If you’ve ever had a shrub, a fruit syrup preserved with vinegar that dates back to the Colonial era, you know what Trader Joe’s is going for with its Sparkling Apple Cider Vinegar Beverages. It comes in two flavors: ginger-lemon and lemon strawberry.
I’m not usually a big fan of shrubs, they’re typically too vinegary for me, but TJ’s version is a little more mild. You can definitely smell the vinegar, especially in the ginger-lemon version, but these are sweet enough that you don’t notice it a huge amount when you sip it.
Both come in at 30% fruit juice, not bad, all things considered. Between the two, I finished the lemon-strawberry and left about half the ginger-lemon. If you’re not doing a dry January, add some vodka or gin for quick cocktails, or you can just have them straight.
For me, Trader Joe’s Sparkling Apple Cider Vinegar Beverages get an “OK.” They’re fine. I don’t love them, I don’t hate them. And I probably won’t buy them regularly.
Check out some other We Tried’s from Trader Joe’s:
Sparkling Black Tea with Peach Juice
Sparkling Honeycrisp Apple Juice