Who knew that a little blog entry about a fruit juice/sparkling water combo + vodka would breed so much excitement! Aside from the comments on this blog I run into people, almost daily, who are now singing the praises of Izze and sharing with me some of their own recipes and adult beverage concoctions.
Last week the folks at Fizzy Lizzy sent me over a box of their bubbly treats for me to try. I opened the box with anticipation and quickly put the four bottles I received in the refrigerator to reach a perfectly frosty temperature. Coincidentally, there were four cans of pomegranate Izze sitting in my refrigerator at the time as well, so as I read through all the awards and glowing reviews of Fizzy Lizzy as I sipped my pomegranate Izze thinking “this stuff can’t possibly be better than Izze”.
The first flavor of Fizzy Lizzy I tried was Yakima Valley Grape. Unfortunately, comparing the quality and flavor of Yakima Valley Grape to any Izze flavor is like trying to tell the difference between Diet Coke and Coke Zero – its damn near impossible. Don’t get me wrong, it was still delicious and I gulped it down so quick I am grateful I live alone so no one else saw my ruthless display of gluttony. However, the flavor just didn’t manage to distinguish itself from my old faithful Izze.
Two days later I tried the next flavor on the list, Gulf Coast Tangerine. One sip and I was in love. They had me at Tangerine. The taste was pure, crisp and sweet. It was as if someone juiced a tangerine, added a tablespoon Pellegrino and voila! Perfection. Not to mention, that the entire bottle was only 100 calories and had 100% of the RDA of vitamin C. There is really nothing in Izze’s arsenal that compares to the taste of Fizzy Lizzy’s Gulf Coast Tangerine.
Next, I tried Lone Star Grapefruit. Traditionally, grapefruit juice tends to have a sweetness that doesn’t accurately portray the bitterness of the actual fruit. Fizzy Lizzy is an invigorating departure from these sugar-laden imitations. Initially I was expecting Lone Star Grapefruit to have the same sweetness as the two flavors I tried before it. So I took a healthy swig from the bottle only to realize that I was, in fact, drinking “real” grapefruit juice. After the initial shock wore off I found myself going back to it again and again. Small sips at a time, just enjoying the flavor and feeling like I was drinking something that might actually be good for me.
Lastly, a head to head matchup: Fizzy Lizzy Red Hill Pomegranate vs. Izze Pomegranate (my favorite of all the Izze flavors). Like Gulf Coast Tangerine and Lone Star Grapefruit, Red Hill Pomegranate was true to the flavor of an actual pomegranate fruit. It reminded me of the pomegranate spritzers I used to make with Pom Juice and Pellegrino. If I had to choose between Fizzy Lizzy and Izze in the pomegranate arena Izze would be the victor. Only because I can easily make what would taste like Fizzy Lizzy Red Hill Pomegranate myself with two things I always have around the house. Nonetheless, the Fizzy Lizzy version is still delicious, pure to the taste of a pomegranate and lower in calories with no additional sugars added.
At the end of the day, I will never be able to turn my back on Izze, I love it too much and it pairs so well with vodka that I couldn’t imagine parting with it. But Fizzy Lizzy is definitely going to become a permanent fixture in my home. Its flavors are more true to the fruit each one represents, it’s lower in calories and the ingredient list is at least ¼ of the size of Izze’s. My flavor recommendations for Fizzy Lizzy are: Lone Star Grapefruit, Gulf Coast Tangerine, Pacific Raspberry Lemon and Costa Rican Pineapple (my all time favorite!), Check out the Fizzy Lizzy website for more information on their entire portfolio of flavors and recipes.
Last week the folks at Fizzy Lizzy sent me over a box of their bubbly treats for me to try. I opened the box with anticipation and quickly put the four bottles I received in the refrigerator to reach a perfectly frosty temperature. Coincidentally, there were four cans of pomegranate Izze sitting in my refrigerator at the time as well, so as I read through all the awards and glowing reviews of Fizzy Lizzy as I sipped my pomegranate Izze thinking “this stuff can’t possibly be better than Izze”.
The first flavor of Fizzy Lizzy I tried was Yakima Valley Grape. Unfortunately, comparing the quality and flavor of Yakima Valley Grape to any Izze flavor is like trying to tell the difference between Diet Coke and Coke Zero – its damn near impossible. Don’t get me wrong, it was still delicious and I gulped it down so quick I am grateful I live alone so no one else saw my ruthless display of gluttony. However, the flavor just didn’t manage to distinguish itself from my old faithful Izze.
Two days later I tried the next flavor on the list, Gulf Coast Tangerine. One sip and I was in love. They had me at Tangerine. The taste was pure, crisp and sweet. It was as if someone juiced a tangerine, added a tablespoon Pellegrino and voila! Perfection. Not to mention, that the entire bottle was only 100 calories and had 100% of the RDA of vitamin C. There is really nothing in Izze’s arsenal that compares to the taste of Fizzy Lizzy’s Gulf Coast Tangerine.
Next, I tried Lone Star Grapefruit. Traditionally, grapefruit juice tends to have a sweetness that doesn’t accurately portray the bitterness of the actual fruit. Fizzy Lizzy is an invigorating departure from these sugar-laden imitations. Initially I was expecting Lone Star Grapefruit to have the same sweetness as the two flavors I tried before it. So I took a healthy swig from the bottle only to realize that I was, in fact, drinking “real” grapefruit juice. After the initial shock wore off I found myself going back to it again and again. Small sips at a time, just enjoying the flavor and feeling like I was drinking something that might actually be good for me.
Lastly, a head to head matchup: Fizzy Lizzy Red Hill Pomegranate vs. Izze Pomegranate (my favorite of all the Izze flavors). Like Gulf Coast Tangerine and Lone Star Grapefruit, Red Hill Pomegranate was true to the flavor of an actual pomegranate fruit. It reminded me of the pomegranate spritzers I used to make with Pom Juice and Pellegrino. If I had to choose between Fizzy Lizzy and Izze in the pomegranate arena Izze would be the victor. Only because I can easily make what would taste like Fizzy Lizzy Red Hill Pomegranate myself with two things I always have around the house. Nonetheless, the Fizzy Lizzy version is still delicious, pure to the taste of a pomegranate and lower in calories with no additional sugars added.
At the end of the day, I will never be able to turn my back on Izze, I love it too much and it pairs so well with vodka that I couldn’t imagine parting with it. But Fizzy Lizzy is definitely going to become a permanent fixture in my home. Its flavors are more true to the fruit each one represents, it’s lower in calories and the ingredient list is at least ¼ of the size of Izze’s. My flavor recommendations for Fizzy Lizzy are: Lone Star Grapefruit, Gulf Coast Tangerine, Pacific Raspberry Lemon and Costa Rican Pineapple (my all time favorite!), Check out the Fizzy Lizzy website for more information on their entire portfolio of flavors and recipes.
