Super Happy Asian Drink Hour - Calpis Water!

*Wise Guise and I assembled a panel of friends, all possessing varied amounts of experience with foreign drinks, and had them try seven wacky/tasty/exotic drinks from Japan! We cleansed our palates with Japanese salty snacks in-between drinks.*

Say this to an unsuspecting friend:

"Ah, I love drinking fresh Calpis on a hot Summer day!"

And then you will see why Calpis chose to market themselves under a different name in the States: Calpico.

This is one of the first truly Japanese soft drinks I ever tasted in Japan. I wasn't sure about it at first, but it has grown on me steadily ever since that time, making it into my top 3 Far East Favorites. It's made with a process similar to yogurt, and has a lightly sweet, yogurt-lemon-milk flavor.

Joe (limited experience): "It's pretty good, actually...It's not milky, it's almost fruity. I couldn't see myself pounding this. It's like a melted sherbet-creamsicle taste."

Danithius (advanced experience): "It's kind of a sipping drink... It has a little bit of sour, like a lemon or a citric acid aftertaste."

Wise Guise (moderate experience): "Kind of a yogurty, milky taste. It's great, I like it."

Adam (moderate experience): "Tangy. Little bit grapefruity."

Crystal (limited experience): "It is a little grapefruity."

Consensus: Happy Refresh!