Purple Kow Lychee slushie: I usually opt for milk tea or fruit teas when I go to bubble tea shops, but this time I went for the lychee slush at Purple Kow, a Bay-Area-based chain. Their drinks are served in a single-size short, fat bucket with substantially more than your typical cup. Their generosity was unfortunate in this case because even at 25% sugar, the drink was far too sweet, reminding me of the lychee mini jello cups you get at asian grocery stores. If you don’t like sweet, artificial flavors, don’t order th... (read more) 2.0/5.0
drinks berkeley purplekow lychee slushie 2.0
Happy lemon Jasmine lemon slush: This drink was about as good as this picture, which is to say not very good. Even at 25% sugar, it was overly sweet, and while it was supposed to have jasmine tea, it did not taste of anything but lemon. Do not recommend this particular drink at the normally solid Happy Lemon. 2.5/5.0
drinks berkeley happylemon jasmine lemon slush 2.5
House Kombucha Ginger Fire Ginger and Green Tea with Hot Peppers: The first time I had kombucha six years ago, I found it so disgusting that I hadn't touched it since. But I do like ginger a lot, and this brand of House Kombucha was offered for free at work, so I decided to keep an open mind and give it a try. I expected it to have a very spicy flavor given the flames on the packaging, but it was much more mild (even if the heat built up a bit over time). Despite the lack of ginger heat, I was pleasantly surprised with the overall flavor, which was sligh... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended drinks sf housekombucha ginger fire green tea hot peppers 3.5
La Croix Cran-raspberry sparkling water : Generally, I think La Croix is pretty good. But this cran-raspberry flavor has a medicinal quality to it, reminding me of children’s medicine masked with candy-like flavors. Would not drink again. 2.0/5.0
drinks avoid lacroix cran-raspberry sparkling water 2.0
Happy Lemon Mango matcha slush: Matcha and mango seemed like an unlikely pairing, but I decided to give it a try as it was marked as a Happy Lemon top pick on the menu. Because of the way the drink is made, it’s not possible to adjust the sweetness, which I was a bit worried about since I usually get my beverages at 25% sweetness when possible. While the drink was on the sweet side, it also had a delicious creaminess that mellowed out the flavor overall. A thick base of mango at the bottom ensures that there is a bit of f... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended drinks berkeley happylemon mango matcha slush 3.5
Trader Joe’s Calamansi Cooler: I’m a fan of the increasing number of calamansi-flavored products I’ve witnessed overt the past year, and there is perhaps no bigger institution to bring visibility to this tropical fruit than Trader Joe’s. Their calamansi cooler contains less than a 12oz can but looks substantial given its slender and tall packaging. Non-carbonated, the beverage tastes like a cross between lime and grapefruit with a trace of a more acidic, funky fruit like passion fruit. Overall, it’s a bit too sweet for my... (read more) 3.0/5.0
drinks tjs traderjoes calamansi cooler 3.0