We Tried Crystal Light's Mixology, Immunity Support, And Energy Boost Lines And Have Mixed Feelings
Poly Pop was one of the first powdered drink mixes to hit the market, over 100 years ago. Cool guys like Kool-Aid and Country Time lemonade followed suit, making for many tall drinks of fruity and super-sugary water. In 1982, while dieting was all the rage, Crystal Light appeared on the scene and became a go-to for those looking to keep things light. Those '90s ads featuring Enya's "Orinoco Flow" certainly helped to sell the easy, breezy lifestyle. Now, the brand is shaking things up, sporting a new logo and, for the first time in over a decade, dropping three new lines of powdered mixes: Mixology, Immunity Support, and Energy Boost, each including one to three flavors.
In a press release (via Business Wire), Jeremy Kross, associate director, PSB Beverage Mixes at the Kraft Heinz Company, said, "We know consumers are increasingly seeking a wider variety of functional benefits, and as the longstanding leader in the powdered beverage space, we saw an exciting opportunity to innovate around our fans' evolving preferences." So, do we share in this enthusiasm, or are we better off just drinking water? I was given a box of five powder flavors to mix things up for myself and did so, first with water and then with an alcohol I thought paired up well with each flavor profile. This sip and review is based on taste, appearance, repeat drinkability, and overall lovability.
Some recommendations are based on first-hand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.
What does Crystal Light Immunity Support Blueberry Pomegranate taste like?
For a Crystal Light subtitled "Immunity Support," it makes kind of sense that the Blueberry Pomegranate powder, straight from the packaging, has a smell reminiscent of a children's grape cough syrup, like Dimetapp. As the powder mixes with a glass of water, the color looks like some sort of random berry Kool-Aid concoction or perhaps even a faint shade of ruby red grapefruit. After the mixing settled, light white froth bubbles formed on top, as if it was leftover foam from the ocean that didn't ebb back into sea.
In water, this Immunity Support mix did indeed smell like the flavor profile it boasts to have — blueberry pomegranate, with an emphasis on the former more than the latter. It has a nice and light fruity taste that can ring overly sweet. It also has a strong aftertaste that leaves a smooth hint of berry behind in the mouth. I made a second glass with vodka in tow, and the berries helped to mask the strong bent of the alcohol. This made for one of the better mixers for alcohol out of all the new flavors, and it even includes Vitamins B6, B12, and zinc for good measure. Blue Pomegranate will be joined by Orange Tangerine as an Immunity Support flavor option.
What does Crystal Light Energy Boost Raspberry Lemonade taste like?
The Energy Boost line will feature three flavors: Classic Lemonade, Fruit Punch, and Raspberry Lemonade, the latter of which I was given for a taste test. It sports one of the more familiar tastes to fans of Crystal Light, as it's a lemonade, with a splash of raspberry. The powder mix literally smells like old-school Crystal Light lemonade, reminding me of when my mother used to mix some up during the late 1980s. The powder is a shade of red, which turns pink upon hitting the water, where bits of blue swim about, filling up its brightness. The final settled pink color looks like a watermelon juice that looks nothing like the actual juice from a watermelon.
In water, the powder smells like a lemon-limey lemonade, and its taste has a nice bit of tartness to it. Notes of raspberry are certainly present, but I'm not sure the berry flavoring is all that necessary. Maybe I'll just hold off for the release of the Classic Lemonade flavor. When I added vodka to the powder mix, the artificiality of the flavoring was enhanced, and I'm not sure that was actually for the best. If you are looking for a little pep in your step, the Energy Boost flavors contain caffeine, at 75 milligrams' worth.
What does Crystal Light Mixology Watermelon Margarita taste like?
If you're into super-sweet smells, then the Crystal Light Mixology Watermelon Margarita flavor is the one for you. Taking a whiff of this one took me right back to adolescence, when I wanted nothing more than to pop a piece of Watermelon Wave Bubblicious gum into my mouth, chew it up, and let the unnatural juices flow. When the reddish-orange powder made its way into the glass of water, its vibrant aura made the water appear like a glow stick, bouncing about on a night of trick-or-treating. As it settled in, it turned into an unholy pink hue.
Even with a strong scent and sight, the drink turned out to be a lot less saccharine than I assumed it would be. What it does have is a thick consistency that gives way to a nice and rich, full fruity flavor. Adding tequila to water with a packet of this flavor won't exactly make a drinker think they're sitting in a Mexican restaurant. Come to think of it, watermelon doesn't sound very margarita-y, but sure, why not? It works fine here as a cocktail, but maybe hold off on adding a lime and a rim of salt to your glass.
What does Crystal Light Mixology Blackberry Mojito taste like?
Out of the three Crystal Light Mixology flavors, I was most attracted by allure that the Blackberry Mojito name gave off. That preconceived notion was already derailed the moment I tore the packet open and moved it toward my nostrils. One quick inhale reveals something that lies between medicinal ointment and bug repellent. Trying to move past that, the purple powder sinks into the water and settles into a milkier-looking version of the Immunity Support Blueberry Pomegranate mix.
Luckily, the taste of this mojito is far from the ill odor vibes that reside within the packet. Overall, it has a nice berry taste to it, albeit one that does lean a little too artificial. Like a proper mojito, I added rum to a separate mix. The end result was not exactly a refreshing cocktail but one, again, where the artificiality of the flavor was made even stronger.
What does Crystal Light Mixology Mai Tai taste like?
Tearing open the packet of Mixology Mai Tai and taking a whiff, I once again felt like something had escaped from my medicine cabinet. At least this one doesn't have an ointment smell to it, but does the essence of waterlogged Tums sound any more attractive? Dropped into water, the powder produces a bright neon orange color that teeters between a melted Creamsicle and a glass full of the fiber supplement Metamucil.
As is, this mai tai drink tastes like orange Pez. It's an oddly attractive flavor that actually becomes rather thirst-quenching the more you sip it. Maybe it's because this was one of the rare non-berry flavors in the lineup, and thus felt like a breath of fresh air, or perhaps it was actually legitimately tasty.
In order to turn this into a proper mai tai, the second round called for a shot of rum. I've only had one mai tai before in my entire life, when I was handed one at a Maui hotel, but I had to discard it rather quickly for its being a bit repulsive. The Crystal Light cocktail one fared a lot better than the Hawaiian one I had, but the rum's sweetness made it all a bit too sweet.
How to buy Crystal Light Immunity Support, Energy Boost, and Mixology
The Crystal Light Mixology Multipack, which contains Watermelon Margarita, Blackberry Mojito, and Mai Tai, will be available at Publix grocery stores in February and is soon to be rolling out nationwide. Crystal Light's Immunity Support and Energy Boost product lines will be available later in 2024.
All flavors are permanent additions to the Crystal Light lineup and come in carton boxes which contain individual, single-drink mix packets. Liquids are not included, but 16.9 fluid ounces of water or whatever you fancy is recommended for mixing. Based on the best used by date on the provided packets, get those drinks all mixed within eight to 10 months.
The final verdict
While the descriptions of the sights, smells, and tastes I laid before you of all five of the new Crystal Light mixes I was given for testing may sound a bit funky and perhaps even unkind, the nose smells what the nose smells, and the eyes and mouth do their things as well. In the end, all five of these powders make for a fine, low-calorie additive to any glass of water. If you're looking to watch your calorie or sugar intake but want to fruiten up your boozy cocktails, then these Crystal Light mixes will also serve you well enough.
By sight alone, four of the five are indistinguishable as various shades of pinkish-purple. If, for some reason, you have all four on a table, reach for the one pink one that looks faded and murky. That's the Immunity Support Blueberry Pomegranate one, and it's berry good. The hot pink Mixology Watermelon Margarita is a standout in its own strange way, as it has an unforgettable taste that doesn't really remind one of either an actual watermelon or a margarita. The most palatable one of the bunch, and I guess de facto winner because of that accomplishment, is the Mixology Mai Tai, which feels like an exotic, tropical departure from all its pink lady friends. Now can we figure out a way to bring back that Enya song for advertising this new line?