Product Review: Oogave Sodas
My daughter had a day off of school last week, so we decided to visit the Oogavé factory in Denver, CO. It was a 30 minute drive, but well worth it. I wanted to show my kids where their food and drink is made so that they can be more appreciative and informed. We happened to catch the owner right before he was going to do a bottling run, and he was gracious enough to give us a quick tour. I hadn’t realized just how small an operation they have; it made me proud to drink soda that originates right here in my hometown, and now that I’ve met Steve (Esteban, as he is fondly called), I feel even more honored to be a part of their loyal customer base.
Oogavé, for those of you who are not familiar, is soda sweetened with agave nectar, a low glycemic natural sweetener extracted from the agave plant. There are no chemicals or artificial colorings in their sodas, and no sodium benzoate; also, the only caffeinated flavor (the cola) has natural caffeine derived from green tea.
Steve let me try two of their new flavors that are in the works: Vanilla Creme and Strawberry Rhubarb. He mentioned that the Strawberry Rhubarb wasn’t quite sour enough and that they were going to be improving it before production. I tasted both once I was home, and I agree with him. The Strawberry Rhubarb was very strawberry-y (is that a word?) and not enough rhubarb-y. But the Vanilla Creme was very smooth and aptly named. Our personal favorites around here are the Watermelon Cream and Esteban’s Cola. The cola flavor is eerily similar to another national brand cola but without that horrible “ack my teeth are decaying” feeling with each sip. It’s downright delicious. And the Watermelon Cream is best enjoyed with a full glass of ice, as it’s a bit sweet for those of us who don’t eat a lot of sweet stuff usually. I’m going to try to mix it with ice tea and see what that is like.
The guys at Oogavé really care about their customers and they take great pride in their company; not to mention, they have great senses of humor! Their products are available nationwide, also; visit their website to find out where you can pick some up. You will not be disappointed.