I had the rare occasion to grocery shop sans children yesterday.  It doesn’t happen often; usually my food shopping trips are spent chasing small, quick feet through densely populated aisles and trying my best to keep the hands attached to those same feet from pulling down displays of fresh fruit or cans of soup, and simultaneously attempting to soothe the other child who hates being strapped into the cart seat.  So yesterday when I entered the grocery store I felt an overwhelming sense of calm.  I had time to stroll through the produce, time to visit with the clerk behind the deli counter, and time to really look at the new offerings in the organic section.  It was bliss!  I could read labels and compare brands to my heart’s content.

I always visit the beverage section of the organics because my son is lactose intolerant and they sometimes stock large containers of soy yogurt next to the soy milk.  This time there was no yogurt, but there were some very appealing bottles of non-alcoholic bubbly drink that drew me in.  I decided $1.69 for 12 fl.oz. was cheap for an afternoon’s delight of sipping something cool in the sun while the toddlers slept (if only that would happen in reality, and not just in my mind).  I slipped a bottle of Lemon & Mint Sparkling Organic Beverage by The Simple Kitchen into my cart and finished the task at hand.

Later that afternoon I sat down with my new bottle of bubbles, got out my notebook (I take this gig seriously, you know), and popped the top.

The Label

The advertising department of The Simple Kitchen got it right when they designed this label.  I was drawn in by it’s simple design, appealing imagery, and straightforward dialogue.  At the neck of the bottle we have the “USDA oragnic” sticker, which makes me feel all warm and fuzzy as a consumer.  The photo of the lemon and sprig of mint is the epitome of lazy summer afternoons, and I was also able to quickly identify the products’ high points: low calorie, touch of honey, and 100% natural.

The back label has the obligatory nutrition facts table, showing 60 calories for a 1 bottle serving.  I enjoyed the ingredients list because I could pronounce each and every item: triple-filtered carbonated water, organic honey, organic lemon juice concentrate and organic peppermint extract.  It’s not often that a carbonated beverage comes with such a short list of ingredients and I was pleased.

Down the Hatch

When the drink first hit my tastebuds my gut reaction was “that’s not at all what I was expecting”.  I guess I thought this would be fizzy lemonade with a hint of mint, but it wasn’t at all.  It tasted quite like tonic with a squirt of lemon concentrate from one of those little plastic lemons, with a teensy tiny nearly indetectable hint of honey and a slight mint aftertaste.  It wasn’t terrible, but my first, honest impression was that it was a bit of a let down.

Not having anything else lemony or minty in the house to drink, I decided to finish the bottle despite my initial disappointment.  Sip by sip it tasted a little better, and by the time I got near the end of the bottle I answered “no” when my kids asked if they could share it with me because I had finally decided that I liked it.  No, it wasn’t the best thing to ever hit my taste buds, but it certainly wasn’t the worst.  I think I could easily concoct a better version of the same drink in my own kitchen with fresh lemons and sprigs of mint.  I also think The Simple Kitchen could (and should) stop the use of lemon juice from concentrate and get a better tasting product using fresh lemon juice.  A little more honey would brighten the lemon flavor (or maybe that’s just my sweet tooth talking).  The mint was perfect, spot on.  It was just enough to be noticeable and refreshing, but not so overpowering that I felt like I was swallowing my mouthwash.

Not Qwowi, But Not Bad

It didn’t blow my mind with great flavor, but for something I grabbed off a grocery shelf on a complete whim it wasn’t bad, either.  I ultimately found it refreshing, thirst quenching, and pleasant.  I would buy it again, and I am interested in trying the other flavors; maybe pinkgrapefruit or whitegrape will resonate with me on a deeper level or something.  As the brand name suggests this is a drink with a simple palette of flavors.  I think it would certainly add a fun sense of variety to the tired bucket of soda, iced tea, and beer at your next summer barbecue.  Serve it in a glass with a wedge of lemon, and cut that “from concentrate” taste right out.  Happy sipping!

The Simple Kitchen Sparkling Organic Beverages can be found at your local grocery store or online at: www.simplekitchenco.com

Share This Post