If I'm having Mexican food, there's a good chance I'm having a Jarritos soda with it. Founded in 1950 by Don Francisco "El Güero" Hill, the popular Mexican soft drink gets its name from the Spanish for "little jugs" as fruit-flavoured aguas fresca were traditionally kept in clay jugs to keep cool for long periods. A cold Jarritos perfectly offsets a spicy taco or burrito. As today is the anniversary of the creation of this beverage, here are my impressions of all that Jarritos has to offer.
Lime - One of the original flavours released, this is my go-to Jarritos beverage, mostly because it's the one flavour that's almost always available. Consider it if you want a better-tasting version of Sprite.
Mandarin - As mandarins normally are sweeter than oranges, fans of orange drinks should flock to this. This reminded me of what an orange popsicle would taste like if it were made with Orange Crush.
Strawberry - I never consider strawberries to be a fruit to be used for juice, so I usually leave this one on the shelf. As close to strawberry Fanta as you're going to get this side of the border.
Tamarind - According to Wikipedia, tamarinds are sweet, brown, tangy pod-like fruits. The taste of this Jarrotos reminds me of the tartness of the powdered iced tea my parents used to buy in bulk back in the day. As it is one of the rarer varieties available, you'll have to see it and be in the mood to experiment before having one.
Guava - Very sweet and very pink. I'm surprised to see this flavour still on store shelves, what with "Barbie" movie fans buying any and everything pink for their after-viewing parties.
Grapefruit - Other than Wink, grapefruit isn't a flavour that's featured a lot in soft drinks. When you're in the mood for a citrusy sweet-sour beverage, consider seeking this one out.
Fruit Punch - I'd believe it if someone told me this was just all the fruit flavours mixed together. If you call your drinks by their colour, this is prime Red Stuff.
Pineapple - Fans of the elusive pineapple-flavored Crush should give this a try. Perfect for those times when you want a piña colada without any alcohol.
Jamaica - This should be called Hibiscus as Jamaica is a country and not a fruit. You're not going to get the health benefits you would get from drinking hibiscus tea, but you will get that sweet and spicy taste.
Mango - When you taste this you're probably going to want to make this your new mixer for a shot of vodka or rum. Perfect for tropical-themed parties in the backyard.
Watermelon - You don't need Harry Styles to get a Watermelon Sugar high, just have one of these sodas. It's as close as you'll get to drinking a liquid watermelon Jolly Ranger.
Passion Fruit - Actual passion fruit tends to be both sweet and sour simultaneously. Jarritos Passion Fruit falls a lot closer to sweet than sour.
Mexican Cola - The Coca-Cola in Mexico tastes different from the regular gringo version because it uses cane sugar instead of corn syrup to sweeten it. Jarritos also uses cane sugar in their cola, but it tastes to me more like RC cola. See how it improves the flavour of this cola-based barbeque sauce:
250 mL Jarritos Mexican Cola
235 g ketchup
69 g Worcestershire sauce
27.5 g brown sugar
6 g salt
1.15 g black pepper
0.5 g garlic powder
2.5 mL hot sauce
- Mix all ingredients together in a saucepan over medium to low heat.
- Allow everything to boil for about 5 to 10 minutes until reduced and thickened.
- Remove from heat and use immediately or pour into storage containers and store in the refrigerator for several months.
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