Let's Review : Dry Soda

Dry Soda : Rhubarb, originally uploaded by miss.mallory.

I've been a Dry Soda drinker since I discovered it's simple, gorgeous little bottles sitting in the cold case at 'the market' on Seattle's northend. I don't get to enjoy Dry Soda as much as I'd like, however, because apparently I live in a town where it is hard, if not impossible to find. Thanks Bellingham.

Recently, on a trip to Edison (likely my favorite town here in the northwest), while browsing the shelves at Slough Food, I found a whole section dedicated to Dry Soda. Immediately I grabbed a flavor I hadn't tried yet, Vanilla Bean. Swoon. Then, like a shot through the heart, my mother tugs at my sleeve and points out this ruby-ish colored bottle. It takes my mind a minute to register. . . . Rhubarb. No way. Rhubarb?! I think I may have squealed with excitement (and Slough Food is a small space to squeal in). If you're a regular reader you may remember it was only recently that I stumbled upon my full blown obsession with rhubarb. So this discovery was beyond too good to be true. I couldn't wait to try what Dry's Rhubarb soda would taste like. I purchased only one to begin with. I opened it immediately and headed to this old wooden bench that sits outside of the Edison Eye art gallery and anticipated my first sip. Heaven. Truly. Heaven. Almost like gnawing on a fresh stalk of rhubarb, sans the bitterness. Needless to say, after enjoying the entire contents of the bottle, I promptly got up, went back to slough food and picked up a four pack to take home.

The one thing I feel I need to stress to you is that Dry Sodas are not very sweet. This is a major coo. It doesn't leave that sticky film in your mouth. After you've chuged one down you don't feel cranky or depressed due to the high fructose corn syrup (that dominates traditional soda and pops) floating around in your system. It's almost, not quite, but almost like sparkling water. The flavors are more interesting, and have more depth than any sparkling water I've had, but each one is just as refreshing as sparkling water. One thing remains clear, it's not about the sugar, it's all about the ingredient. This is a soda any food lover would be proud, and excited, to drink. It's true and honest to the ingredient. You want rhubarb, you get rhubarb. Not sugary sweet rhubarb compote, but just real rhubarb flavor. Same with the vanilla bean, lavender, kumquat, or lemongrass. It's all about the true taste, not the filler. I must also mention I am not a soda consumer, I have never been. Not even growing up. Products like Pepsi and Mountain Dew are not my thing, in fact I despise them. I don't like the way they taste or make my brain and body feel. Dry Soda rises above all of that, it's beyond soda, it's something, well, something quite a bit different. It should have it's own word. What that is, I'm not entirely sure. . .

Part of the reason I wanted to share my review/opinion with you about this company is because they are local and I am all about supporting amazing local businesses. They offer consumers a unique, quality, and incredible tasting product that isn't laden with sugar and filler. Plus, it's super fun to pair their drinks with different dishes, fruits, and veggies. In fact, just yesterday I enjoyed Phad Thai Jay with one of my rhubarb sodas, and although the combo might sound odd, it was incredibly delicious. Trophy Cupcakes sells Dry to pair with your favorite flavor of cake. Dry Soda is truly a wonderful product that deserves props (yes, I just said props). Check out their website for more information including history, company mission and how/where to buy at drysoda.com

While these sodas remain stunningly delicious on their own, I mixed my vanilla bean (and one of my rhubarbs) with freshly sliced strawberries and a glass full of ice, which equaled one happy mouth and body. These are truly drinks you can have fun with!

Dry Soda, originally uploaded by miss.mallory.

* I was not sponsored or paid to write this, or, any of my (few) reviews. Seriously, no company in their right mind would want me blabbering on like this about their product for compensation, am I right?! This is just my honest humble opinion.