This past weekend I saw a piece on HOTLIPS Soda on the Cooking Channel. All natural soda made by some pizza shop owners in Portland. Alright, sign me up. I wanted to get some, but I hazarded a guess that they would not be sold anywhere close to where I live, because the Tampa Bay area is a barren wasteland of strip malls, old people, and really old people, where nothing interesting ever happens. But in a complete coincidence, on a trip to a recently discovered deli/restaurant/market, I happened by several bottles. Huzzah! said I. No shipping charges!
I’ve never had an all natural soda before. Actually there’s a very strong possibility that I may have never consumed an all natural anything. Even my blood is colored with Red #5. So this was a whole new experience for me. I hoped my body would not reject it.
The company prides itself on using local fresh fruit from the Northwest, bottled and sodafied in a simple, straightforward way. The sodas are made with only a handful of ingredients, none of which end in “-ine” or “-mate.” That seemed suspicious. Is it even possible to make food products with things found in nature? I don’t think we’ve developed that kind of technology yet. I mean pears and cane sugar and lemon juice. That’s dirty hippie talk.
Popping the bottle released an authentic and delightful aroma. That’s right, delightful. It smelled like pears! The taste was smooth and fruity without being overpowering. It’s carbonated, but not heavily so. There was a tiny, tiny hint of tartness, which was nice. And the soda was not overly sweet. The sweetness of the pears themselves seems to be doing most of the work. I’ve been weaned on globs of HFCS since birth, so my taste buds had to recalibrate to process all of this naturalness. They are just now beginning to reach equilibrium again.
What I really liked about the soda was that it felt very light. My mouth didn’t feel sticky or disgusted with itself after I drank it. My mouth’s been very depressed lately. I caught it listening to Smiths’ records the other night (I didn’t even know I owned a record player).
I like this soda. It was a refreshing pick me up on what I considered to be the first real fall day in Florida. Fall in South Florida is when the temperature dips below the three thousand degree mark. You notice the cool weather immediately because you don’t have to hydrate yourself several times to walk the thirty feet from your apartment to your car.
It was a little pricey at over two and a half bucks, but since it’s crafty, artisanal-type fare, I’ll let it go. The people on the TV box seemed like nice folks. Plus, I don’t live too far from Walt Disney World, so I’m used to soft drinks in the $3 to $90 range.
Can’t wait to try the other flavors.
I have been wondering about this soda, I have seen this one and the strawberry flavored one at my local health food store. They charge over 3 bucks for it, but after reading your review I may just have to give it a try.
If you try one, let me know what you think.
Sure will, I plan to pick one up this afternoon:]
I was at the store and about to get this soda to try it and I read the ingredients and cane sugar is listed. I am a vegan so I cannot drink this because cane sugar is not vegan. I was very bummed to have seen that because I really wanted to try it. But I will take your word that it is amazing.
Oh yeah. I live in Montana and make a trip to visit relatives once a year out in Portland and always pick up a full box of Hot Lips Soda. It’s really amazing. The raspberry is delicious as well.
Your comments on our Pear soda were so fabulous that we would like to send you a six pack of the other 6 flavors. Please email me who and where to ship it to. Thank you so much and we are glad you love it as much as we do.
Janet
HOTLIPS Soda
That actually sounds…awesome. I live in the Valley of the Sun and our weather just turned too, it’s so damn cheery outside I feel like I should be gardening or something. Sounds like this soda would be a great refresher. I’m almost afraid to try it because I might love it so much I’d drink myself into homelessness with that kind of price. And I always thought it would be the booze that made that happen!
I like pears. I also like my women to be pear-shaped. I read a review of Hot Lips on another blog and I’ve been looking for them here on this rock in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, but to no avail. Actually, I just want them so that I can say I wrapped my hot lips around a Hot Lips.
Haha, nice. Mentioning Hawaii in tomorrows review.
Man, I think I’ve found my new favorite blog.
I did not get to try the pear, but all the berry varieties are scrumptious.
Thanks! I didn’t like the black raspberry, but I thought the Boysenberry was great. Haven’t got my hands on Strawberry yet.