Orca itself is the brainchild of Mike Bourgeois and began its life with a water-and-juice drink that proved challenging to bottle because of the particles and pulp.  Kicked off three separate bottling lines, Orca determined the best route forward was to find one of their own.  They procured a beat-up Pepsi line that had been totaled in a flood and put in some hard work rebuilding it.  Now, Orca bottles its own specialty sodas along with many others like Moxie and Dad’s, over 100 in total.

Misty Wither’s gets shipped in clear 12-ounce long-neck bottles with transparent labels which show off the crystalline liquid beautifully.  Elegant line work swirls and curls around the elaborate navy-blue type of the logo.  It’s very pretty packaging.  While Misty Wither’s is supposed to be inspired by women of the 1920’s the design is squarely Victorian with its fancy ornamentation and swooping type.  Art Deco dominated the design of the 20’s and it’s a shame not to see it here.  That said, the overall effect is attractive and without reading the bit about the inspiration off the website, there would be no complaints.

Surprisingly, a serving of Misty Wither’s counts only 80 calories.  For the reason why look to the nutritional information.  While cane sugar accompanies the carbonated water, ginger extract and citric acid, stevia extract sits at the end of the list.  Stevia is sweeter than sugar and doesn’t metabolize so it’s worth zero calories.  Mixing it in means a calorie bargain without sacrificing the taste of the cane sugar.  One preservative, sodium benzoate, is present but shouldn’t be the least bit alarming.

As mentioned above, the liquid appears almost entirely clear with just the slightest haze.  The nose brings sweetness with a pop of ginger.  The sweetness comes on first but initially tastes drier than it smells.  The ginger arrives briskly, rich and earthy, while the sweetness continues to crescendo, at this point soft as a Smarties candy.  The ginger protracts for a substantial portion of the progression, hanging on through the finish and accompanied by a final, sharp sparkle of sweetness.  The heat is significant with prickles crackling throughout the mouth and upon the lips. 

The advance of the sweetness sets this ginger beer apart.  Development comes along gradually, gently ramping up instead of hitting at once and fading.  While it strikes as dry at the outset, it ultimately ends up being quite sweet.  It’s unusual without being odd.  The tone of the ginger tastes wonderful too and the above-average heat is more than welcome.  It’s a striking combination that makes for an excellent experience.

Final Decision: Second Tier – Alluring

Purchased at: Cooper Farms Country Store, a small market in Fairfield, Texas I stumbled into while driving from Dallas to Houston. They offer a very large selection of craft and specialty sodas, deftly arranged by color with a few on tap. | Available online at: Orca Beverage, Antiqology, and Soda Emporium

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The Naturally Light series eventually found itself replaced by Refreshingly Light.  More than just a name change, new formulas were devised for these versions of their Indian Tonic Water, Ginger Ale and Ginger Beer.  The notes for this review were originally written while the two options sat side-by-side on shelves but by now Naturally Light may be near impossible to find.

The 6.8 ounce (200ml) clear glass bottle possesses an elegant curvature and comes embossed with the fever tree found often in their branding.  The label, with a lighter background color, appears quite similar to the Premium.  It uses the same upscale look including the same uninspired typeface selections except for the addition of hand-written elements, notably the “Naturally Light” designation.

Carbonated spring water kicks off the ingredient list of this 40-calorie beverage (that’s 71 calories per 12 ounces).  In addition there’s fruit sugar, ginger root, other natural flavors, tartaric and ascorbic acids.  No preservatives are included.

There’s a touch of cloudiness to this fizzy, translucent liquid which carries a slightly more golden color than its full-calorie counterpart.  Ginger dominates the nose, nice and strong.  The first impression comes through as a dryness.  Then the ginger arrives, tasting not at all artificial.  It reaches a pleasant peak, joined by a tang, and continues to hang on for a few beats.  The heat goes easy at first but builds with each sip, prickling about the tongue.  The tang subsides into a clean finish.

Naturally Light has no intention of imitating Fever-Tree’s flagship ginger beer.  It’s quite comfortable doing its own thing and offers a lot of flavor for the calories.  The choice to go dry strikes as a clever idea.  When reducing calories, why not just reduce the sweetness instead of pursuing artificial options?  A dry ginger beer can be as good or better than a sweet one so there’s a reason to choose this variety other than just the reduced calories and sugar.  It’s a straightforward option that lacks the complexity of the Premium but nevertheless remains desirable in its own right.

Final Decision: Second Tier – Alluring

Purchased locally at: Spec’s

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He took inspiration from his dad.  The man was an admitted soda addict and Trevor saw that as an opportunity.  He began brewing his own kombucha with a new idea: what if it could be made to taste like soda?  After trials and errors and much tinkering, in 2012 Live Beverages came to life.  Trevor had finally developed a kombucha that tasted much like soda.  His dad embraced it and never looked back.

On the subject, their kombucha still tastes like kombucha, but that flavor rides shotgun with the soda flavor behind the wheel.  The sharp edges normally found in the taste are sanded down, making what is oftentimes a distasteful beverage quite delicious.

Live Soda came next.  By reversing his thinking Trevor created a soda with probiotic content like kombucha.  Several flavors are now on offer like Cola, Root Beer and this, Live Soda Ginger, which is said to ride the line between ginger ale and ginger beer.

It’s worth mentioning that the claimed benefits of probiotics are questionable, but one thing Live Soda has going for it in that regard is that, unlike a lot of other probiotic foods, it contains bacteria that actually are a member of the human gut flora ecosystem.

The packaging is excellent.  Live Soda won a BevNet award for their rebranding and it’s understandable why.  The clean and attractive logo features prominently on the two-tone can.  “Ginger” slashes in a stylish typeface across a golden background filled with bubbles.  It’s all very modern and enticing and clearly communicates what makes this soda different from its shelf companions.  Full marks.

As the can proclaims, Live Soda Ginger contains no calories.  Instead of sugar, erythritol and monk fruit extract perform the sweetening duties.  Accompanying them are carbonated water, natural flavors, citric acid and the probiotic bacillus subtilis.  Quite concise.

The liquid appears a robust bronze color with moderate carbonation and without sediment.  It smells only weakly of ginger.  The initial taste sensation is stark dryness, almost as if sipping carbonated water.  Ginger then unfurls, not prickly yet tactile, carrying a bright tartness but no heat.  There’s no evolution to the finish; the flavor just attenuates until it’s gone.

Live Soda achieves a hybridity between ginger beer and ale but it stands dryer than either one.  Without the sweetness, it feels unsatisfying, a reminder that this is supposed to be good for you. There’s nothing about it that feels like an indulgence.

What’s more, the flavor profile is simple to the point of being uninteresting.  Without a unique and attractive taste, to choose this beverage is only to choose the probiotics.  It struggles to compare favorably to otherwise similar ginger soda options, like those low in sweetness or calorie count.  If it’s a practical decision, then it’s not much of a decision at all.  But if it isn’t, then it might be best to explore elsewhere.

Final Decision: Fourth Tier – Passable

Purchased locally at: HEB

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