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
Trader Joe’s Almond Eggnog: A seasonal drink, this dairy-free eggnog has a comforting spiced flavor, tasting of nutmeg, allspice, and a bit of cinnamon. Its consistency is thicker than Trader Joe’s regular almond milk, and they nailed the hue, with a slightly beige-ish-yellow color. It pairs well with cookies or other sweets, though it is pretty sweet on its own. 3.5/5.0
recommended drinks traderjoes almondmilk nondairy seasonal holidays almond eggnog 3.5
Trader Joe’s Spicy mango lemonade: I wasn’t quite expecting this spicy mango lemonade to be as spicy as it is, thinking it would be more fruity with a small chili-spiked aftertaste, but this is definitely not a drink to gulp down as you might normally with a thirst-quenching glass of lemonade. The heat is pretty upfront, stemming from a mix of jalapeño and cayenne, but if you like spicy drinks, I can see how this can be a refreshing take. You can definitely taste the mango too. Kudos to Trader Joe’s for not diluting the ta... (read more) 3.0/5.0
drinks traderjoes spicy mango lemonade 3.0
Tretap Organic maple sparkling tree water: I'm conflicted about this drink because, on the one hand, it tastes shockingly accurate, with a deeply sweet maple flavor that somehow only lends 3g of sugar per serving, yet I'm not sure why anyone would want an entire 12oz can of sparkling, liquid maple syrup. If that person is you, check this drink out. If not, take comfort in knowing it would taste exactly as you would expect it to. 3.0/5.0
drinks soda vermont tretap organic maple sparkling tree water 3.0
Trina Naranja orange juice : This is an orange non-carbonated soft drink from Spain that has a tangy sweet flavor reminiscent of Sunkist or Tang, with a but of lemon Gatorade aftertaste. It contains 10% juice; the rest, I presume, is sugar water. Distributed by Schwepps and exclusive to Spain. I would imagine drinking this would make me super energetic if I were a kid, but I just found, after a red eye, that I only experienced the sugar crash. Purchased at the Madrid international airport. 2.5/5.0
Spain drinks trina naranja orange juice 2.5
Tsaocaa Rose oolong tea with pear: Tsaocaa is a small trendy bubble tea shop a block away from the Chicago CTA subway stop it's large enough to seat groups of teenagers hanging out for hours. I ordered a cup of rose oolong tea with pear with a topping of honey aloe. Served in a sturdy cup, the tea had a slice of orange and lime and a scattering of goji berries floating on the surface alongside a pyramid-shaped tea bag. While the honey aloe was on the sweet side, the drink on the whole had a cleansing and refreshing herbal f... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended drinks chicago fruittea fruit tsaocaa rose oolong tea pear 3.5