I didn’t realize this until after I took my first sip, but this soda has a fair amount of vinegar in it. That was a shock. Had I done even a little bit of research ahead of time I would have realized that Pok Pok is a Portland restaurant that specializes in drinkable vinegars. Their soda line is a weaker and more approachable version of those beverages, but they still pack a punch.

A few years ago my in-laws got really into taking shots of apple cider vinegar as a general health/digestive supplement. I tried it once and thought I died. This brought back some of those memories, but I powered through and tried to be impartial.

There’s an instant when it first hits your tongue that you think “Wow, this is tart and interesting!” This quickly turns into a “Did I just throw up?? Is it coming up my nose? What have I done???” sort of thought. If you push through that phase you get a hit of the thai basil which was actually pretty nice. It finishes with a sour sweetness from the mix of vinegar and sugar. I’d probably enjoy this more as a dry soda variant rather than a drinkable carbonated vinegar beverage. I reluctantly give it a 4.5 out of 10.

I wanted to like it. I could probably work up to enjoying it with some dedication. I’m just not there yet.

Catalog:
Sampled on 11/5/2016, purchased at Choices Market in South Surrey, BC (available elsewhere, I just happened to buy it while visiting BC)