Periwinkle and garnet is an arresting visual combination, and it sent our hearts aflutter the first time we saw it: a little chromatic dignity amongst the neon shelves of sunshine yellows, bubble gum pinks and 80’s lime.
So we had high hopes that this might be an elevated sparkling water as well. If you’re new to the AHA brand, they consistently pair unusual flavor combos with perfectly calibrated carbonation. Suffice it to say: our bubble-fridge is full of AHA.
The nose on first crack gives a generic berry impression, nothing overly distinct or intriguing. But luckily the complex flavor profile we’ve come to expect from AHA is apparent with the first sip.
Tasting Notes
This sweet sparkler leads with blueberry. This isn’t the buoyant, fresh blueberry of Waterloo, a peak summer expression of the delectable fruit, but a riper, rounder, yet more subdued version, the sweetness waning into something more profound.
Did we say sweet a few times already? We did. Don’t worry, they’re sugar-free (as is everything we review) and don’t contain any other sweeteners. But there’s something in here that tricks our tongues and our brains into believing.
This may be a pro for you, if you’re looking for the best sparkling waters to replace sodas. If you’re more like us and don’t care for too much sweetness, don’t worry – we still like these. While we’d prefer a slightly less candylike blueberry, the sweet berry finish is balanced almost to perfection with the slightly-sour pomegranate.
The pomegranate has an earthy sensual flavor, lending a robust groundedness, tethering the bubbly blueberry to something deeper. Each sip finishes, overall, with the tang of pomegranate held in a warm blue glow.
A perfect August drink, btw. This is a combination of fruits that says the cooler nights of fall are on the way, as the blueberries ripen, fall to the earth to plant next year’s harvest, and the warmer weather slips into memory (hopefully).
As with other AHAs, the bubbles aren’t harsh or aggressive. These are tight and polite. Just how we like ‘em.
On a final note, we would be remiss to not mention that AHA is the creation of Coca-Cola. If you have strong feelings about monolithic corporations and hawkers of sugary soda, then maybe you don’t want to support this brand. (We feel conflicted ourselves!)
On the other hand, buying these to let them know you prefer these to their high-fructose soft drinks might just prompt them to come out with some further scintillating flavor combinations. The more sugar-free sparkling water, the merrier! Either way, we won’t judge.
ingredients
Carbonated Water, Natural Flavors
Calling all Bubblenauts!
We’re trying to make this website better for bubblenauts everywhere
and would love your input.
