This article was written by The Zillennial Zine’s spring editorial intern Jeanny Sánchez Gómez. Find them on Instagram at @jeanny_sanchez. If you would like to share an article with The Zillennial, send us an email at thezillennialzine@gmail.com.
Whether you are a soda fiend who is trying to cut back on your sugar intake or just trying to be more conscious of your gut health, the viral Olipop Prebiotic Sodas are the way to go. With Poppi’s most recent marketing strategy that ended up with some controversy, many are turning to its competitor, so here is your almost complete list of the Olipop flavors ranked.
No matter where I was I always seemed to catch a glimpse of the shiny and colorful probiotic sodas branded as Poppi, and I, like many others tried and immediately preferred it as an alternative to traditional soda. So color me surprised when I’m scrolling on TikTok a bit before the Super Bowl and start seeing influencers showing off their giant Poppi-filled vending machines sent as part of a marketing campaign. My first thought was, that’s kind of cool. My second thought was, wait, why does anyone need a soda machine filled with anything in their home?? And as I scrolled in the comments and explained by the TikTok above, many other people had the same thought.
So as I continued to get more videos about this, it was getting funnier and funnier to see Olipop commenting on everything ready to call out their competitor for the insane cost of this ad. And through the ridiculousness of this whole situation, the next time I ended up going to the store and saw a Poppi at the store, all I could think of was Olipop, and proceeded to grab a basket full of cans to have for my apartment, so from worst to last here is my ranking for ten of the 18 flavors I have tried.
10) Ridge Rush
Combining lemon, lime, and orange flavors to create their version of what I think is supposed to be Moutain Dew, Ridge Rush was my least favorite of the flavors that I tried. The flavor was both flat and sweet and was one of the few flavors that left a funky aftertaste. Although the orange was a nice surprise when I first had a sip, I’m not a fan of Mountain Dew or Mountain Dew-esque flavors in general, so that is my main reason for putting it on the bottom of the list. But, if you are a fan of the Dew then this one might be for you.
9) Doctor Goodwin
If you live in Texas or have ever visited, you know that one of the most popular drinks in the state is Dr. Pepper. Full of flavor and despite it being called caught medicine by some (mostly by out of staters with wrong opinions) Dr. Pepper packs a punch, but Doctor Goodwin not so much. The combination of flavors seems to fight each other in the mix and result in a drink that leaves you kind of confused as to what the result was supposed to be.
8) Cherry Cola
Promoting a formula of “real spices” and “tart cherry juice”, I was excited to try their Cherry Cola, considering that Cherry Coke is one of the few sodas that I enjoy drinking. Taking my first sip, I was surprised by the lack of cherry flavor. Sharing it with my roommates to try to figure out whether I was crazy or not, we all agreed that it seemed to lack that specific cherry kick, leaving it tasting flat and much closer to just a regular diet Pepsi flavor. Leading me on the most and providing a pretty lackluster experience, Cherry Cola is left much to be desired.
7) Ginger Lemon
This one taste exactly how the name sounds and I love it for that very reason. A delicious, diet-flavored ginger lemonade, is a solid hit. You can smell a lot more ginger than you can taste in the drink, but it still delivers a well-balanced taste between the two flavors, and pour of ice the crispness of the ginge stands out just a bit more, which I enjoyed. While being a very delicious drink, unless you really like ginger like I do, it is not much of a standout flavor compared to the rest.
6) Ginger Ale
And with that last sentence, the Olipop Ginger Ale is next on the list. A classic beverage, their version does not disappoint. Using real ginger root, you would think the ginger flavor would be too much, but it ends up being just perfect. A lot less fizzy than other ginger ale, it made it easier to gulp down and enjoy, and will stock up on these the next time I have an upset stomach.
5) Orange Squeeze
With Orange Fanta being one of my go-to’s whenever I crave a soda, I had high hopes for the Orange Squeeze. Tasting like a watered-down version of my favorite soda, it was a little harder to appreciate it at first taste, but after finishing the can, and having no weird Fanta residue, it was a lot more refreshing than I expected. Although I did enjoy the punch of vitamin C packed in thanks to clementine and mandarin mixed.
4)Vintage Cola
While Coke, is not my favorite drink, it does have a certain punch that pulls you in. Similar to that, the Vintage Cola has a sweet balance of vanilla and caramel in it that I did not expect. Tasting a lot like a Coke Float, a treat that I would otherwise not be able to drink more than half, I didn’t face the same problem here.
3)Strawberry Vanilla
This one was a surprise top pick for me. At face value, it sounds very sweet but after the first sip, I realized it was the perfect balance of these flavors without feeling like I was chugging a bunch of sugar. After talking to some co-workers I also found that it seems to be a fan-favorite, with some saying that their kids as young as five, were enjoying this flavor and asking for a can of it more than asking for a regular juice.
2) Tropical Punch
Tasting a lot more nostalgic for me, reminding me of the days when my parents would buy a gallon of Hawaiian punch, water it down so that it would have less sugar and last us twice as long, the Tropical Punch was very close to taking the spot as my favorite Olipop flavor. If you are a fan of punch-flavored drinks you should try this one out, it tastes so similar to the original that I almost forgot it was healthy for me.
1) Watermelon Lime
After trying the Tropical Punch, I thought I had found my new favorite drink, but after a taste of Watermelon Lime, I knew I was wrong. It was so freakishly refreshing that I almost thought it had cucumber in it, and was surprised to find none. I instantly knew that this would be a poolside must-have once summer came around and wanted more as soon as I finished the can.
And with that, here’s my ranking for these ten Olipop flavors. After tasting most of them, I’m excited to try the last eight as every flavor has had its pros and cons. And with all the recipes posted on their Instagram, Olipop will be a new household staple.
Leave a comment below letting us know your thoughts about our Olipop flavors ranked below! What are your favorites? Your least favorite?
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