Review: Shasta Tiki Punch
Apr 27th, 2011 by Steve
There's nothing wrong with a budget beverage brand if it tastes good. The folks at Shasta have a seemingly endless array of flavors… over 30 at last count. That's just crazy! We were delighted to sample Shasta Tiki Punch the other day.
Shasta got its name from Mt. Shasta in California, originally bottling mineral water back in 1889. That's quite a long heritage! These days, it's owned by National Beverage Company, which makes it a sibling with Faygo and La Croix, and part of the fifth largest beverage company in the U.S.
I got my hands on a 16 oz can of Shasta Tiki Punch, which features some fun artwork that resonated with me, given that my Disney theme park appreciation of Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room (the original, not that current trainwreck in Florida.) The blue can features an orange tiki statue mug, complete with comical shorts, a straw, and umbrella. There's also quite the array of fruits featured under the logo for "Tiki Punch."
The drink itself is redish, pink in color and smells very sweet. You definitely get the sense of something tropical, because let's admit it, this is obviously a Hawaiian Punch knockoff.
That said, I actually liked it quite a bit more than Hawaiian Punch. There's more bite and complex flavor. Yes, it's a fruit punch-like combination, but it's also surprisingly tangy, with a notable pineapple kick. Unfortunately, that doesn't last through to the aftertaste, which isn't bad, but does feel quite syrupy. I was actually shocked to discover that there is a small amount of sucralose used along with the primary HFCS sweetener.
Overall, we like Shasta Tiki Punch and its unique, tangy rendition of a traditional carbonated fruit punch. It may just be a tad too sweet for our tastes, however, so it probably would be best appreciated in smaller doses.
Shasta Tiki Punch
Carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, citric acid, potassium benzoate (preservative), gum acacia, natural and artificial flavors, glyceryl abietate, Red 40, sucralose
This 16 oz can packs 200 calories, 40 mg of sodium, 56 g carbs, and 56 g sugars. This drink is caffeine free.
I love Tahitian Treat, so seeing that this is carbonated, I'll need to try it.
I like Shasta Tiki Punch. I think it tastes good.
I haven't tried Shasta's Tiki Punch. I'll have to pick some up. Thanks, for the review. It doesn't sound too bad. The design on the can is cool. I like the Tiki a lot!
Is this a new product or is the news your review of it?
Someone said the product has been on the market three years.
Is that correct?
Cordially,
Jack O'Dwyer
Jack, this product has been around for a while. We review a combination of new and legacy drinks here on BevReview
Too bad I can't find Shasta in my entire state.
[...] Green River, but with my syrup and perhaps a tad bit of pineapple thrown in there, reminiscent of Shasta Tiki Punch or some other tropical taste. The flavor is partially there, then dissolves into nothing, leaving [...]
[...] is a very creative and fun can set. It's a shame we don't see more cans like this from Shasta. The Shasta Tiki Punch can is nice, but it's nowhere near the awesomeness of the Shasta Shortz cans. All photos used by [...]