Reading Draft Honey Pear

This is the first Reading Draft I'll have had since the first one back in 2014, you can find here. Honey Pear is a more unique flavor, so I've been looking forward to trying this one. I'm not picking up much in the way of a pear scent from the bottle. Instead it smells a bit like a fresh or crisp cough syrup. My first impression was underwhelming, but that's because the initial sip was on the end of my tongue. Once it hit the rear sides I got a tart punch of flavor. I like pears and I have to say I think this soda is pretty faithful to the flavor of a honey pear. It's fresh, sweet, and just a touch sharp all at once. I really like this drink.  

Sipp Sparkling Mojo Berry

This is the second flavor I've come across from Sipp, that specialize in organic sodas. The last one I reviewed can be found here. This 12oz bottle is sweetened with agave and boasts just 40 calories per bottle. 

I'm expecting something a little interesting here since they've combined blackberry, mint, lime, and agave syrup. Both the scent and color actually remind me of cranberry cocktail. It has a light carbonation level, but having just 40 calories may not be worth it after tasting. It's acerbic like wine and tastes like someone let a cup full of ice melt into some berry flavored Crystal Light. A swing and a miss to me personally, but I can imagine there's a contingent of calorie light beverages and wine day drinkers that may like it. 

Appalachian White Birch Beer

This soda comes from the Appalachian Brewing Company, a craft beer and soda brewer based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. They operate several brew pubs in the state. They currently bottle five different soda flavors, but offer three more on tap at their locations. 

This bottle carries the smell of a fresh winter snow. Birch beers have a certain woodsy scent combined with that of a soft creaminess. The carbonation is just about right here. The thing I notice about the flavor is that the typical "birchiness" is kind of muted here and I taste a different kind of sweetness. Taking a look at the ingredients they list both cane sugar and honey. I wonder if that strange sweetness is imparted by the honey. Overall, I think this is an okay soda, but not great. I'll be interested to see if I can find any of their other flavors to try in the future. 

Hank's Gourmet Grape Soda

 

From Hank's Beverages is another flavor, following on the footsteps of a previous post on Hank's here. 

Always nice to hear a crisp release of pressure when cracking open a bottle. I'm getting a level of carbonation, which helps the flavor dance across the tongue. I'll say that I usually have high expectations of quality from anything called "gourmet", and really how "gourmet" can it be if it's in most of the stores of a huge grocery chain? The taste is grape, yes, but it's a taste that dies off quickly in your mouth and becomes more like raisin. You could do worse, but is it something I'm going to look forward to getting more of? No, not really. Its a middling grape soda. 

Sipp Sparkling Summer Pear

Sipp does not have a long or detailed history, but had some interesting flavor combinations released a little while ago. It seems they have already shifted their brand, as only three new flavors are now shown on their website and all in cans rather than glass bottles. They offer organic beverages, this one sweetened with agave. 

While this bottle is labeled Sparkling Summer Pear, they also mention green tea and honey. My guess, prior to opening, is this will taste more like a tonic water with very light flavoring. There's a strange scent coming from the bottle upon opening that is hard to place. The smell of tea leaves is definitely hidden in that scent if you give it a few deep whiffs. The taste is quite noxious to me however. The taste of green tea is overwhelming and there is nothing pear-like. As I'm not a tea drinker I find this taste unappealing and won't finish the bottle. 

Reading Draft Black Cherry

Reading Draft began in 1921, this was just after national prohibition on alcohol began in the United States. Reading lies in the southeast corner of Pennsylvania, a little more than an hour's drive from Philadelphia. The company produces several flavors, but they say they have the "Pennsylvania Dutch taste." I'm not exactly sure what that means or how it can taste Pennsylvania Dutch no matter what the flavor of the soda is. Supposedly they utilize a slower technique to carbonation. Aside from their soda production they also sell beer and wine making supplies, but do not make any themselves.

It smells deliciously deep. It is well carbonated, but doesn't tingle at the tongue. The cherry flavor is very well balanced. It's not overpowering. This is a good dessert soda, it has nice staying power on the tongue. I think what balances it so well is there is a touch of saltiness at the finish which keeps it balanced and as I've mentioned before, cane sugar has a more rounded flavor than high fructose corn sugar. Overall this is a nice drink.

Hank's Gourmet Vanilla Cream Soda

Out of Philadelphia, Hank's Beverages has been producing "gourmet" soda since 1996. The company's website will tell you they have been in the beverage industry for 40 years, however I was unable to discover what they were doing in the years prior to releasing these sodas in the 90's. As to what makes their sodas "gourmet" is debatable. Many soda producers use pure cane sugar, aside from this they state to use only premium ingredients. What comprises qualifies as "premium" in the soda business aside from sugar is up to you I guess. One thing is for sure, people will usually spend more on something if it's labeled gourmet than not.

It does have a welcome vanilla scent when opened. It has an average carbonation level. While drinking you can taste cream flavor but the vanilla is there too, just harder to find behind that cream flavoring. While a decent choice, it's not memorable and a bit on the dull side. I would pass on this if you have the choice for something with a little more zip.