The Worst Bubbl'r Sparkling Water We Tried Had A Weird Sour Taste

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Sparkling water has no middle ground. When it's good, it's good. When it's bad, all you get are bubbles of disappointment, and it's just enough to make you regret ever popping open the can. It usually only takes one subpar element to derail this drink, and in the case of Bubbl'r Pomegranate Acai Sparkling Water, that element is a weirdly sour, artificial taste. This is what landed it in the last spot of Tasting Table's Bubbl'r flavor ranking, in which we tried eight varieties in the lineup to see which ones are actually worth the hype.

Upon reading its description, the Pomegranate Acai Refresh'r appears quite promising. Bubbl'r highlights its "bubbly personality" and "refreshing taste," as well as its antioxidant-rich properties and natural caffeine. Unfortunately, it just doesn't deliver flavor-wise. When she sipped this chilled refresher, our reviewer, Meredith Burkhart, was first greeted with "a pungent, sour, fermented fruit smell." That rocky start didn't pick up, as it was followed by an unpleasant taste that encapsulated neither fruit's essence. Instead of the pomegranate's sweet-tart complexity and the acai berry's earthy notes, this sparkling water merely laces in a "choking sourness." Assessed to be heavy in tone, it completely defeats the purpose of a refresher. Despite being marketed as fresh and flavorful, this sparkling water unfortunately falls flat.

The reception for Bubbl'r's Pomegranate Acai Sparkling Water is relatively mixed. Customers on the Walmart website say it's similar to other types of carbonated water, just without the taste of an artificial sweetener. Many comments also describe the drink as delicious and enjoyable, with praises such as "great flavor" and "one of the best tasting ones." Over at Staples, quite a few reviewers say the same thing. One customer, however, complained that the drink is too sweet for their liking, while another just plainly stated that it's not their favorite. Customers at Target share the same sentiment, also finding the fruity scent to be too artificial and borderline medicinal. While this may not be the majority opinion, it's enough to make one consider other flavor options.

As our reviewer recommended, the Wild Cherry Bubbl'r is what you should be adding to your cart. This flavor has it all: a sublime sweetness matched by the tart undertone, and that signature cherry scent to go with the effervescent effect. For those who don't want an overwhelming sweetness, but rather a light waft of flavor, the runner-ups are better choices. Pitaya Berry Nect'r and Tropical Dream'r both have that vibrancy we adore in tropical fruits (which we've also ranked), reimagined through a juicy lens that's more refreshing with each sip. All in all, there's definitely a Bubbl'r drink out there you should be trying. We just don't think it's the Pomegranate Acai.