Whether its soccer, arts & culture or just for the love of THC, each of the brands in this week’s reviews is effectively laying down roots in specific areas that their consumers can rally around — but how do those drinks actually taste? We try the latest from RYTHM, Afro Pop and Pablo’s Mate. To submit your beverage product to BevNET for review, click here. And to browse past reviews, check the archive here.
Cannabis brand RYTHM has entered the beverage category with a two-SKU line of sparkling low-dose (5 mg THC) beverages, with each tailored to a specific use occasion. Both flavors — the uplifting Sativa (5 mg THC/2.5 mg THCv) in Mandarin Orange and relaxing Kush (5 mg THC/5 mg CBD) in Mango Pineapple — are available now in 12 oz. slim cans. Each also comes in a double-strength version, so 10 mg THC/5 mg THCv for Sativa and 10 mg THC/10 mg CBD for Kush.
Things that stand out:
- The addition of fruit juice and purée(4%-6%) provides fresh and flavorful refreshment, going down easy with no bitter aftertaste; it’s also sweetened with cane sugar, bringing the total sugar to 12 grams per 12 oz. can. Of the two, Mango Pineapple won for flavor.
- Clear visual and naming distinction between the two lines should help the product connect with consumers quickly, while fruit imagery established flavor credentials.
- Pairing some light energy (70 mg caffeine) with THC could be helpful in establishing a place for the product in consumers’ lives, though demand is unclear.
Things to consider:
- The caffeine callout could (and maybe should) be stronger; currently it’s in small print on the back. The color band along the can’s top rim that distinguishes between the high-dose and low-dose versions in each line are a bit too subtle and risk being overlooked.
- “Kush” and “Sativa” are terms associated with cannabis plant genetics, and feel a bit clunky for a line of beverages with hemp-derived THC.
Rating: 
for each flavor
A brand that’s “merging the love of craft with culture,” Afro Pop offers a three-SKU range of low-calorie sodas in 12 ounce cans that are sweetened with a combination of sugar, stevia and erythritol. The products embrace classic, nostalgic flavors – Blacker the Berry (Blackberry Cream Soda), Summer Nights (Blueberry Lemonade Soda) and Grandma’s House (Butterscotch Soda) – with each featuring a unique, artistic label. Each can contains 30 calories and 7 grams of added sugar.
Things that stand out:
- These flavors are tough to pull off without leaning heavily on sugar, but Afro Pop mostly succeeds; Grandma’s House and Blacker the Berry are the stronger of the three, with the former in particular managing to let the familiar butterscotch notes shine.
- The label designs are outstanding; they’re unique, memorable and reflective of each SKU. Considering the emphasis on culture, we like the idea of visually establishing an instant emotional connection with consumers, rather than thorugh romance copy.
- Unique, culturally rooted flavors feels like a good approach in a category packed with prebiotic colas and fruit sodas.
Things to consider:
- Summer Nights doesn’t quite deliver on the promise of a blueberry lemonade soda, as the fruit flavors aren’t quite as true and the sweeteners are a bit too pronounced. The balance is better with the other SKUs, but could still be tweaked.
- Consistent traction with these unique flavors may be a challenge, as consumers tend to stick to the familiar in CSDs (think colas, lemon-lime, orange, etc.).
Rating: Summer Nights 
Grandma’s House/Blacker the Berry
Pablo’s Mate
Based in New York City, Pablo’s Mate offers a line of ready-to-drink Yerba maté beverages in 12 oz. slim cans. For this review, we sampled the flagship brew, The Complete Fubolista, flavored with organic cane sugar, wildflower honey and cinnamon extract. Billed as “a recipe to fuel the mind, body and soul,” Pablo’s Mate contains 100 mg of caffeine and 90 calories per can, along with 22 grams of added sugar.
Things that stand out:
- A great tasting drink; sweet enough to mask any of Yerba maté’s earthy, grassy notes, but wildflower honey and cinnamon extract give it some spice and depth, too.
- Great packaging built around the striking animation style of the Pablo character; this doesn’t look like anything else on the shelf. The hero copy on the back label gives Pablo a story and purpose that is both broadly relatable and steeped in South American culture.
- Building brand around story/character is a fresh approach to a category that’s been mostly about Yerba maté’s health benefits or eco-friendly business model.
Things to consider:
- At 22 grams of sugar per can, this requires some compromise from sugar-conscious shoppers; it could convert existing fans of Yerba maté RTDs, but still may be tough to pull in consumers accustomed to zero-sugar energy drinks.
- The focus on Pablo may be at the expense of clearer callouts on the front of the can; the ingredients are prominent, but some sort of basic framing (“natural energy”) of the functional benefits would help. Also, “The Complete Fubolista” is clever, but slightly awkward as a SKU name.
- Though “Lemon” is listed on the front of the can, it’s not listed anywhere in the ingredients.
Rating: 