December 12, 2010

Topaz Review of Safeway Select French Berry Lemonade




You think you've seen it all, but then along comes something so contradictory that you don't know which way is up anymore. A lot of the time, the Safeway Select branding is something of a labeling that exclaims "This is cheaper, but not as good." Because of this, many people might not take Safeway Select seriously if they tried to sell a fine lemonade imported from France. "Oh yes, France, sure," I would say before trying the beverage, "It's probably made in some French catacomb." After tasting it, however, I wouldn't care if it was. The ingredients are all natural, which I admire. The use of grape skin extract was a clever work-around to artificial color.

Taste
You would think that the flavor wouldn't be that good, seeing as it's Safeway Select, but in reality it is. Forget what people might say about the store brand, you can find a gem or two hidden in those shelves. The flavor is absolutely exquisite, and I have no doubt that French Berry was made in France. (Even if it's some other place named France, that isn't in Europe.)
The taste starts with a strong strawberry tinge, followed by a strong bitterness caused by the lemon. This is followed by a sweet lemon taste, which evens out the entire mixture. Overall pleasant.
80/100

Texture
A glass bottle always helps carbonation's cause, and this case is certainly no exception. The bubbly bubbles are anything but redundant, and are actually varied in their presentation. This makes for a very interesting drinking experience, something that's hard to find. The stickiness is moderate, but expected, considering the ridiculous amount of sugar that is featured in French Berry. At least it isn't High Fructose Corn Syrup. All around a frothy, light feeling that tingles, but doesn't cut. (If you catch my drift.)
75/100

Bottle Art and stuff
The bottle is curved inwards in the middle, and protrudes out in the bottom and top middle. This makes it easy to hold, as your hand fills the shape quite nicely. Of course, the bottle has a Safeway Select logo on it; quite generic really. The sticker in the middle is much more interesting, but not by much. It displays a lemon above a strawberry, with an outline of a lemon above the lemon. Confused yet? Look at the picture. Not too interesting, but what do you expect from Safeway Select?
50/100

Overall
French Berry was a sweet surprise. I never expected to find a fine french lemonade at my local Safeway, let alone have it be store brand. Never underestimate the store brand, I suppose, as they can be quite nice.
80/100


SCORE AVERAGE - 71.25/100


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