Cascade Ice - Orange

We've been getting a lot of hits lately on searches for Cascade Ice (website still says coming soon), and I have never had a reply to my emails asking for information, so I'm curious why they don't seem to be interested in getting broader exposure since their Ice Water drinks seem to be rather popular. In any case, I'll just quite my griping and do the review.

Smells like orange Otter-Pops. Tastes much better, pulpy and sweet, very orange. Doesn't quite taste completely natural, I'm wondering how they get that 'orange essence.' Still says organic, and there is absolutely no chemical aftertaste, so I will take their word that it is all natural. Loaded with vitamins, like all the others.

I say stick this in your kid's face instead of Sunny D, it tastes better and it isn't naturally infused with chemicals and HFCS. And it's refreshing, just like the bottle promises! Now if only these guys would get some serious advertising behind this product, it would fare a whole lot better against the sodas false-flavored beverages of the world.

Score: 4.5 out of 5.

-- WiseGuise

Fizz-Ed - Red Raspberry

I've been seeing this in the fruit-juice aisle of my local evil-conglomerate Wal-Mart for a while now, but haven't been able to muster up the nerve to buy it until yesterday. It was $2.50 for a 4-pack, so that makes it about 75 cents a can, not bad. I stuffed it in the fridge until I got home from gorging on Thanksgiving food and cracked one open watching the news.

I didn't expect too much when I purchased this, but it fit our guidelines quite well. Apple & Eve, a company that also produces Seneca fruit juices makes this, so it's a smaller company. Check
It contains no HFCS, CF, or any other added sugar. Check
Sold at Wal-Mart, so it's most likely available everywhere. Check
It's 70% juice and carbonated water, so I ignored the 'fizzical' jokes and tossed it in the cart.

It's not often I do a double-take when drinking something, but this one honestly got me. The smell is very much like a sparkling cider, but the taste is slightly better than that. The tangy-sweet juice hits your tongue right along with the carbonation, but it bubbles away and leaves the taste of the raspberry for you to relish, with an undertone of the black currant, lemon and acerola flavors. The sour tang of the raspberry lingers, and it isn't at all unpleasant. After I finished the first one, I immediately grabbed another. Now I see why they pack them in four. Sneaky bastards.

This is possibly my favorite soda I have reviewed as of yet. 20 g sugar a can, not bad. Carbonation, not good for you, but just the right amount. May I have another?

Score: 5 out of 5, as long as you know it's carbonated and oh, so delicious.

-- WiseGuise

**Danithius Review Rebuttal!**
Wow, I'm impressed. This is awesome - great berry flavor, reasonable sugar. I'm in total agreement with WiseGuise, I give it a five.

Sobe Life Water - Yuzu Black Currant

The Vibrance of Life Water, cir. 2008

SoBe scores another tasty entry into the Life Water brand. Yuzu Black Currant, like any good berry drink, has a good mix of sweet and tart. It has a pleasant berry flavor, and like real sweet-tart berries, it leaves a dry feeling in the back of your throat.

And get this: it has juniperus communis berry extract in it!

What, why are you staring at me? Oh, you don't know what that is??

It's the extract of juniper berries, which are used to make gin. Oh sure, now you're all excited. Stop touching me.

Anyway, aside from that it has Acai extract and black carrot juice. All sorts of interesting stuff in here! I liked it - the flavor fits nicely with the image of its title. That said, I like the other flavors more. (Orange Tangerine and Goji Melon are my two favorite SoBe love interests).

Rating: 4.5/5

-Danithius-

Honest Tea - Organic Honey Green Tea

I promised you another Honest Tea review, and here it is. I decided to keep it simple this time, no fancy Ade's or fruit-flavored teas, this is a straight up green tea, and 'just a tad sweet.' I just got back from the gym and I wanted something refreshing without a lot of sugar, and what should I find staring at me pleadingly from the beer-infested recesses of my food-prison? This chilly little bottle.

The aroma is nothing special, it smells like tea. But the taste is amazingly layered for something with only five ingredients; water, cane sugar, tea, honey and citric acid. An initial sweetness bombards your tongue with an herby background, then the sugar fades away, letting the dry, slightly bitter tea leaves take over. As the tea flavor mellows off, a hint of the honey appears at the back of your tongue, tempting you into another swallow. If you chug it slowly, all the flavors blend together and trick you into stopping to enjoy it.

Even with the 20 g's of sugar per 16.9 oz, it was still slightly too bitter for me to fully enjoy, although I sure wish I had another bottle right now. Which reminds me, you can find Honest Tea in many health food stores, Albertson's, and wherever else you are lucky enough to spy it. Order online if you're desperate.

Score: A reluctant 4.5 out of 5.

-- WiseGuise

And in case you missed it

Here's the latest propaganda from the Corn Refiners lobby.





-- WiseGuise