11 Waterloo Sparkling Water Flavors, Ranked Worst To Best
We love coffee, and you can always convince us to sip on some good wine. Though we all really know that water is the superior drink. But why settle for the boring stuff when you can have water that's filled with bubbles and a flavor you love? These days, more and more people are turning away from super sugary soft drinks and opting instead for sparkling water. Not only is this better for your health, but if you ask us, it tastes a lot better too. There's nothing like popping open a can of your favorite sparkling water first thing in the morning or after your evening walk around the neighborhood.
There are tons of sparkling water brands popping up every day, but not all of them are created equally. One of our favorite sparkling water brands has to be Waterloo. They make creative flavors that you won't see anywhere else, which is why we keep going back to their products again and again. And while all of their sparkling water flavors are delicious, there are some that we like more than others. That's why we've decided to rank Waterloo's flavors from worst to best. That way, you may get a better idea of which flavor you want to try the next time you see Waterloo in your grocery store. And just remember — you should try them all before you make up your mind for yourself!
11. Pineapple
Look, if you absolutely love sweet, tropical flavors, then we can see how you would love the pineapple flavor from Waterloo. It really does taste like the fruit but without all that extra sugar. However, for those who aren't huge pineapple fans, this flavor kind of misses the mark. It's strange to taste the flavor of pineapple without getting a sense of the sweetness of it. Don't get us wrong — it's definitely preferable to a pineapple soda — but the taste definitely made us do a double take at first.
There's also a slight tang to this drink that you may not completely expect. This tang is nice, but it also seems a bit random — it doesn't have the same tanginess you'd get if you were to bite into a juicy portion of pineapple.
We think that this sparkling water could play an important role as an addition to a sparkling cocktail, particularly one in which you decide to use actual fresh pineapple. But if you're looking for the best Waterloo flavor to sip on its own, we would suggest opting for one of the other flavors. Don't worry — you have plenty to choose from.
10. Peach
Peach probably isn't the first fruit that comes to mind when you consider flavors that are often added to sparkling waters. Lime or grapefruit, maybe, but not peach. And when it comes to the peach flavor from Waterloo, we're sad to admit that it's not one of our favorite flavors. According to Waterloo's website, the flavor is focused on ripe peaches, but it also contains "a nod" to gummy peach ring candies.
It's not that the peach tastes artificial, though — that's not the problem here. Instead, it's the fact that the peach flavor and aroma is so strong. It's definitely an intense flavor, which is why we think this variety is better suited as a mixer than as a drink to enjoy by itself.
Waterloo says it designed this flavor with a pairing for a BBQ in mind, and that definitely comes through. The strong flavors in this drink would pair well with equally strong meaty and umami flavors.
9. Orange
When you think of a citrus flavor that you'd want to add to your water, you probably think of lemon first. That may be followed closely by lime and grapefruit. However, most people don't think of adding orange to their water. However, Waterloo is out to change that. Enter their orange-flavored sparkling water. It's a great idea, but in practice, we just don't know how we feel about it.
There's the fact that it tastes more like orange soda than real oranges. We're not complaining too much about that, though. Who doesn't like orange soda, after all? It's just that the flavor comes so close to the flavor of orange soda that we feel let down when we take a sip, and it tastes a lot blander than we're used to. If you didn't grow up drinking orange soda, though, this may not be a problem for you.
Overall, the flavor is pretty good, though it's definitely not one of our favorites. If we were going to serve it, we'd probably add an orange slice to the rim of the glass to make it a little more special.
8. Strawberry
One of the things we love about Waterloo is the fact that they experiment with flavors that not many other sparkling water brands are trying. One of those flavors is strawberry. We haven't seen this flavor around very much, so we were excited to try it when we saw Waterloo's version. After all, adding fresh or frozen strawberries to your water can taste amazing, so why wouldn't it be good in its canned, sparkling form?
Waterloo is continuing its candy kick with this flavor. Like the peach flavor that pulled its inspiration from peach gummy rings, the flavor profile of strawberry Waterloo is reminiscent of Swedish Fish. That may sound a bit off-putting if you don't like Swedish Fish, but it's actually quite nice when you consider that it's layered with the flavor of fresh strawberries as well. The end result is surprisingly refreshing.
Is it our favorite of the bunch? No. We love the creativity, but it feels like there's an element of sweetness that's missing. It's perfect for some occasions, but it's not a standard go-to that we would always keep stocked in the fridge.
7. Grape
Here's another relatively uncommon flavor: grape. If you're imagining that this stuff is going to taste like sparkling wine, think again. That's definitely not what's going on here. Rather, you're going to get more of a fresh grape flavor that's combined with what you would expect if you were to take a sip of grape soda. The end result is surprisingly good. We weren't expecting this drink to taste so much like grape soda, but it really does. In fact, it comes a lot closer to grape soda than the orange Waterloo comes to orange soda. While it doesn't have that signature dark purple color you expect from grape soda (we're not complaining!) or that same sweetness, otherwise, the resemblance is uncanny.
In fact, the one reason that the grape didn't rank higher on our list is the fact that grape soda has a very specific taste that not everyone likes. If you're not a fan, then you may not appreciate this stuff quite as much as those who love grape soda.
6. Blueberry
It seems that Waterloo has a thing for berry-flavored sparkling water, and we can't thank them enough for that. After all, that's why we've been blessed with blueberry Waterloo. This sparkling water flavor is unlike any we've ever tried before, and we're absolutely here for it. Just be warned: When you take your first sip, it's definitely not going to taste like blueberries — like, not at all. That's understandable considering that the flavor of blueberries is so light and subtle as is, but just temper your expectations.
That being said, just because this water doesn't taste like actual blueberries doesn't mean it's not downright delicious. We seriously love this stuff. Waterloo claims that they used the flavor of blueberry muffins as their inspiration, and we definitely see where they're coming from. While this drink isn't sweet, it still has that slightly artificial-tasting blueberry flavor we love. At the same time, it still doesn't taste like anything we've ever tried before.
It sounds like this flavor might have been difficult to create considering the fact that Waterloo spent two whole years developing it. At any rate, we're happy they took that time and energy to deliver us the blueberry sparkling water of our dreams.
5. Watermelon
Watermelon is by far one of the best fruits in the world. There aren't many foods that are that juicy and succulent, and biting into one can't help but remind you of summer. What's not to love? That's why we love the fact that Waterloo decided to come out with a watermelon-flavored sparkling water. This drink is seriously so refreshing, and we can't believe that we've had to live most of our lives without it.
First of all, this stuff really does taste like watermelon. We were surprised that they were able to capture that flavor so well. But there's some added complexity in the mix: You can also taste a slight hint of citrus. And if you've ever added lemon juice to a slice of watermelon, you know just how magical that combination can be.
Admittedly, the flavor of the watermelon Waterloo might be a bit too light for this drink to make a suitable mixer, but you could always try it out if you're working with a lot of other strong flavors. In our opinion, though, this stuff is best sipped on its own, preferably while you sit on a porch on a warm summer night (or at least pretend to).
4. Original
We know what you're thinking: Why is Waterloo's original flavor so high on our list? First of all, you shouldn't think of the original flavor as anything ordinary. On the contrary, this is one of our favorite plain sparkling waters on the market. The water tastes super pure — you're not going to get any weird aftertaste here. And compared to a lot of other sparkling waters out there, this one is really, really carbonated, which is just what we're looking for. It's crisp and refreshing, and since it's basically a blank slate, you can pair it with anything or just drink it on its own.
We like to keep this stuff on hand for when we want to make a fun cocktail or mocktail to brighten up our day. If you want to keep things simple, you can add your own flavoring to this drink with whatever you have available. Squeezing in some lemon or lime juice is always a good idea. And since it has such a pure, refreshing taste, it's also great on its own. (We think it's particularly refreshing to drink after a run or a workout session — what a great way to reward yourself!) It can even be used to get stains out of carpet or furniture, but we wouldn't waste our precious Waterloo on that.
If you are looking for one of the best sparkling waters on the market without all the added flavors, original Waterloo is for you.
3. Lemon-Lime
There are a lot of sparkling water brands out there that have lemon-flavored water and lime-flavored water, but not every brand has lemon-lime water together in one can. But it shouldn't surprise you that Waterloo is coming through for you with this iconic flavor duo. This is one of our favorite flavors for a few different reasons. First of all, both the lemon and the lime flavoring taste just like the real thing — you're not going to get any artificial aftertaste here. Second of all, the combo is so simple and so classic that this drink is perfect for pretty much any occasion. And if you regularly have guests over, you can bet that pretty much every one of them is going to like this flavor.
If you're new to the world of sparkling water and don't know which flavor to try first, lemon-lime should definitely be at the top of your list. It's like the refreshing 7Up or Sprite you always used to enjoy without the syrupy sweetness of all that sugar. Try this stuff once, and it may just become a new staple in your home. We know it is for us!
2. Grapefruit
Okay, we get it — not everyone likes grapefruit. It's a rather bitter fruit, which isn't appealing to everyone. But for those of us who love carbonated beverages but are completely turned off by the cloying sweetness of most sodas, Waterloo's grapefruit flavor is truly a dream come true. This is definitely Waterloo's most realistic-tasting flavor. It basically just tastes like they squeezed an actual grapefruit into their original sparkling water. And when it comes to grapefruit flavoring, we obviously want something that's going to taste as close to the real thing as possible.
While you're going to get some bitterness from that grapefruit flavor, it's not overwhelming. Overall, the flavor profile of this drink is relatively subtle, but it has just enough zing in it to keep you going back for more. Anyone who loves LaCroix's pamplemousse flavor is sure to enjoy this one as well — they're very similar.
If you've never tried grapefruit sparkling water before, here is your chance. If you're anything like us, it's going to come in close to the top of your own personal ranking of Waterloo flavors.
1. Black Cherry
Last but certainly not least is Waterloo's black cherry flavor. In our book, it's the absolute best of the bunch, and we have to admit that black cherry Waterloo really knocks it out of the park. It seriously tastes like cherries — don't expect that cherry-flavored medicine taste you got used to as a kid. What you're getting here is far from that weird sweet-bitter combo.
Instead, you get strong notes of stone fruit even though the overall flavor is rather subtle. According to Waterloo, this effect was difficult to achieve. They had to try a variety of different types of cherries before they finally landed on a mix that made sense. We're so glad that they put all of that time and effort in because it really paid off in the end. The next time you want to drink some Waterloo, make sure you give the black cherry flavor a try.