The Best Specialty Sodas
There are some truly outstanding specialty sodas on the market today. Perhaps you’ve heard of Jones brand; but have you tried the sophisticated taste of Dry sodas or shared a fruity Fizzy Lizzy with a friend?
Most common colas and lemon/lime sodas are weighed down with corn sweeteners, empty calories, and artificial syrups. They’re also rather dull. Check out some of the sodas below to find a specialty taste that fits your style – there are light and airy sodas, all-fruit sodas, dry drinks, and one-of-a-kind flavored sodas. Most of these sodas contain no caffeine – but you’re likely to get hooked anyway.
GUS (Grown Up Sodas) – GUS produces grown up sodas for mature taste buds. The carbonated sodas have a distinct dry flavor and can be paired with meals. These non-alcoholic drinks are kosher and contain no caffeine or preservatives. Try flavors such as Dry Crimson Grape, Dry Pomegranate, and Dry Valencia Orange. No corn syrup here – all GUS sodas are lightly sweetened with pure can sugar. See: GUS website.
R.W. Knudsen Spritzers – This upscale company uses it’s fruit juices to create soda spritzers. Each spritzer
contains real fruit juice, sweeteners, and sparkling water. Spritzers come in both bottles and cans. Try flavors such as: Jamaican Lemonade, Boysenberry, Organic Apple, and Orange Passionfruit. The glass bottles come in four packs perfect for picnics or an outing to the beach. See: R.W. Knudsen Website.
Vignette Wine County Soda – Combine the freshness of sweet grapes from California Wine County with a light carbonation and you’ll have Wine County Soda. A favorite in the San Franciso Bay Area, this refreshing soda is perfect for taking along on a picnic or sipping on your porch. It’s available Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. in See: Vignette Wine County Soda Website.
Izze Sodas – It’s their simplicity that makes Izze sodas stand out from the crowd. Izze sodas contain
no artificial sweeteners or caffeine – they are made completely of real fruit juice and sparkling water. Healthy, simple, and delicious. Try flavors like Blackberry, Clementine, Pear, Pomegranate, Lemon, Apple, and Grapefruit. See: Izze Website.
Dry Sodas – These slightly sweetened upscale sodas come in clear glass bottles that really make an impact. Like wine, non-alcoholic Dry Sodas are designed to accompany fine meals. The soda creators even offer food pairing suggestions. Try their unique flavors including kumquat, lavender, lemongrass, and rhubarb. All Dry sodas are sweetened with pure cane sugar. See: Dry Soda Co Website.
Wild Fruitz – Try these fruity sparkling drinks for a walk on the wild side. They are made of real fruit an
d sparkling water. Unlike many drinks, Wild Fruitz contains no overly-sweetened grape juice filler – so, drinkers get to enjoy the true taste of each beverage’s namesake fruit. Some of their more interesting flavors include Huckleberry/Blueberry, Orange Mango, Apricot Peach, and Pomegranate/Black Currant. See: Wild Fruitz Website.
Fizzy Lizzy – The Fizzy Lizzy is a drink collection with some serious spunk. These fruit beverages contain real fruit and sparkling water, a winning combination. Try outrageous flavors such as Red Hill Pomegranate, Pacific Raspberry Lemon, Mount Fugi Apple, Costa Rican Pineapple, Northern Lights Cranberry, and Lone Star Grapefruit. The sparkling drinks are tasty and the bottling is to-die-for. See: Fizzy Lizzy Website.
Jones Sodas – Jones is a classic in the world of specialty sodas. You can find their beverages at just about any grocer
and you’ve probably tried a bottle or two. But, do you know about their newest lines? Jone’s cane sugar sodas make a good thing even better by replacing artificial sweeteners with the real deal. Try cane sugar flavors like Orange Cream, Fufu Berry, Blue Bubble Gum, and Strawberry Lime. Their Sugar Free sodas make a big impact with no added sugars at all. They come in flavors such as Green Apple, Cream Soda, Rootbeer, and Black Cherry. Keep an eye on the shelves during holidays, you never know when you’ll find a limited edition flavor such as Cranberry (yum!) or Gravy (um, no thanks…) See: Jones Soda Website.
Blue Sky – Blue Sky offers all natural sodas with no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives. They market themselves 
as a healthy alternative to traditional pop. You’ll be surprised at number of natural flavors they offer – try tastes like Truly Orange, Cream, Cola, Jamaican Ginger Ale, Grapefruit, Raspberry, and Cherry Vanilla Cream. Blue Sky also offers a line of organic sodas in flavors such as Orange Divine, Organic Lemon Lime, and Root Beer Encore. Break out a can whenever you need a little refreshment that’s actually good for you. See: Blue Sky Website.
NutriSoda – The makers of Nutrisoda call their product “The Good Soda.” It contains no caffiene or sugar. Instead, it’s
chock full of vitamins and minerals. Each can of Nutrisoda has a purpose for your body. For instance, Flex (black cherry apple) supports joint mobility. Immune (tangerine lime) boosts the body’s defense systems. Slender (pink grapefruit guava) helps people manage their weight. And, Energize (mandarin mint) gives tired bodies an energy boost. See: Nutrisoda Website.
Boylan Bottling Company – This company’s drink recipes are no fad; they’ve been bottling fine beverages for more than a hundred years. Today their specialty sodas still come in classic, old fashioned glass bottles. Try their cane sugar sodas in timeless flavors such as Rootbeer, Cream, Black Cherry, Ginger Ale, and Cola. They also offer three varieties of seltzers and a more limited all-natural version of their main soda line. See: Boylan Bottling Company Website.
Maine Root Soda – A homegrown rootbeer brewing operation soon turned into a full-blown soda bottling company,
Maine Root. Forget artificial sweeteners. All Maine Root Sodas are sweetened with organic evaporated cane juice. It’s good for you and for the environment. They offer three handmade beverages: Rootbeer, Ginger Brew, and Sarsaparilla. See: Maine Root Website.
Kristall Sodas – Kristall Swedish sodas are light and refreshing. They use natural ingredients, contain no caffeine, and are significantly less sweet than most traditional sodas. Kristall sodas are a favorite of the health conscious and come in a variety of thirst-quenchig flavors including Lemon/Lime, Cranberry, Raspberry, Pear, Orange, Lingonberry, Apple, and Black Currant. See: Kristall Sodas Website.
Want More? If you found a favorite specialty soda from this list, don’t stop now! Check out these other helpful non-alcoholic beverage lists: