Pok Pok Som: Turmeric

The Turmeric flavor of Som Soda blends water, sugar, cane vinegar, turmeric, citric acid and sea salt. Its flavor profile is tart, tangy and slightly spicy, with a moderate amount of carbonation. Of the Som Soda varieties that we sampled, we found this one to have the most full-bodied flavor, which was definitely a nice change of pace. You can taste the turmeric, the vinegar and the sugar, which provide the three notes of flavor. If you’re not into the whole drinking vinegar thing, this product is a less intense way to dip your toe in the water. Plus, it’s the only one in the line that has any color to the liquid, which makes it visually stand out and is a bit more appealing to the senses. Ultimately, it’s a nice riff on a soda that doesn’t really sacrifice sweetness or flavor, but does manage to hit your palate with an experience that’s more unique than a traditional soda. As for the packaging, the company has gone with a classic looking 12 oz. long neck bottle. It’s immediately identifiable as a soda, but given where we’re at in the lifecycle of both Som and drinking vinegar, we think the company needs to do a better job communicating how this product is different. Right now, you have to read the fine print to figure it out, which makes it easy to mistake this for just a basic soda. Overall, really nice flavor and a good adaptation of the Som concentrate, but the branding and messaging need improvement.