This article was written by The Zillennial Zine’s fall editorial intern Alexandrea Ciardella. Find her on Instagram at @a6ysma1. If you would like to share an article with The Zillennial, send us an email at thezillennialzine@gmail.com.
Ramune (pronounced ra-mu-nay) is a carbonated soft drink sourced from Japan. Best known for its unique flavor profiles, ramune has slowly gained popularity in the U.S. and can be found in Japanese restaurants, Asian supermarkets, and specialty stores. But with the variety of flavors to choose from, it’s difficult to know what you may enjoy and what you may not. Many flavors are familiar to the American palette; Grape, Orange, and even the ‘original’ flavor of ramune is lemon-lime, like Sprite (but a little less spicy, if you know what I mean). But there are so many other flavors that aren’t found in U.S. sodas, like Coconut, Lychee, and Yogurt! Below, we’ll discover the best flavor of ramune go review those not traditionally found in the U.S.
Melon
Arguably the most popular and most well-known flavor on this list, melon is a refreshing and sweet soda to try, if you can find it. Though melon soda is popular in both the U.S. and Japan, melon ramune is a bit trickier to find. The difference is the glass bottle that the drink comes in, along with the glass marble that preserves the drink’s carbonation. I would recommend looking online if your local market can’t stock it.
Yuzu
Have you ever seen a yuzu fruit before? Me neither, and until last year, I wasn’t even aware that they existed. Imagine a citrus flavor mixed with what you think pine oil tastes like. That’s a yuzu, a sour, evergreen flavor used as a substitute for lemons. I’m personally not a big fan of the flavor- it tends to overpower anything it’s mixed into. But if you love citrus, give this soda a try!
Coconut
Coconut ramune is a refreshing flavor, bringing out the sweetness of the coconut while matching it with the carbonation of the soda. If you want to try a unique soda flavor, grab a pineapple ramune and mix the two to make a pina colada!
Green tea/Matcha
Matcha is an integral flavor in Japan- many desserts, including cakes, cookies, and coffees are matcha flavored. So it would only make sense to flavor a soda after it as well! This ramune is a bit earthy and has a more savory flavor compared to some of the other fruit-flavored drinks.
Yogurt
You read that correctly; yogurt-flavored ramune is the most unique flavor on this list. Yogurt drinks in Asia are popular due to their probiotic benefits but are also known to be a very sweet flavor. I’ve tried this ramune out of curiosity and I can say that it tastes like yogurt! It’s a bit sour, but if you like to try unique drinks, this soda can be easily found in markets.
Lychee
A fruit commonly found in Asia, lychee seems to be a flavor you either enjoy, or you don’t. It’s commonly compared to flavors like rose or elderflower, which can be subtly sweet with a hint of bitterness. I’ve never tasted the fruit or the ramune before, but this seems to be a very popular flavor.
Blueberry
This sweet blueberry soda reminds me of the grape flavor, though a bit sweeter and not as strong in flavor. It’s a great alternative if you’re not crazy about grape but still enjoy sweet and tart sodas.
Peach
Peach and ramune are a sweet combination, kind of like a bubbly peach tea. Another flavor I have yet to try, this soda supposedly tastes like peach candies that you can buy at any Asian food market.
It’s also important to know which brands of ramune to buy. For those available in the U.S., I would recommend the Sangaria or Shirakiku brand, as they have multiple different flavors for a reasonable price and can be commonly found in stores.
What do you think is the best flavor of ramune? Let us know in the comments below!
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