We Tried And Ranked Every Flavor Of Poppi Soda

Poppi Soda is one of the biggies crafting soft drinks with a healthy kick, a prebiotic brew that promises full-fledged carbonated enjoyment while helping your gut biome flourish. The super smart startup received national exposure thanks to an appearance on Shark Tank, back when the product was known as Mother Beverage, a reference to the nourishing base that serves as a foundation for the concoction. Now, the so-called health soda and internet sensation has been snatched up by PepsiCo for a cool $1.6 billion and visibility for these bubblers has never been brisker.

The collection of Poppi flavors has grown to include clever recreations of several familiar flavors, as well as a slate of entirely original combinations. I had to know what this 21st-century carbonated treat was all about, and the company was kind enough to send samples of every flavor for me to take for a test sip. While they're all pretty wonderful in their own right, I found a scale of enjoyability based on my own personal taste and applied it to the 14 varieties currently on the market, plus a bubbly up-and-comer called Alpine Blast.

Root beer happens to be my preferred flavor of all soda possibilities, and having a prebiotic version that tastes more like natural brew than some super sweetened corn syrup sludge is a highly tasty prospect. Poppi Root Beer gets the root right, with an earthy formulation that captures the aged spirit of classic root beer. It's an encouraging turn of events to find out I can enjoy my favorite fizz without having to resort to the more candy-like bottles and cans.

If there's any drawback to this thoroughly modern take on a timeless taste, it's the tangy bite that completes each sip, courtesy of the ACV that aims to answer the question, "Is Poppi healthy soda?" Instead of having a smooth finish that ends on a low note, my taste buds were tricked into finishing each chug on a high note, which left me wanting more. Maybe that's the sneaky magic of Poppi soda, a fluid trap that gets you hooked and keeps you coming back to the can until it's empty.

I crossed my fingers for a juicy, Mountain Dew-like burst of citrus flavor to come rushing out of the Alpine Blast can. This is the newest addition to the Poppi portfolio, hitting just in time for summer refreshment. With the real Dew being notorious for its colossal caffeination and sky-high sugar content, having a more nourishing can to sip from would make it a summertime sensation.

If only there were a little more juice to boost the rocket into the stratosphere. Without the super-sharp citrus soak pouring out of the can, a pale imitation awaits instead. It might make a tastier swig if the anticipation of a bigger Mountain Dew resemblance wasn't in play, or if the flavors were turned up another few notches. But once I put together the Alpine Blast connection, I had a clear picture of what to expect, and it didn't come to pass, which means this soda peaks pretty low on the list.

The bright-blue can announces a zippy soda flavor that isn't always included in the bigger brands. Wild Berry brings the excitement of blue raspberry into the healthy soda sphere in a cleaner-than-candy format that lets grown-ups enjoy the nostalgic kick without worrying too much about their sugar intake. Dreams of having control of the blue raspberry syrup pump could be coming true for generations of shaved ice kids who just wanted more flavor in their cup.

Those kids in adult form might be a little underwhelmed here. I wanted so much to like this flavor, but it was a little too eccentric for my taste. The authenticity of a true-blue berry-flavored drink is that it jumps into the sugary notes with both feet. With Poppi, the holdback on the weird syrupy fun reduces the thrilling crackle of the first sip hitting the taste buds responsible for the tingle sensation. Not that it's a bad recipe; it's quite juicy in a jam-like way, just not in the tilt-a-whirl carnival manner I was hoping for.

Taking the concept of orange soda into the realm of ice cream counter chills and thrills, Poppi Orange Cream introduces a stroke of vanilla into the original orange recipe to create a canned retro vibe with a flip tab. Maybe more than any of the flavors in the collection, this is the one that piqued my curiosity. Is it possible to recreate the one-two punch of tanginess and smoothness in a soda that doesn't use traditional sweeteners as a crutch?

Poppi comes very close but glides past the bullseye at the last minute. The recipe leans more into the orange than the vanilla, resulting in a flavor resembling baby aspirin more than a creamsicle. It isn't necessarily bad, especially if you're not hoping for an ice cream-like experience and you favor your vanilla a bit on the sharp side. But I was hoping for a mash-up of cream soda and orangeade that felt like a float, and this can was a little deflating instead.

Any soda line worth its bubbles has a foundational cola flavor available for the traditionalists in the house. Poppi Classic Cola glugs from the can with that timeless cola aroma, an unmistakable bouquet that tells you something awesome is about to happen to your taste buds. The fizz that tickles your nose as you get ready to sip from the glass is in place, too, as if you're getting ready to dive into a new Coca-Cola creation.

But there's a depth in a cola flavor that isn't always captured when the formulation strays from the norm, which is what happens with cola competitors. Something undeniably thins out in the tasting; a familiar richness that should follow goes missing, with a bit of a sour bite undercutting the expected warmth. Drinkers of diet colas may not notice the difference, since there are so many variations of otherwise-sweetened drinks on the market that have acclimated other palates to the array of cola possibilities. I like my cola with oomph, though, and Poppi's version comes up quite shy of the target for me.

If a soda formula makes reference to the word doctor, you can guess pretty distinctly what the can has in store. After tasting this recreation of the Dr Pepper format, I couldn't help thinking the name Dr Poppi would have been more fun. Similar to straight colas, the Pepper persona hits particular notes that need to be in place to trick the tongue into believing it's sampling the foundational formula and not a healthier reproduction.

To that end, Doc Pop does its darndest to measure up, and it almost reaches the heights. The spicy, cherry forward mix easily captures the spirit of Dr Pepper, especially in the pre-bouquet; when poured into a glass and sampled with both scent and taste in mind, it's a well-executed mimic that hits the spot without drowning your taste buds in unnecessary sweetness. The reason it doesn't take higher leaps on the chart is that the more complex cola undernotes go missing as the flavor settles. It's a more valiant accomplishment than the best store brand sodas that take on the Pepper challenge, but Poppi achieves bigger feats with other flavors.

The name stops one syllable short of an old-fashioned pitcher-filler, but Strawberry Lemon Poppi goes the full distance to create a gentle lemonade-style soda with enough fizz to get the good times crackling. It's easy to picture your glass with a sliced strawberry and lemon wedge adding garnish to the situation. But if you're hoping for a lush and slushy citrus power wave, you might want to temper your expectations. It's not a bad thing, just something to be prepared for.

I happened to be prepared for a bolder chug than I got, which made me think differently about my preconceived soda notions. The other lemonade-like fizzers I've had depend on overwhelmingly artificial-feeling flavors. This blend expires to be a more nuanced version of a backyard favorite, with neither enough strawberry nor lemon to really get things going in either direction, though just enough of both to give a clean read on Poppi's intentions. It may not be near the top of the list, but I would use Strawberry Lemon as a mixer in a zero-proof cocktail or save it for moments when a softer soda is in order.

Soda fountain fun comes to the healthful carbonated beverage scene in cans of Poppi Cherry Cola. Anyone who digs Cherry Coke or Wild Cherry Pepsi has a more considerate soda to sample, one with a caffeine jolt to awaken your senses as you take a trip to the past for a sweet soda blast. Juicing up the standard cola with cherry feels like a twist Poppi can handle, especially with its other fruit-forward sodas faring so well.

It turns out that this iteration of cherry cola is high-pitched if a flavor can be such a thing. There's a definite cola layer, but all the glory belongs to the tart cherry notes that ring out like bells and whistles. It's not as crisp as full sugar or even zero sugar cherry colas, but it has its own fun thing going on for fans of the cherry cola that started it all, ranking it bit higher than Classic Cola.

The familiarity of Sprite and 7UP gives Lemon Lime Poppi a head start in the hearts and taste buds of citrus soda lovers looking for a more mindful substitute. Where diet and zero versions of these flavors sometimes turn up with an aftertaste that can make you regret your purchase, the crispness of less sugar has the potential to balance the scales, if not tilt them in favor of full-fledged refreshment that doesn't depend on sludgy goo or science trickery for sweetness.

Though Poppi makes great strides in the world of lemon lime sodas, it feels like the formula holds back a bit. I expected the piquant bite of the ACV to elevate the acidity in this flavor combination. Instead, it feels like the lemon and lime wrestle around for dominance, while the vinegar and sweeteners pitch up the overall sweetness. Rather than hitting with crisp notes, Lemon Lime Poppi is a bit on the sweeter side, but once I knew to expect that, I enjoyed the sips that followed.

It's been a long time since Welch's and Crush staked their claims on the grape soda landscape. Now that Poppi is asserting itself, grape soda gets a healthy reconsideration without a slew of added sugars and chemical-derived dyes. Having grape juice as a sweetener keeps the tastes aligned with nature rather than the Jolly Rancher-style grape-ness we've all come to expect from our sodas. The result is a highly measured yet wildly satisfying take on great carbonated grape pop.

What works best here is the level composition of sweet and juicy; it's a lighter touch than flashier grape sodas, which works to its advantage. There's no mistaking this delicate composition for straight-up grape juice, though. It's more of a traditional grape soda that stops piling on the artificial flavor at the halfway point, leaving plenty of enjoyment without the unnecessary acrobatics, which is an impressive feat in itself. This more-sophisticated concoction is an absolute replacement for any of the standard grape sodas.

There aren't many options for a watermelon flavored soda on the market, which means Poppi Watermelon is aiming at niche regions of the beverage market usually occupied by energy drinks and powdered water drop-ins. It's a clever move, since healthier sodas aren't always considered by drinkers who like to get their engines revving. By bringing a less-than-standard taste to the soda world, Poppi creates its own sub-market, and the watermelon mixture it uses to do the job is a masterful creation.

Succulent and popsicle-sweet, Poppi Watermelon reminds me of a melted Otter Pop, but one that doesn't leave a gloopy film in your throat when you're finished drinking. It also has a gentle pink hue rather than crayon-colored, courtesy of the vegetable coloring used to give it a translucent tint. A full can of this flavor would go down easily in one sitting, though I'd be eager to try freezing it into cubes and using it as a flavoring for club soda when the call for carbonation is bigger than Poppi can fulfill.

For anyone crushing on Crush Orange soda but looking for a stand in that doesn't crush their wellness plans, Poppi Orange offers a big swig of something sensational. There's nothing missing in this familiar bubbler, except the excessive sugar content of the other brands. What Poppi does with alternative sweeteners and real juice is what the more familiar companies strive for with an excess of corn syrup and flavors that come from a lab.

This one gets the balance of healthy and happy just right, providing a refreshing sip with a thoughtful use of the tangy vinegar essence that lends to the overall flavor profile. It ends up with a bit of a Tang-like flavor with absolute carbonation, creating a middle space in the orange soda sphere where everything aligns perfectly. It may only contain 4 grams of sugar, but Poppi's tasty trickery makes it seem like a full-on juice-soda experience.

It sounds more like an elixir or a light wine, but Raspberry Rose is actually an imaginative soda flavor upgrade that gives Poppi bonus points for creativity. No other company conjuring up crackling beverages is working a flavor like this into its catalog, which means Poppi is taking risks and hoping for rewards. If there's any justice in the beverage production universe, everything will be coming up raspberry roses for both the company and its customers.

Raspberry Rose puts all of Poppi considerable charms to their best use. This can offers a lighter spirit for a soda with its wine-like personality, almost like a rosé spritzer without any buzzy liquor to stir the pot. There's nothing overwhelming or pushy here, just a perfectly balanced set of tasting notes that could easily qualify as an upscale party drink as much as a poolside refreshment. It's a treat for anyone who appreciates a drier sparkling beverage.

Ginger ale with a squeeze of tangy lime sounds like a natural match for adding ACV and more restrained sweeteners to create a soda with pep and a prebiotic boost. If you've always believed the soda myth that ginger sodas are good for a cranky tummy, Poppi does its best to make it true. Even if you have a stomach of steel and are feeling at the peak of health, Ginger Lime is a flavor you should add to your shopping list.

Rather than emulating the same old ginger ale character, this can takes its own path to pop greatness, coming across like a gin and tonic without the gin or the tonic. The mix embraces the tart, dry side that the sodas are capable of with just a spritz of sweetness to lift it. It takes plain ginger ale to a higher plane. This may become my go-to summer drink, kept cool in the fridge or even in the freezer as a soda slush to knock the edges off of the searing hot weather.

If your eyes don't light up and your mouth doesn't start watering when you hear the words "cherry limeade" you might want to rethink your life choices. These two flavors are a pairing made in mixology heaven, adorning the classic Rickey with sweetness and tingle that feel like a carnival ride for your tongue. Poppi Cherry Limeade circles us back to the time when non-alcoholic cocktails made us feel like grown-ups, but this time, there's a true grown-up sensibility, thanks to the mindful formulation and a gentle hand on the sweetness lever.

I knew this one would be a winner from the moment I cracked the tab. Cherry Limeade has all the winsome childhood charm of a melted snow cone, complete with the tangy fruit tones of cherry and lime syrups swirled together over ice. It's a list-topper for me, a summertime drink that brings the sunshine vibes wherever the party takes place. I'll be stocking my beverage rack with enough cans to last me until the cool weather returns ... and I just might keep drinking it through the rest of the seasons, too.

This was an easy taste test to conduct. I popped a can of each flavor into the fridge to get them nice and chilled, then cracked them open one at a time throughout the day and poured a swig into a whiskey glass. It let me gather the bouquet as I sipped while preventing me from downing the whole can. Any flavor that prompted a second sip, I gave a higher ranking. I'm glad I went slowly, since I have a lot of sampled soda left to sip on.

I'm highly impressed with the delicate treatment of the sweeteners and the tangy apple cider vinegar essence. I've had sodas with alternate sugars in the past and I've been wildly disappointed with how heavy handed the distribution of ingredients has been. Poppi seems to take great pains to dial-in everything to just the right level for soda with much less sugar, a full and enticing flavor, and a helping of prebiotic goodness that makes you feel like drinking soda can be part of a healthier diet. Now that I know what they're all about, I'm eager to work them into my soda-drinking habits.