second chances

It's with trepidation that I pull Glowy's Cherry hard seltzer out of the fridge.  The first one I had was no picnic to drink, good Bacchus.  It's a shame, since they looked like they would be something light and refreshing for the excessive temperatures, that are actually the normal ones for Madrid right now.

Immediately there's that sulphury smell, to my anxious disgust.  The appearance is the same as the other one, just a citrus soda looking thing.  I think it might smell a little bit better than the mandarin-grapefruit, a little more like fruit is involved.  The flavor is much, much improved over the other, with a taste that is really like cherry.  Well, at least cherry flavored beverages.  I'm thinking Capri Sun.  There's a mild undercurrent of funk that could be the fermentation showing itself, but it's nothing like with the supposed citrus drink.  If I carelessly take a whiff of the seltzer before sipping, some of that meaty sulphur comes through in the drink, but if I pay attention and smell as little as possible, it's rather nice.  Alright, I guess Glowy is redeemed.  Now, if only Spain would open its tastebuds to more cherry flavored drinks.

Supplier: La Cervecista

Price: €2

surprise! letdown!

At first I thought the little fruit decorated cans were cider, they are next to bottles of cider after all, but looking closer I see they are hard seltzer.  So something fizzy, that's fine.  It's a fermented sugar cane drink, so also something sweet.  I don't know if that means it will build up and get heavy like layers and layers of cotton candy, but it's worth a shot.  "No Bad Days" you say, Glowy?  Maybe you can give me a good evening too.

I'm surprised by color once again, or rather lack of color.  This looks like regular 7-Up if anything.  The smell is...interesting, with a touch of fruit but also a good puff of sulphur.  Is seltzer supposed to have sulphur, from mineral water or something?  The flavor is also unusual, really meaty, like roasted chicken.  I am not getting any grapefruit or mandarin from this at all, really hardly anything fruity at all.  I don't know if I'll get used to this chicken in a glass or if it will be unpleasant to the end, but I'll try to finish it for the sake of experience.  I can drink it down without suffering the smell or taste, but eventually I have to breathe and then it pops up all bright and shiny in my nose.  It doesn't ever get better, although I guess I get a little used to it after a while.  But in my opinion it really is...fowl.  Yeah, sorry.

Supplier: La Cervecista

Price: €2