New Atlas Beverage Co.

Manzana is a soda with a strange orange color for something that supposedly tastes like apple. The name “Manzana” means apple in spanish, and there aren’t really any other identifying clues on the bottle besides a cap which has the logo of RC Cola on it and a quote on the side saying “100% Ecuatoriana.”

This mystery manzana drink smells a little bit like non-sour “green apple flavor.” It’s not at all like real apple though, and barely at all even like that fake apple flavor. It’s got even a slight tinge of orange flavor, but it really just tastes like pure chemical artificial flavoring similar to a slush puppie or sno-cone.

Ecuadorian Manzana reminds me of apple jacks, which are also orange and taste nothing like apple. Hey, I guess you can ignore the label and drink what you like, but I’ll probably be drinking something else.

I heard a lot about Thums Up from my Indian friends all throughout college, but never got a chance to try it until I recently found it in an Indian food specialty shop. After hearing so much praise, I had very high expectations. It looks and tastes like a cola, but it does have a distinct taste from the likes of Coke or Pepsi. It’s flavors are more like China Cola, herbal and aromatic, though sweeter and more carbonated.

It may just be my bias knowing it comes from India, but the spices and flavors in it do seem to match the profile of Indian food. According to Wikipedia, it has a taste “reminiscent of betel nut.” I don’t know what betel nut tastes like but for anyone who does, maybe it gives you a better idea of what I’m talking about. That being said, it is still a cola, and may just be an interesting drink as an alternative to Coke. Its interesting flavors would also make a good mix with rum for a rum and thums up.

Thums Up still comes in a glass bottle with an actual, real bottle cap that you have to use a bottle opener for. What it might lack in convenience, it makes up for in authenticity. Despite the fact that it’s made by Coca-Cola, I still give this drink a thumbs up.

I sipped this before smelling it. Bad idea.

Based on the harmless-looking sprig of wheat or barley on the can, I figured it would be something like Nikola Kvas, especially since Korea is so close to Russia. Boy, was I wrong. (more…)

Bottle of Nikola Kvas

Russian Kvas is really a strange drink, at least from a categorization standpoint. Looking at the bottle, it looks like any other soda or soft drink (aside from the Russian writing). It is carbonated, but that’s because it’s fermented like beer.

Translated from the Cyrillic квас, known in English as kvass, kvas, or sometimes bread drink, kvas is made of rye bread and fermented to make a slightly alcoholic beverage. The alcohol content is so low that it’s considered safe for children to drink. (more…)