Monday, December 14, 2009

DRY Soda: Cucumber



First, my thanks to DRY for sending me this bottle. I was unable to source it reasonably close to me, and they were kind enough to humor my begging.

I picked this flavor to start with because I LOVE cucumber water. As a matter of fact, if you were to look into my sippy cup (whoops, I meant Al Gore-approved carbon neutral reusable beverage vessel) at any given time, you would find water with fresh slices of cucumber. It's crisp, it's refreshing. It adds a more subtle, yet more interesting flavor than lemon or lime slices would.



So when I saw that DRY had a cucumber soda, I had to try it.

And how was it? Well, the first thing you notice is that it smells like a mix of cucumbers and lemon-lime soda. I wasn't exactly expecting the citrus aroma, but it was a surprisingly brisk combination.

It was interesting how different the taste was from the smell. With the scent, you got the cucumber right away. With the flavor, the cucumber is more subdued -- actually, it's more of an aftertaste than the main event. But that really means it that has a soft, almost sweet lingering aftertaste that is pretty darn good.

The main taste is citrusy...only not. It's like a club soda that someone let a slice each of lemon, lime and cucumber sit in just long enough to pick up the essence of each item, but not long enough that any one flavor stands out.



The carbonation is bubbly but less gassy than a common soda. It was super easy to finish the glass. Yes, I felt so grown up drinking it that I even skipped my sippy cup. (Sorry, I meant Al Gore-approved carbon neutral reusable beverage vessel -- I forgot again -- DOH!)

DRY sodas can be drunk either on their own or mixed with spirits. Now, just because I care sooooo much about giving my dear readers as much information as possible, I tried mixing some with vodka. (Not that I would enjoy it, of course. This is purely for educational purposes.)

As good as the soda was without the vodka, it was even better with it! I used an unflavored vodka (although the DRY website suggests citrus vodka as an option). It was interesting how, once mixed with the vodka, the citrus notes were less pronounced and the cucumber stood out more. A very refreshing cocktail.

This flavor was good both with and without the alcohol, but I have to say I liked it more as a mixer. Either way, it's a winner.


PURCHASED FROM:
Sample from company

Be sure to visit DRY Soda's web site. There you will find information on where you can buy DRY locally -- or purchase directly from DRY online.

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