Goldberg & Sons bitter lemon soda: Meant to be used a mixer, this soda is refreshing all on its own, with a clear acidic lemon flavor that's just sweet enough. The best part is the carbonation, which is the ideal strength and has more refined, smaller bubbles than typical seltzers. 4.0/5.0
goldbergandsons lemon soda drinks recommended 4.0 goldbergsons bitter
Cortese ginger soft drink: This Italian mixer strangely contains no ginger. Instead, it had carrot juice and safflower. The flavor is slightly acidic, on the sweet side, and has no expected kick. It comes in a vivid red color. 2.5/5.0
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Joia grapefruit, chamomile, and cardamom soda: A refreshing take on grapefruit soda that's nicely spiced and sweetened. Grapefruit flavor is prominent and concentrated. Fizz is substantial and lasting. 4.0/5.0
joia soda drinks grapefruit cardamom chamomile spiced 4.0 recommended
Brooklyn Soda Works lemon and thyme soda: About five years ago, I had a fantastic bottled apple ginger soda from Brooklyn Soda Works at a restaurant in NYC. Since then, I've been looking forward to my next opportunity to try a different flavor from the brand. I also backed them on Kickstarter a few years ago. When I found myself at Smorgasburg for the Brooklyn Record Flea, I visited their tent and purchased a $4 cup of lemon thyme soda. Unfortunately, it was not very good. The lemon was faint, and the soda could use more sweetness t... (read more) 2.0/5.0
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&pizza berry ginger lemonade: I was excited about all the craft soda options available at the fast-casual pizza chain &. Unfortunately, all six I sampled from their fountain machine were overly sweet. This berry lemonade had just a bit of spiciness from the ginger but tasted mostly like berry juice. 2.0/5.0
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Sprecher's ginger ale: The first time I had Sprechers was at Momofuku Ssam bar back in 2009, and I was instantly a fan of their root beer. I found this large bottle, with two servings, at a sandwich shop in DC, and I was excited to try it given how much I love ginger. On first sip, the ginger flavor was prominent and spicy, but it finishes kind of musky due to the addition of honey. While I sometimes have honey with ginger tea, I didn't think it quite worked with this carbonated combination, though it was a good d... (read more) 3.0/5.0
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