How Do You Mess It Up? Review of Saranac's Shirley Temple Soda

It was August of 2012, my family planned a nice summer BBQ in the backyard, family members arrived carrying nothing more than coolers and standard BYOB bags. I smiled at the gathering and then my eyes spied something off, something very off!

My 7 year old niece appeared to be holding (and sipping) a wine cooler!

I sprinted toward her to retrieve the alcoholic beverage, yanked it out of her hands and...I felt pretty stupid when she yelled, "Gimme back my soda!"

I glanced at the bottle, and to my shock my little peanut was sipping on a bottle of Saranac's Shirley Temple Soda; thankfully a non-alcoholic beverage. I was intrigued, beyond intrigued. I knew then and there that I had to acquire this soda. Being a huge junkie of unique soda flavors, there was no way I was letting this interesting flavor pass me by. I thought about taking a swig from the wee one, but knew her fussing and crying over it wouldn't be worth the headache.

Behold the luck of the day, my sister had brought a pack of 6 over with her. I did not hesitate at all to ask for one.

As I held the freshly chilled bottle in my hand, I thought this soda would become one of my go-to drinks. I imagined I would like it so much, that it would become a drink that would forever be stocked in my fridge. Shirley Temples are a classic, it was the refined beverage of choice in every restaurant we ever went to when I was a child. Growing up with not a whole lot of money also made restaurant trips all the more scarce and rare, so this drink was literally the VIP of all drinks as far as my 5 year old inner self was concerned.

Granted as a child, I thought this drink was the holy grail of all sodas, however as I grew older, I realized I could make this magic potion all on my own with some 7UP, maraschino cherries, and grenadine syrup. How on earth one could mess up such a simple formula is beyond me, yet Saranac's Shirley Temple Soda managed to do just that. Blech!

Taste:

Well sadly there is absolutely nothing in Saranac's Shirley Temple Soda that makes this soda even slightly worthy to being called a Shirley Temple. Instead of that crisp refreshing lime and cherry jolt you get from a real Shirley Temple, instead you get this powerfully over the top sugary fake cherry flavored soda. The jolt of carbonation never comes, as this one is under carbonated to the point of it becoming flat a few moments after popping off the top.

For me, Saranac's Shirley Temple Soda tasted like a cheap melted down cotton candy flavored Dumdum lollipop, with a little bit of carbonation.

Overall:

Sadly Saranac ruined this one. God only knows how you manage to screw up such a simple recipe, but they did.

Fentiman's Rose Lemonade- Review

I first came across Fentiman's in my local Waldbaum's, and immediately I was drawn to it due to the old fashioned looking bottle and packaging. It looked like something that the store accidentally had in their storage room since the 1800's. The bottle had a very Victorian look and feel to it, and the particular flavor that intrigued me the most was their Rose Lemonade.

I love how roses smell, but never did I ever imagine I would ever be interested in tasting rose in a beverage. I wanted to try it, but nearly fell over when I spotted the price attached to their 4 pack. $7.99!!! Ouch!!!

Even though it was expensive, I went ahead and let my curiosity win the debate on whether or not I should take it or leave it. I popped my 4 pack of very feminine looking beverages into my cart and the rest my friends is history.

Taste Test:

Now I have to be honest here, Fentiman's Rose Lemonade is not for everyone.

The first sense that hits you before you even take a swig of this drink is the scent. Rose Lemonade has a very smooth and silky fragrance of rose, and at first I was hesitant thinking that the rose was way too overwhelming.

I took my first sip, and it had a very sour zing to it, however the sour fades off pretty quickly and your mouth is left with a bunch of new and unfamiliar flavors. The rose flavor is not at all overwhelming, and it mixes very well with the carbonated lemon flavor. The aftertaste is that of fresh cut roses, but not at all in a bad way.

Fentiman's Rose Lemonade to me is all woman. It made me feel like drawing a bubble bath, sitting in the warm water and sipping on my new found love. Pop in a bath bomb from Lush.com, and what you have is the perfect mini spa moment, with the perfect drink to pair it up with.

Neat Fact:

Fentiman's Rose Lemonade is botanically brewed with pure, steam-distilled rose Otto oil from legendary Rose Valley.

This basically is the reason their prices are a bit higher than what you would pay on a normal 4 pack of soda.

Overall:

This is not just any soda, it is a soda for refined pallets, a soda for adults. You do not just guzzle this drink down, it's more like a fine wine, a sipping soda. Once you have one, you will not even want to share a bottle with anyone else.

I would highly, highly recommend it to those who enjoy a little bit of sour.

Review of Effervé Sparkling Pink-Rose Lemonade

The very first accident I made when picking up a bottle of Effervé Sparkling Pink-Rose Lemonade was that I did not really study the bottle, as the lemonade does not include any rose flavors or fragrances. Rose was just used to display the word pink in another language. This was partially disappointing because I was hoping it would offer a similar flavor to Fentiman's Rose Lemonade.

With the sad fact that there are no rose flavors included in this one, it was still quite a charming looking bottle, one I could use again and again for other carbonated beverages. The bottle has a rubber stopper, which can be opened and closed again and again using the clever little metal hook latches to pop the top back on and off.

For me the overall feel of this carbonated pink lemonade was that it seemed more like it was being delivered to me as a fine wine, and not just some flavored sparkling water.

Taste Test:

Well nothing here actually sticks out as mouth watering. In fact the beverage smells more like lemons than it actually tastes like lemons. What you actually get however is a semi sour. semi bitter sparkling water. For me it was like a meltdown of a few lemon-heads in a bottle of sparkling water.

It was not terrible, but it was also not signature enough for me to even remember it, or crave it at any time in the future.

Overall:

Effervé Sparkling Pink Lemonade comes in a very nice bottle, one worthy of keeping and re-using, but as far as the drink itself, it is very bland, nothing lemonade about it sticks out at all, and it is not at all memorable.

Would I recommended it? It is hard give a total yes recommendation unless you can find it for around $1.50. The bottle itself is worth that, but any higher in price, I would just skip it. You are not missing much.

Review of Cheerwine Soda

You have a ton of people who drink soda, and then you have a ton of others who are like myself, whom seek new flavors and expensive brands. Like I said, you have soda, and then you have soda that is more meant for adults. Like a fine wine, and the hunt for new and unusual flavors becomes more of a hobby.

In my years of seeking out soda that differentiates from your regular mainstream brands, I have come across some that are worthy of holding crowns, and others that fell flat. Literally, seconds after popping their tops.

I came across Cheerwine in Salem Massachusetts this past weekend, and I had seen the brand online before while seeking out new flavors to order. Not being a gigantic fan of cherry flavored sodas I never felt the urge to purchase it for delivery. However with it being right smack in my face at a local Cracker Barrel store, I went ahead and gave it a try.

Appearance:

The bottle that Cheerwine comes in still gives of that nice old time hint and feel of a classic. The soda itself is a deep red color,leaning in with a tint of brown. When you pop it open you get a very strong and inviting fragrance of cola, with a perfect little tint of cherry.

Due to the color being a mix of brown and red, you are instantly led to believe that Cheerwine will taste like cherry cola.

Flavor:

Cheerwine for me was an interesting experience, as my mind dances around exactly what I was tasting. The first initial hit I experienced on my palate was something similar to Dr. Pepper, however it is a lot more mild and smooth, like Cherry 7UP, with Antioxidants. The combination of cola and cherry are evident, but the cherry flavor seems to slightly overpower the cola, but in a good way.

The after-bite is a higher note of black cherry, which is really good.

Overall:

I would not consider this one an adult soda, as kids would enjoy it as well. It's a little less refined in taste, but it is a classic, and having finally been able to experience it, it is really no wonder as to why it managed to hold strong for as long as it has in the market.

Review of Double Cola, With Pure Cane Sugar

When I came across a bottle of Double Cola this weekend in a Cracker Barrel store, I was pretty excited to try it. Cola is my all time favorite soda flavor, and with this one prominently displaying that it was no ordinary cola, but a double cola, I was pretty excited to give it a try.

With a name like Double Cola, I was expecting a big bite, a harsh, yet delicious rendition of a favorite of mine. Besides that, I imagined it had to be good as it has managed to stay on the market since 1933.

Does It Really Deliver Double the Cola?

Negative. In fact I was really disappointed with just how lack luster Double Cola was when it came to delivering a double bite. Mainstream Coca Cola packs a more flavorful bite than this one did.

Does that make it bad though? Not at all, this cola is definitely no double cola, in fact it's rather weak in comparison to mainstream brands, or even store brands.

It does however have a very decent cola flavor, even though it may be slightly milder than what I was initially expecting. You have a more old fashioned time cola sort of flavor going on, which sinks into your mouth and is quite enjoyable.

The carbonation is mild and smooth, with not a ton of bubbles which is OK. I hate the horrendous soda hiccup burps one usually gets after popping open a bottle of cola and chugging it. That displeasing effect is not present with this one due to the way it was carbonated.

Overall:

Although there is no more cola flavor than store brand colas, Double Cola was actually an enjoyable beverage. It offered a different sort of rendition on cola, and it's flavor was different, unique and decent.

I would not say it is the best cola I have ever had, but it is worth a dollar and change. Besides that, it has been around for quite some time now, and that alone says a lot.

Where To Buy:

This one will not be found in ordinary grocer isles, I picked this up at a Cracker Barrel store, but for those with no stores of that nature, you can always buy it online. If it is a good price, go for it!