Before I start, I have to say I’m not much of a “soda person.” Ever since I found out there’s about 10 packets of sugar in a can of soda, I pretty much stopped drinking them. But I do enjoy drinking a carbonated beverage once in a while - especially on warm days, the sound of a cold, bubbling drink pouring into a tall glass full of ice is music to my ears. I rarely drink your normal supermarket-variety soda, but if I can pick any carbonated drink, I’d probably pick Orangina. At 12% juice and 2% pulp and zest, it is citrusy, delicious and refreshing.

So when we got some Fizzy Lizzy sparkling juice beverage, my interest was piqued. Having been a graphic designer in a former life, the well-designed retro-style Lizzy logo and glass bottle scored points in my book. Now what about what’s inside the bottle? Fizzy Lizzy claims to have an average of 60% all-natural juice in every bottle, has no added sugar or corn syrup, just all-natural fruit juice and sparkling water. Wow, what’s there not to love? And oh, what does it say on every bottle of Fizzy Lizzy?

Rawr.

We got three flavors of Fizzy Lizzy: Lone Star Grapefruit, Costa Rican Pineapple, and Red Hill Pomegranate. On a typical 90°F+ Autumn day in Southern California, we decided to try the Costa Rican Pineapple. At 60% juice, you can really see all the fruity pulpy goodness on the bottom of the bottle. We duly shook the bottle and opened it over the sink (wouldn’t want sticky fruit juice all over the dining room floor), and pour it into a tall glass.

The verdict? I loved it to the very last drop. I often find regular pineapple juice too sweet, so having it mixed with sparkling water was just perfect. I could taste the sweetness and the aroma of fresh pineapple in every sip, and the carbonation was a perfect balance. I drank it so fast I wished I had another.

We tried Lone Star Grapefruit next, and it’s pretty much like having fresh-squeezed Texas Ruby Red grapefruit juice with a bit of sparkling water. This would make a perfectly delicious accompaniment for a Sunday brunch. We happen to have a Texas ruby red grapefruit tree in our backyard, so the next time we have more grapefruit than we can enjoy, I would probably consider making juice out of it and mixing it with some sparkling water.

Last but not least was the Red Hill Pomegranate. Even with the media touting the health benefits of pomegranate juice, not very many people like the taste of it because it’s slightly bitter, tart and almost medicinal, but I personally like the intense pomegranate juice flavor. The Fizzy Lizzy version makes it easy to drink. It’s tart, not too sweet, with just a little bit of bitterness.

Would I buy Fizzy Lizzy again? Sure I would. I’d like to try the other flavors, especially Gulf Coast Tangerine and Mount Fuji Apple. I do have to go all the way to the nearest Whole Foods for them, which is about 20-minutes drive away, and these aren’t exactly on sale. I suppose it is possible to buy some fresh fruit of your choice, a bottle of sparkling water at the local grocery store and attempt to make your own Fizzy Lizzy, but all the work of peeling, cutting, juicing, pulping and whatnot is probably not worth the trouble. Plus, I think I’d rather support a small, independent beverage company.