Slice Prebiotics & Probiotics root beer

Background information: (from the website) "Since ‘84, Slice has been a household favorite. Now, we’re back with a new attitude. Real ingredients. Bold flavors. Gut-friendly benefits. We’ve kept the fizz, ditched the junk, and brought the fun. Slice is the OG soda with a modern twist."

"Prebiotics: Think of prebiotics as the snacks your gut’s good bacteria can’t get enough of. They’re like fuel for the party, keeping the probiotics energized and ready to work their magic. No prebiotics, no party—it’s that simple.

Probiotics: Probiotics are the cool crowd of good bacteria that live in your gut. They’re the ones keeping everything in check—helping with digestion, boosting your mood, and making sure your immune system stays sharp. Basically, they’re the MVPs of your microbiome.

Postbiotics: Postbiotics are the after-party vibes—what’s left after the probiotics have done their thing. These are the health-boosting byproducts that support your immunity, and keep you feeling amazing. Small but mighty, they’re the cherry on top of gut health!"

Product details: 12 fl. oz.  Manufactured for Slice, Oceanside, CA 92056. 30 calories, 3g sugar. Aluminum can. https://slicesoda.com/

Ingredients: Carbonated Water, Slice Gut Blend (Soluble Vegetable Prebiotic Fiber, Bacillus subtilis DE111, Bifidobacterium longum CECT 7347), Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Maple Syrup, Apple Juice (from Concentrate), Natural Flavors, Caramel Color, Organic Vanilla Extract, Stevia Leaf Extract, Citric Acid, Kosher Salt.

My thoughts: Yet another pre/pro/post-biotic root beer from the classic Slice brand. Slice used to be a lemon-lime soda (like 7-Up and Sprite) that closed up many years ago, but has been brought back as a "healthy soda" brand. While I'm not big on these types of root beers, I feel it necessary to test and review, so here we go.

This one has a more root beer taste than many of the similar products I've tried. While the rooty sassafras flavor is slightly weak, it isn't overwhelmed by the prebiotic flavored tinge nearly as much as others. There's a bit of vanilla in there as well, but the whole flavor profile -and especially the aftertaste- is a little overwhelmed by the Stevia, something I tend to find with most of the Stevia sweetened beverages. I really don't care for the taste of Stevia and try to avoid drinks with it.

I like that the top popped with the sound of bubbles and this doesn't disappoint in the carbonation department. The bubbles themselves are smaller and not too aggressive and, while I like super aggressive effervescence, this one is still satisfying. Unlike some other prebiotics, this one doesn't have a thick texture to it, feeling a bit more like a traditional soda. It's not particularly creamy, but smooth enough. As I mentioned earlier, it has a definite Stevia taste to it so, while appropriately sweet, I don't like the quality of that sweetness.

I'll admit, I'm a little disappointed in this. I got a few cans of other flavors of Slice a couple months ago just to try out since they were on sale for 50 cents (root beer wasn't yet available at that time), and I thought they were fairly decent. As a root beer, however, I don't think they quite deliver. If you're more Stevia tolerant than I am, then this is a root beer worth trying. For those of us on the anti-Stevia bandwagon, I'd say you should avoid this.

Rating: D+
flavor: D+
aftertaste: D+
sweetness: C-
smoothness: C+

carbonation: B+ 

Cove Soda probiotic root beer

Background information: While not a fan of probiotic root beers, I've been hard up to find new root beers to try, so I'll give any sort a go. While shopping at my local grocery store, I ran across a new brand I hadn't seen before, Cove Soda. Cove makes "healthy" probiotic sodas and kombuchas and has zero sugar while being certified organic.

(from the website): "Hi, we’re John and Ryan 👋 Brothers and Co-founders of Cove Soda

Growing up, soda was a rare treat, enjoyed only on the most special of occasions. Tucked away in our most cherished memories of birthday parties, pizza nights, or an A on a test, soda was there.

While we outgrew our soda fixation, deeming it forever unhealthy; the nostalgic craving lived on. Our guts were telling us not to walk away from those classic flavours we knew and loved. 

So, we took a sip down memory lane to create a soda that isn’t meant for special occasions, rather, for everyone and everyday enjoyment. Enter Cove Soda, the first-ever, zero sugar functional soda made with 1 billion probiotics, and real organic ingredients.

We’re making way for a new generation of soda drinkers."

Product details: 12 fl. oz.  Brought to you by Cove Drinks Inc., 1A Johnston Ave., Trenton NJ 08629. 0 calories, 0g sugar. Aluminum can. https://www.covesoda.com/

Ingredients: Filtered water, Erythritol*, Caramel*, Citric acid*, Natural flavour*, Vanilla extract*, Himalayan salt, Stevia extract*, Ascorbic acid (vitamin C), Bacillus subtilis DE111 (probiotic). *Organic


My thoughts: I can't believe it's been almost a year since my last review. I haven't had much luck finding new root beers to try, but finally came across this. I'm not much for probiotic, nor zero sugar, root beers, so let's see how this goes.

"Fttzzzzz...pop!" Ah, the good old sound of cracking open an ice cold can of root beer. I prepare myself for the worst, but it smells okay... As the liquid flows over my tongue I think, "Hey this isn't so bad!" It has that rooty sassafras taste, with a decent vanilla flavor helping it out. It has a little of that sort of sour probiotic taste to it, but it's really not all that bad, with the rooty flavor strong enough to help hide the healthy bits. The aftertaste isn't unpleasant, not revealing any new spices or anything, but also not getting overwhelmed by the probiotic elements. There is very little hint of the stevia sweetening altering the taste, which is usually not the case.

The carbonation is fairly strong, though not with the most aggressive bubbles, so it doesn't prickle the tongue. Some of these probiotic drinks can feel a little flat, but this one holds up just fine. I tend to feel like these probiotic drinks tend to have a creamy quality to the texture and this one is no different, offering a satisfying smoothness. The thing that really surprised me is the stevia sweetener. As I mentioned above, it only has a hint of that typical stevia taste (though it is there), but manages to be properly sweet without the sugar.

Well, consider me surprised. I was fully expecting to not like this root beer based on past experience with stevia sweeteners and probiotics, but I came away not minding it. While it wouldn't be my choice among regular root beers, it does offer a moderately satisfying root beer experience and a very good probiotic root beer taste. Seems like they got the formula right on this one.

Rating: C+
flavor: C+
aftertaste: C
sweetness: B+
smoothness: A-

carbonation: B+ 

poppi Prebiotic root beer

 

Background information: (from the website): "Founded by husband-and-wife duo Stephen and Allison and based in Austin, TX, poppi combines fresh fruit juice, apple cider vinegar, and inulin prebiotics for a deliciously refreshing, full-of-flavor soda with benefits.

With the help of an investment on Shark Tank, poppi has gone from farmer's-market-favorite to sitting pretty on the shelves of thousands of retailers across the nation. Along the way, we’ve become beloved by some new besties like Hailey Bieber, Kylie Jenner, Billie Eilish, Russell Westbrook, JLo, Olivia Munn, and more."

(from the can) "Facts... No one wants a basic drink. So make every hour happy with this bubbly, better for you prebiotic soda that keeps your gut happy and gives your bod a boost. Classic flavors that are downright delicious, these bubbles with benefits will be your new BFF."

Product details: 12 fl. oz.  Distributed by: poppi, Austin, TX 78731. 25 calories, 5g sugar. Aluminum can. https://www.drinkpoppi.com/

Ingredients: Sparkling Water, Organic Cane Sugar, Apple Juice*, Fruit Juice Color, Organic Apple Cider Vinegar, Organic Agave Inulin, Natural Flavors, Stevia, Natural Tartaric Acid. *Concentrate (Contains 3% Juice)


My thoughts: Prebiotic soda. These words strike some fear into my root beer loving heart. From the swampy depths of prehistoric earth emerge microorganisms, whose essence is being distilled into a soupy blend of sludge of slime molds, fungi, and bacteria, with the sole purpose of ruining what might be a perfectly decent root beer. Okay, perhaps I mischaracterize a perfectly decent beverage trend. Maybe this will be the best root beer I've had yet. We shall see if my preconceptions, though slightly exaggerated, hold true.

The initial flavor, when one expects root beer, is a bit confusing. It has a strangely subtle fruitiness which I can't quite explain (looking at the ingredients, I now see "apple juice" and "apple cider vinegar" listed, which likely gives it that flavor). Seeing those ingredients might also explain the tangy sensation with the vinegar. It's such a strange flavor combination, I don't quite know how to describe them. It's not bad, exactly, but I don't know that I particularly like it, especially as far as root beers go. There is a little bit of that rooty sassafras flavor in there, which becomes a more prominent as the initial flavors fade into the aftertaste. It also has a vanilla taste that grows stronger as an aftertaste.

Carbonation is fairly good, maintaining a decent fizz throughout the can. I tend to prefer my CO2 quite prickly, which this is a drink with smaller, less aggressive bubbles, but it does a decent job. The smaller bubbles don't froth a whole lot, which leaves it a little short on that bubbly creaminess I really like in my root beers, but something in the drink is leaving a thicker, creamier sensation behind. As for sweetness, I'm usually a bit skeptical of drinks sweetened with agave and Stevia, but the blend with cane sugar here works well, with no unusual sweetness related flavors I can detect. With only 5g of sugar (about 1/8 the usual amount), if leaves a much cleaner sensation behind.

I'm a bit puzzled on how I should rate this. It's not a great root beer, but it's fairly decent as a "healthy" probiotic beverage. I wouldn't mind having it again, but if I'm putting it purely into the context of a root beer, it's certainly not one I'd seek out again. So when you see the lower score, just keep in mind that I think it's a moderately decent Prebiotic soda (and not some awful swamp water sludge), but not exactly a great root beer. But, if I had to keep my sugar or calorie intake low, I do think it beats most diet root beer options and would likely be one of my low sugar picks.

Rating: C-
flavor: D+
aftertaste: C-
sweetness: A-
smoothness: C
carbonation: B

REBBL root beer

Background information: (from the website) "A CAUSE LOOKING FOR A COMPANY…

REBBL was born out of a passionate collaboration between global thought-leaders to identify an innovative solution to uplift vulnerable communities around the world."

(from the can): "Deliciously supercharged plants to power people."

"Every can of organic REBBL POP is packed with deliciously refreshing, nutrient-dense, plant-powered ingredients that support immunity and digestive health. We ethically source our ingredients, supporting the communities that grow them, and use sustainable packaging."

"Good for you, great for other, better for the world."

Product details: 12 fl. oz. Distributed by REBBL, Emeryville, CA 94608. 50 calories, 5g sugar. Contains 3% juice. Aluminum can. www.rebbl.co

Ingredients: Sparkling water, organic acacia, organic coconut nectar, organic natural flavor, organic vanilla extract, organic stevia extract, pink salt, organic monk fruit extract, vitamin C (ascorbic acid). Contains: coconut. 


My thoughts: Following up on my last "healthy" root beer review, I have yet another root beer with similar claims, with "supports immunity & digestive health." Sounds like another flavor disaster waiting to happen, but we'll see if this one can't offer something a little more palatable.

First off, the rooty sassafras flavor isn't very pronounced. It does come across as definitely being a root beer, however. The stevia is just ruining it with a very pronounced taste. If you like Stevia, no big deal. But I detest the flavor it imparts and in this drink it overwhelms the other flavors with its presence. Notes of vanilla and what I believe is the monk fruit (which -according to the internet- has a caramel/toffee taste). There are some other flavors that I can't quite identify, though I do like what they are doing, but it's hard to sort them out underneath the oppressive stevia. The aftertaste starts out not very good, with more stevia taste on the menu. But an interesting thing happens if I wait a bit longer, as the stevia finally fades away and I can start tasting more of the underlying flavors that were hidden away before, with the vanilla and monk fruit finally taking over. This is one drink that is vastly improved by the aftertaste and benefits from longer pauses between taking another drink. One thing I didn't notice earlier in the drink is the wintergreen, but as I got down to the last 1/3 of the can I started to notice it and it seemed to get stronger the closer to the bottom of the can I got. It never did get too strong, though.

The carbonation is on the weak side, but at least doesn't seem to totally vanish as I make my way through the drink. Again, when carbonation is low it's harder to gauge smoothness, but I'd rank this about average. It's not particularly creamy (I like a creamy foam froth), but there is a little bit of creamy texture in there. Sweetness is fine, leaving a pretty clean feeling in my mouth, but comes at the price of destroying the flavor, so gets some points knocked off for that detrimental side effect.

Whereas the last "healthy" probiotic root beer I tried was an absolute failure on all levels, this one at least offers a somewhat pleasant experience. Other than the overly strong stevia influence, I like what the flavors are doing here. Yes, it could use a little more rooty sassafras taste and veers more towards a vanilla caramel flavor in the aftertaste, but overall I enjoyed this flavor blend that was hidden underneath. I think this is a good choice for those that are looking for very low sugar alternatives. If you're okay with the stevia taste, then adjust my rating accordingly as that was the main factor for my lower score. Absent that sweetener, this might be a mid to high "B" rating instead. I wish they'd offer this same blend with a cane sugar sweetener, as I think I'd really like it.

Rating: D+
flavor: D+
aftertaste: C+
sweetness: D+
smoothness: C
carbonation: D