TUT TUT AT "TIZER" - THE ULTRA-SWEET SUGAR PROVIDER! (Tizer)

Member Name: totalserenity

Product:	Tizer
Date:	03/05/09 (414 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: IT'S WET IF YOUR THIRSTY...THAT'S ABOUT IT, SORRY!

Disadvantages: TOO SWEET, TOO HIGH A SUGAR CONTENT. NO NATURAL FRUIT FLAVOURS OR COLOURS IN THE NEWLY LAUNCHED POP.

Firstly, I have got to tell you I was astounded not to find the iconic 'Tizer' soft drink on dooyoo - so promptly suggested it as a subject for review, as I have a few things to say (as always!) about this particular product!

Secondly, my daughter Goth-Zilla (the best-looking Emo/Cyclops you are ever likely to meet, 'Yep indeedy'!), adores this carbonated fruity, refreshing deep red-tinted bubbly beverage, therefore I bought her some fairly recently on offer from Morrisons, £2 for an 8 pack.

Thirdly, this write up isn't going to be pretty I am warning you now.
I requested this topic on here so I could have my personal two penneth about how much it's changed in my opinion; thus it's not going to be 'nicey nicey', okay!

*Cough to clear authoress' lungs before mini-epic rant...*

Well, as a child, I was all but weaned on 'Tizer', 'Irn Bru', 'R.Whites Lemonade' and the like; as back in 'my' day the Health Education regarding too much sugar rotting childrens teeth sadly, wasn't so nearly as much in evidence.
'Pop' was cheap as chips 'actually' used to be; plus generally delivered on the back of a huge wagon in glass bottles that you collected a small deposit back off, if you returned the reusable empties.

Am sat here smiling at the memories now, dear readers, as it was such an exciting little part of my childhood waiting to see what flavours 'Mummy' would pick to last us the week!

As with most things, this type of delivery system has all but been lost (more's the pity); and in its place we have seen the advent of many and various-sized predominantly plastic bottles alongside metal containers, sold via the local corner shop...then the larger supermarket stores, plus other retail outlets.

In many ways 'pop in a can' is a great invention; more portable, easier to chill, disposable (sensibly recycle, please) - but I really don't believe the taste is the same as it used to be back in my childhood...
Which, as it so happens - leads me neatly onto the tin of 'A.G. Barr's' brand of soft drink the fizzy, famous red Tizer that is the focus of my attention today.

Produced in Scotland nowadays, after the giant drinks manufacturer 'Barr' purchased the brand name in 1972 for £2.5 million; but originally launched as 'Tizer the Appetiser' by its original maker Fred Pickup in Manchester way back in 1924, there have been several changes to the original very sweet and rather fruity flavoured recipe, over time.

The can of 39p pop I am reviewing today is, of course, predominantly bright red in colour, with Tizer written in blue lettering across a white label within a multi-shaded fruit-segmented swirl.

Advertised as with: 'No artificial colours, flavours or sweeteners it does sound rather healthy doesn't it, for a carbonated drink?

'Made With Real Fruit Juice', etched across the bottom of the circular tin in little yellow wording, again the contents 'sound' really good...

On one side of the 330ml can it is advised to serve this sparkling beverage cool, underneath which can be found a list of ingredients along with the nutritional values of the sparkling, colourful liquid.

Obviously there is the carbonated water base, concentrated fruit juice equalling 10% of the mixture (4% lemon, 4% orange, 2% blackcurrant); plus sugar in a frighteningly high amount of 30.7 gram within the 330ml serving, in addition to 'natural flavourings' (Fruit & Vegetable Extracts), plus Potassium Sorbate 'Preservative'.
With a calorie allowance of 125 within the entire drink, no fat or salt either; well effectively then you are drinking a very high amount of carbohydrate content in the form of pure sugar.

Scary thought to me, that - empty, teeth-rotting fructose/glucose calories, gulp!

So now to the smell and flavour - the two reasons that above anything prompted me to cover this product after I took a sneaky swig of Gothy's, as I was so surprised at the change in taste, compared to the way it used to be.

To be honest on taking a covert sip of my daughter's very sweet pop, I was amazed at how similar the aftertaste was to 'Irn Bru', and that fact really disappointed me.
The old Tizer I knew and loved has its own distinctive lovely flavour - it always reminded me of a faint tang of ripe red rich apples for some strange reason!
However, this concoction tasted somewhat synthetic; and on sniffing it's faintly fruit-based aroma, it definitely smelt more watery and tasted weaker than it used to...

The exact recipe for Tizer has never been made public, although according to Wikipedia, it was re-launched in 2007 with fewer additives, plus no E numbers...that must be it then, it's had all the bad/goodness removed!

This drink's internet Homepage claims: 'Tizer is a mouth-watering mix of citrus and red fruit with a refreshingly sharp twist in the tail'.
Don't think so babies; it's now too similar to its more metallic-tasting company family member Irn Bru to have its own individuality, and it left my mouth feeling very unpleasantly dry afterwards.

Sneakily also, the makers have only just in April of this year repackaged the bubbly, bright liquid yet again; but this time ADDED in artificial colours, flavours and sweeteners (Acesulfame-K), after removing ALL the real fruit juice under the guise of the new tagline 'Now With Added Bite'.

Shocking, eh?

As horrifying as that is to think now most of the contents are non-natural on origin, it also proved my point about the taste in my...Erm, I mean Gothy's can, not being the way it used to be.
Sadly though, it appears to be at the expense of a healthier version of a carbonated water- based consumable, that Barr are clearly trying to re-create the distinctive original Tizer taste.

All I know is that now I have looked at this popular offering properly, I definitely will neither be buying it again - nor encouraging my darling offspring to drink it, as there is little goodness to be had from it.

Personally, I seldom drink soft fizzy liquids as being a reluctantly dedicated 'calorie counter', I am nowadays more aware of the empty sugar-fix these generally have - but I genuinely didn't realise just how bad they are for you.

Of course it's your choice what fare you feed your body with; but hopefully this article will have either helped, or informed you in some way, as to those naughty hidden contents lurking within those brightly decorated cans...

One sugar-coated star is all this ultra-sweet product deserves, I'm afraid, sorry!

Summary: AM PRETTY HORRIFIED NOW I REALLY KNOW WHAT'S IN IT, NO MORE FOR US THANK YOU VERY MUCH!