• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Midwexican

Hiya! I'm Christina Tino Marie Koncker, and I'm "Bringing the heat to Midwestern eats, served with a slice of Minnesota nice."

  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Sides
    • Dessert
    • Snacks
    • Condiments
    • Reviews
  • About
  • Work With Me!

AHA Sparkling Water, All 8 Fizzy Flavors, Reviewed

June 1, 2020 by Tino Marie Leave a Comment

Coca-Cola recently jumped into the sparkling water space, with 8 fizzy flavors that hit shelves nationally on March 2nd of this year (2020). While the thought of drinking a Coke nowadays makes my teeth hurt, I was all about giving the zero sugar, zero-calorie sparkling water – dubbed AHA – a go. 

I tried all 8 flavors of Coca-Cola’s AHA sparkling water and was overall pleased with the selection. Not every flavor was a winner, but a few were a few standouts that have made it into my regular beverage rotation. 

*This is not a sponsored post. I purchased the products with my own $$$. All opinions are my own. All links are affiliate.

AHA Sparkling Water Review

Strawberry + Cucumber

Strawberries and cucumbers are two of my favorite whole foods to snack on, often devoured sans accompaniments as a refreshing snack. I was excited to see this flavor combination but skeptical. I pretty much hate anything strawberry-flavored. The flavor is always super artificial, over-the-top sugary, and far from the exquisiteness of a perfectly ripe strawberry.

Strawberry + Cucumber tastes like a strawberry Laffy Taffy in liquid form, the overly saccharine notes replaced with fizz. I tolerate strawberry Laffy Taffy because I know what I’m getting into, but that’s where I draw the line. (And don’t get me started on banana Laffy Taffy, which is the most offensive flavor of the bunch).

The verdict? Like strawberry Laffy Taffy, I tolerate it. The cucumber on the backend helps temper the dominant faux-strawberry flavor, but I won’t be adding this to my fizzy water repertoire. 

Citrus + Green Tea (*contains 30 mg of caffeine)

This flavor makes sense to me. Green tea is an acquired taste. I drink it on occasion, but doctor it up with lemon juice and/or honey to temper the bitterness. Sometimes the mild caffeine kick from green tea is all the pick-me-up I need.

Upon cracking Citrus + Green Tea open, your nostrils will be (pleasantly!) assaulted with citrus. Flavorwise I get all citrus and no green tea, which is cool with me (and I suspect many others). It’s like grapefruit and orange had a lemon party and wound up with one effervescent beverage. Plus it’s 1 of 2 AHA offerings that have caffeine, for the win! You can expect the caffeine equivalent of a cup of green tea.

Orange + Grapefruit

This tastes exactly like peeling an orange smells like. Sweet, citrusy, zesty. It was love at first sip when I tried the Orange + Grapefruit AHA. 

This is just what I want from citrus-forward fizzy water – it’s bold, the flavor hitting your tastebuds with a vibrant citrus wave that quickly fades into a refreshing, fizzy finish. Those bitter notes that often deter citrus aficionados from loving grapefruit are absent, making it a well-balanced, approachable drink.

The orange and grapefruit are both detectable, unlike most of the other AHA flavors where one flavor dominates. The best qualities from both shine – the sweetness from the orange, the tartness from the grapefruit – combining to create one invigorating citrus beverage.

Blueberry + Pomegranate

The Blueberry + Pomegranate combo provides a tag-team of tartness that I am all about. I’m not much of a candy eater, but when I indulge I often buy what I refer to as Halloween candy – Starbursts and Sweet Tarts, all the sugary junk we’re expected to leave behind in our tweens. Drinking this reminds me of Sweet Tarts, minus the exaggerated tartness and tooth decay.

Even though there’s no caffeine in Blueberry + Pomegranate, this flavor gets me jazzed up. It’s just so tart and punchy. Both the flavors intermingle well, with no particular fruit overpowering the other. It’s just delightful! 

Apple + Ginger

Apple + Ginger is surprisingly tart. It’s like eating a Granny Smith that finishes like a Red Delicious. The sharp tartness literally wants to make my mouth water, but the dry, effervescent finish whisks the need away. The overall flavor is reminiscent of apple juice with a fizzy flair.

When I first spied this flavor, I anticipated more from the ginger. I wanted it to be ginger-forward, with the robust spiciness of ginger beer. Sometimes I swear I can detect it when I’m taking a swig, but I think it’s wishful thinking… I’ve never been a big apple juice drinker so this beverage falls flat to me without the punch of ginger. 

Black Cherry + Coffee (*contains 30 mg of caffeine)

This flavor combo struck me as odd. After all, I’ve never seen a Starbucks cold brew coffee with Black Cherry foam. Though maybe they should consider it because I was surprisingly pleased with the Black Cherry + Coffee flavor despite my initial reservations. 

Hey Starbucks, call me. Let’s collaborate.

It starts hot and heavy with the black cherry flavor…. well, hot and heavy for a sparkling beverage, which is more like a peck on the cheek. It finishes with a barely discernible coffee aftertaste. The cherry flavor is quite the opposite of cough syrupy, overly sugary cherry (read: almost any cherry-flavored candy ever created). It’s black cherry, hitting you with a robust and balanced tartness that quickly fades into oh-so-delightfully fizzy oblivion. It’s definitely got the faux cherry thing going on, but I enjoy it here whereas I don’t with strawberry. 

A 12 ounce can of Black Cherry + Coffee provides caffeine equivalent to half an 8-ounce cup of coffee. As someone who does not enjoy getting their caffeine fixes from hot beverages during the spring and summer months, AHA’s Black Cherry + Coffee offers a convenient boost.

Lime + Watermelon

Other than Black Cherry + Coffee, this was the only other flavor of AHA I had immediate doubts about. Couldn’t tell you why. Lime and watermelon are both refreshing flavors, so why not combine them? 

If you had me blind sample Lime + Watermelon and ask me what I thought it was I’d respond with “fizzy lime drink.” I’ve closed my eyes while sipping this, trying to hone in on those watermelon notes, but they remain elusive. If I really concentrate I can tell you that it doesn’t finish like any other fizzy lime drink I’ve ever had. This has a flat (anticlimactic?) finish. I’m left wanting a sharper, tart citrus punch. 

Regardless, it is quite light and refreshing, just not my favorite of the AHA bunch. I’d be inclined to mix this with a few ounces of a complimentary fruit juice over ice instead of drinking it solo.

Peach + Honey

Few things are as satisfying as biting into a perfectly ripe peach. Or eating a straight spoonful of raw honey. Honey is the perfect sweetener – it’s natural and unique, with complex flavors influenced by the plants the bees fed on. 

I have a soft spot for Peach + Honey. The flavor is delicate and beautifully rounded out with a sweet fizzy finish. It’s unlike any other sparkling water I’ve tried so far and I love its unique flavor. I could easily binge-drink an 8-pack of Peach + Honey over the course of a day or two. Begrudgingly I practice restraint because my husband thinks I go to Target way too much as it is… *rolls eyes* 

But when I see packs of AHA on sale 3 for $9 you’ll find me at Target filling my cart, eye rolls be damned.

Tino’s Top Three (in no particular order)

Orange + Grapefruit

Blueberry + Pomegranate

Peach + Honey

AHA Sparkling Water Review

Silver Medal Mention

Black Cherry + Coffee

There you have it, those are my favs. Have you tried any of the AHA sparkling water flavors yet? If so, please share your favs!

The More You Know!

Did you know that the brain’s response to carbonation is actually a pain response, like with spicy foods? A receptor in the brain registers the carbonation as irritation and pain. Check out the podcast episode “What Makes Some Seltzers Sparkle?” on the Sporkful to learn more, hosted by the always entertaining, knowledgeable, and opinionated eater, Dan Pashman. 

 

Filed Under: Lunch, Reviews, Sides Tagged With: AHA, Coca-Cola, fizzy water, review, sparkling water, water

Previous Post: « Spicy Watermelon Feta Salad
Next Post: Coconut Rice Krispie Treats »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar


subscribe to midwexican

Enter your email address below and click 'Subscribe' to receive notification when new posts are published.

midwexican

This Air Fryer Walleye is so easy to make and the This Air Fryer Walleye is so easy to make and the clever coating is #lowcarb 👌. The secret? Pork rinds! Check out the link in my profile to find out how to make it.
This Dill Pickle Quesadilla is unapologetically fu This Dill Pickle Quesadilla is unapologetically fun to eat. Hey, if you're gonna gain the corona-15, do it right. Served with a side of Creamy Chipotle Ranch. 
.
.
.
#quesadilla #pickles #dill #dillpickles #yum #yummy #yummly #foodstyling #foodblogger #food #foodgawker #foodgasm #blogger #instayum #instagood #getinmybelly #sogood #ranch #midwexican #mexicanfood #delicious #ilovefood #instafood #nomnom #cheese #cheesy #buzzfeedfood
Quirky, easy, and delicious, this Zesty Jalapeno T Quirky, easy, and delicious, this Zesty Jalapeno Top Ramen Salad makes one fun Fall salad. Link to recipe in profile. 
.
.
.
#midwexican #foodblogger #bestfood #instayum #instagood #instafood #ilovefood #food #salad #coleslaw #sidedishes #foodpornshare #homemade #homecooking #nomnomnom #tasty #getinmybelly #foody #foodphotography #foodlover
Chorizo Breakfast Tacos with Apple Radish Slaw are Chorizo Breakfast Tacos with Apple Radish Slaw are simply the best! Link to recipe in profile. I used @johnsonville chorizo and it was 🔥
.
.
.
#tacos #breakfast #brinner #brunch #chorizo #taco #midwexican #sogood #foodstyling #food #foody #foodblogger #yum #yummly #foodgawker #foodpornshare #foodphotography #foodsofinstagram #instayum #nom #nomnomnom #homecooking #hungry #hangry
I love easy breakfasts and this 3-ingredient Cocon I love easy breakfasts and this 3-ingredient Coconut 🥥 and Banana 🍌 Yogurt Parfait is quick, tasty and looks pretty. And you can always jazz it up with a few extras like coconut flakes or crushed nuts. Link to recipe in profile.
A steaming hot pile of scrambled eggs smothered in A steaming hot pile of scrambled eggs smothered in salsa sounds good right about now. Link to the Ranchero Eggs recipe in profile. 
.
.
.
#eggs #scrambledeggs #brunch #breakfast #brinner #food #foodblogger #foodstyling #hotsauce #salsa #homecooking #hungry #homemade #foody #foodsofinstagram #foodpornshare #foodstagram #foodphotography #foodpic #sogood #instayum #yum #nomnom #nom #yummly #foodgawker
Need some Christmas cookie inspiration? Give these Need some Christmas cookie inspiration? Give these White Chocolate Cranberry Walnut Cookies a try. Link to recipe in profile.
Current cookie obsession: Ghirardelli Peppermint H Current cookie obsession: Ghirardelli Peppermint Hot Chocolate Cookies. Find the link to the recipe in my profile. I couldn't choose just one photo of these delicious cookies.
Not much of a resolution maker, but when it comes Not much of a resolution maker, but when it comes to food I always have a few! Like making Reuben eggs rolls. It's good to have goals. #newyearsresolution
Load More... Follow on Instagram
Midwexican

1 day ago

Midwexican
A simple and low-carb way to enjoy crisp-crusted walleye wp.me/p5P6jt-qX #airfryer #lunch ... See MoreSee Less

Air Fryer Walleye | Midwexican

wp.me

Air Fryer Walleye is a healthy alternative to deep frying with a clever low-carb crust that offers a satisfying crunch with every bite.
View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Midwexican

3 days ago

Midwexican
Looking for a low-carb snack for Superbowl Sunday? Check out these tasty bites, which includes my Buffalo Pickle Dip 🙂 ohsnapletseat.com/2021/01/10/keto-super-bowl-recipes/ ... See MoreSee Less

Keto Super Bowl Recipes • Oh Snap! Let's Eat!

ohsnapletseat.com

Make this Super Bowl Keto and Delicious! Over 90 Keto Super Bowl recipes including wings, chili, dips and chips, pizza, sweets, and more!
View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Top Posts & Pages

  • AHA Sparkling Water, All 8 Fizzy Flavors, Reviewed
    AHA Sparkling Water, All 8 Fizzy Flavors, Reviewed
  • Air Fryer Walleye
    Air Fryer Walleye
  • Ghirardelli Peppermint Hot Chocolate Cookies
    Ghirardelli Peppermint Hot Chocolate Cookies
  • Buffalo Ranch Hummus with Pickled Celery
    Buffalo Ranch Hummus with Pickled Celery
  • Dill Pickle Quesadilla
    Dill Pickle Quesadilla

MidwexicanFollow

Midwexican
midwexicanMidwexican@midwexican·
14 Jan

Keto Super Bowl Recipes via @ohsnapletseat https://ohsnapletseat.com/2021/01/10/keto-super-bowl-recipes which includes my Buffalo Pickle Dip 🙂

Reply on Twitter 1349720069811679233Retweet on Twitter 13497200698116792331Like on Twitter 13497200698116792334Twitter 1349720069811679233
midwexicanMidwexican@midwexican·
12 Jan

This easy, low-carb #breakfast is delicious AF - Salsa, Ham, and Egg Roll-Ups https://wp.me/p5P6jt-qi #brunch

Reply on Twitter 1349066175179874305Retweet on Twitter 1349066175179874305Like on Twitter 13490661751798743053Twitter 1349066175179874305
midwexicanMidwexican@midwexican·
11 Jan

Giddy up! Ranchero Eggs for breakfast | Midwexican - https://go.shr.lc/3q8ycK9 #breakfast #brunch

Reply on Twitter 1348685260159119363Retweet on Twitter 13486852601591193631Like on Twitter 134868526015911936310Twitter 1348685260159119363
Load More...

Featured Posts

Zesty Jalapeno Top Ramen Salad

Jalapeno Top Ramen Salad

  Zesty Jalapeno Top Ramen Salad offers a southern twist on a classic Top Ramen Salad with jalapenos, chipotle chile pepper, and pepitas.  Top Ramen Salad is one of those quirky salads that’s oddly satisfying. Shredded coleslaw, uncooked ramen noodles, sliced green onion and slivered almonds dressed with a simple vinaigrette makes one delicious –…

Read More »

Roasted 3-Pepper Veggie Dip

Roasted 3-Pepper Dip with French Bread

Roasted 3-Pepper Veggie Dip is an excellent way to eat your veggies in fun, delicious, and dippable fashion.  I’ve been condiment crazy lately – olive tapenades, hummus, cream cheese dips, salsa… I’ve been devouring them all with enthusiasm and zero shame. This is why I was thrilled to rediscover the recipe for a dip I…

Read More »

Creamy Baked Sweet Potato Soup

Straddling the space between hearty and light, this Creamy Baked Sweet Potato Soup is a comforting meal just begging to be garnished with tasty toppings.  There’s something unequivocally comforting about a bowl of soup when the weather turns cool and crisp. Hearty soups, creamy soups, spicy soups, noodle soups, I don’t discriminate, I love ‘em…

Read More »

Raspberry Icebox Bars

Raspberry Icebox Bars

A tart, jiggly raspberry layer sandwiched by a crisp graham cracker-walnut crust and light whipped topping makes these Raspberry Icebox Bars one cool dessert. My raspberry thicket has been overachieving this year in berry production, which has near-daily left me in a delicious conundrum. What to do with all those raspberries 🙂 Dessert is an…

Read More »

Creamy Goat Cheese Bagel Spread with Honey and Pistachios

Bagel with All the Fixings

Creamy and tangy with a hint of sweet and heat finished with a nutty crunch, Creamy Goat Cheese Bagel Spread with Honey and Pistachios make a sophisticated bagel topping guaranteed to wake up your taste buds. 

Footer

Copyright © 2021 · Foodie Pro Theme by Shay Bocks · Built on the Genesis Framework · Powered by WordPress