 Effer V. Sense: It was like an ultra light carbonated peach syrup.

5 Root Beer Belly: This was my second choice for favorite. It was very thirst quenching. Pleasant and delicious. I couldn’t leave it with just a swig. I had to drink the whole bottle.

4 The Fizz: This beverage reminds me of peach syrup on a stack of pancakes.

Bundaberg Pink Grapefruit: This drink is a beautiful pink colored “flavored sparkling” non-alcoholic concoction. Ingredients include: carbonated water, cane sugar, pink grapefruit juice from concentrate, pink grapefruit brew (water, sugar, pink grapefruit juice concentrate, yeast) flavors, citric acid, antiodiant (asorbic acid), preservatives, sociuam benzoate, potassium sorbate, color (carmine).

Reviews

8 Bubble Trouble: It was a party in my mouth. Off the charts...I give it an 8.

5 Effer V. Sense: Zippy, summer, shady are words I would use to describe this drink. It feels like I’m drinking a refreshing soda it in the shade on cool green grass and I’m nine years old again.

5 The Fizz: Reminiscent of Arizona citrus. As delicious as a pink grapefruit just-picked off a citrus tree growing in my backyard.

Visiting Scholars

On the afternoon of May 5, 2013 some close family members decided to hold a taste testing of their own. On an earlier excursion to Salt Lake City, these individuals found some Fentimans brand drinks and purchased them at Tony Caputo’s Market and Deli in Salt Lake City, UT. Other beverages were found at Dick’s grocery store in Bountiful, Utah. These individuals enjoyed this experience immensely. They may even join us on our blog again at some point in the future. Reviewers for this post are:

Bubble Trouble

Sho-Fizzle

Effer V. Sense

Root Beer Belly

The Fizz

The flavors, brands, and styles sampled included:

Fentimans Dandelion and Burdock. Fentimans was established in 1905. This particular drink is a gluten free, botanically brewed, fermented, dandelion and burdock drink with ginger extract. Ingredients include: water, carbonated water, cane sugar, pear juice concentrate, glucose syrup, fermented ginger root, and the following extracts (ginger root, water, yeast), dandelion infusion (water, dandelion root, ethanol), burdock infusion (water, burdock root, ethanol) aniseed flavor. 

Review

Bubble Trouble: This one was my favorite. It was not so rich that you couldn’t have all you wanted. The several flavors maintained their individuality so that I could taste multiple things at the same time. Plus, the dandelion and burdock ingredients made me feel like there was some health benefits to drinking this…though I knew better.

Sho-Fizzle: It tasted like a witch’s potion and I’m not sure if I’m going to start seizing in a few moments.

Effer V. Sense: The Dandelion and Burdock was tolerable. Not as bad as I thought it would be.

Root Beer Belly: I thought it was delicious, inviting, tantalizing.

The Fizz: I think this Dandelion drink looked and tasted like the weed spray I use to kill the dandelions in my yard.

Fentimans Rose Lemonade. Also botanically brewed and fermented, this lemonade is made with ginger and pure rose extracts. Rotate the bottle before opening to mix the drink properly. Other ingredients listed on the bottle are: carbonated water, lemon juice concentrate, cane sugar, glucose syrup, fermented ginger root extracts (ginger root, water, yeast), pear juice concentrate, lemon flavoring, citric acid, tantaric acid, natural color, (grape skin extract), rose oil.

Review

Bubble Trouble: The rose lemonade was a thorny disappointment. It tasted like my shampoo smells.

Sho-Fizzle: It has a very sharp flavor, but it left me feeling as if I had just walked through a field of roses and stepped on a few sharp thorns along the way.

Effer V. Sense: The Rose Lemonade tasted chemical. It was like drinking perfume with sugar added.

Root Beer Belly: Loved it!

The Fizz: I felt like I was drinking a bottle of  eu de toilette from my grandma’s bathroom.

Flying Cauldron Butterscotch Beer. This is a non-alcoholic butterscotch cream soda. Advertising itself as a 100% natural butterscotch cream soda, this drink includes: purified carbonated water, cane sugar, vanilla extract, natural caramel, natural flavors, stevia rebaudiana leaf extract.

Review

Bubble Trouble: The butter beer was like having dessert. It is a dessert drink. You should drink it in a shot glass like a dessert... Like when you go to a restaurant and they serve you dessert in a small shot glass. Two swallows and you have had dessert.

Sho-Fizzle: Professor Flitwick did a very nice job. It warmed me down to my toes. The flavor was just right, not too much and not too little. I’m sure it cancelled out the witch’s potion I drank earlier.

Effer V. Sense: This tasted just like it was described in the Harry Potter movies.

Root Beer Belly: It was yummy.

The Fizz: Take me back to the Leaky Cauldron for more Butterscotch Beer. It could only have been better if it had been served in a pumpkin mug. It also made me think I was sucking on a hard butterscotch disc candy. It was delicious.

Bundaberg Guava. Made in Australia, this non-alcoholic beverage should be inversed before opening. It contains carbonated water, cane sugar, 5% guava juice from concentrate, guava brew (water, guava puree, sugar, yeast), citric acid, flavors, colors (carmine, carotene, caramel (plain), pectin, preservatives (sodium benozte, potassium sorbate).

Review

Bubble Trouble: It was toooo much. The flavor was highly concentrated so that it was so rich that you could not guzzle the whole bottle. It even felt thick, like baby food. It was not unpleasant taste, it was just too much.

Sho-Fizzle: Mmmm, it delighted all of my senses. It tasted as good as it smelled and looked. It made me want to swing or swim in a bubbling tropical spring.

Effer V. Sense: This tasted like liquid fruit.

Root Beer Belly: It was good.

The Fizz: It tasted like a bright guava, which I would have enjoyed if I liked guava.

Our first experiment in gourmet, crafted soda taste testing came last night at about 10:30 pm MST. At that time we decided to begin with the category of "Cream Soda." We included five fun brands purchased at BevMo. Our reviewers included Sweet Soda Sue, Popa Pop, and Sarsaparilla Sam. Here is what we had had to say about the following brands of vanilla flavored Cream Soda beginning with a bottle cap rating from each reviewer:

Jones Cream Soda

This brand is straight-up fizz, not draught-style or foamy. Ingredients include: carbonate water, inverted cane sugar, natural and artificial flavors, phosphoric acid, sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate, calcium disodium EDTA

COMMENTS

3.5 Sweet Soda Sue: This beverage is somewhat reminiscent of carbonated wedding cake.

3.5 Sarsaparilla Sam: I like its kick!

4 Popa Pop: The aroma is divine. It really swings in your mouth.

Virgil's Cream Soda

We love this brand because it is micro brewed and made with real vanilla beans and other natural ingredients. It is draught style and quite foamy. Ingredients also include: Purified carbonated water, unbleached cane sugar, caramelized unrefined cane sugar, vanilla extract, natural flavors. This soda is gluten free.

COMMENTS

4 Sweet Soda Sue: The vanilla is quite subtle and charming in flavor.

4 Sarsaparilla Sam: It is smooth and creamy

3 Popa Pop: The presentation on the label is pleasing.

Sprecher Cream Soda

This is a cream-colored frothy brew that definitely tastes of sweet honey. Ingredients are: carbonated water, glucose syrup, malto-dextrin, Wisconsin raw honey, vanillin, vanilla, natural and artificial flavors, phosphoric acid, quillaia/yucca extract, carmel color, sodium benzoate, sodium chloride

COMMENTS

3 Sweet Soda Sue: The honey definitely influences the overall texture and taste.

2 Sarsaparilla Sam: A little heavy on the honey. It is more of a honey drink than a cream soda, I think.

4 Popa Pop: I'm always a fan of honey. This is a heavy soda I would say.

Goose Island

This Chicago-style, craft soda made with 100% cane sugar. It was first brewed in Lincoln Park in 1988. Ingredients: triple filtered carbonated water, cane sugar, natural flavor, citric acid, sodium benzoate, caramel color.

3 Sweet Soda Sue: It has an unusual initial taste. This brew definitely tastes like butterscotch

3.5 Sarsaparilla Sam: I like the smooth after-flavor

3 Popa Pop: It feels good going down.

Henry Weinhard's Vanilla Cream

This soda first appeared during prohibition. It is a smooth, low fizz drink that tastes a lot like bubble gum. It is also super sweet. Its ingredients includes: carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, pure vanilla bean extract, citric acid, sodium benzoate, botanical extracts, caramel color, honey, natural flavors.

COMMENTS

1 Sweet Soda Sue: The bubble gum taste is overwhelming

1.5 Sarsaparilla Sam: I get bubble gum.

1.5 Popa Pop: I want to like this soda, it just tastes a lot like bubble gum.