Taste testing diet sodas

Cascade Ice Acai Blueberry Pomegranate (sweetened with sucralose): “I enjoy this as a less sugary option to fruit juice. It’s light but still has the berry taste.” (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Oct. 17, 2012 12:26 PM PT

With the variety of chic diet sodas expanding faster than the contents of a CO2 canister, we asked a few Times staffers to sample a dozen brands in a variety of flavors, such as cola, grape soda and root beer. Here are their thoroughly unscientific reviews:

Hank’s Diet Root Beer (sweetened with aspartame): “Good root beer flavor but lighter.” (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Jones Zero Calorie Vanilla Bean Soda (sucralose): “Doesn’t taste too sweet. Very nice vanilla flavor.” (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Lorina Sparkling Lemonade (sucralose): “I could drink this all day.” (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Squamscot Diet Grape (sucralose): “Yum! Doesn’t taste like diet.” (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Boylan (sucralose and Ace-K): “Bad flavor, extra sweet finish.” “Sweeter than Diet Coke with a genuine cola flavor.” (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Dr. Brown’s Diet Cream Soda (aspartame): “All sweet, no flavor.” “Wow. Love it.” (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Fitz’s Diet Cream Soda (sucralose and Ace-K): “Strong vanilla flavor, a little too sweet.” “Tastes like vanilla ice cream.” (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Zevia Mountain Zevia (stevia): “Too sweet.” “tastes less like diet and closer to traditional 7-Up.” (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Blenheim Ginger Ale (aspartame): “The ginger is so strong that it burns.” (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Manhattan Special Espresso Coffee Soda (aspartame): “Tastes like carbonated burnt coffee. Very bitter but too sweet at the same time.” (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Taylor’s Tonics Chai Cola Light (erythritol): “Exotic in a bad way.” (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)