The “Refreshing” Bubbly Drink My Family Couldn’t Stop Sipping During the Holidays (Perfect for Dry January)
Those who know me know that I’m a bit of a self-proclaimed beverage goblin. At any given point, you’re bound to find a minimum of three drinks around me, those typically being water, some sort of green tea/matcha, and something, well, just plain ol’ fun (read: bubbly and carbonated.) Because I love a good drink, I’m constantly on the hunt for the next addition to my daily rotation, and boy did I find it.
Growing up Hispanic, you’re privy to some of the best foods and drinks in the world, one of those being the classic Mexican beverage agua fresca. In my opinion, there’s nothing better than walking up to a vendor on a hot summer day and picking up a refreshing maracuyá or jamaica to quench your thirst. So, when I came across Bawi, a new Mexican-founded company that offers a particular twist on the drink, I had to try it, and reader, I’m calling it now: Bawi is going to be the drink of 2025.
What Is Bawi Agua Fresca?
Inspired by the drinks he grew up loving during his childhood in Monterrey, Mexico, founder Victor Guardiola created Bawi for one reason: He wanted a drink that reminded him of home. That being said, he also wanted to create something that kept health in mind (this is where the twist comes in.) With less sugar than your traditional agua frescas and a little carbonation for fun, Bawi’s sparkling agua frescas came to life.
Another way these drinks differ from the rest on the market? Flavor. When you hear the term sparkling water, visions of uninspired sips with just a hint of the intended flavor likely cross your mind. Bawi, on the other hand, is chock-full of flavor without being saccharine sweet like a traditional soft drink. Top that off with flavors inspired by traditional Mexican recipes — the brand currently offers four: La Maracuyá (passionfruit), La Piña (pineapple), El Limón (lime), and La Guayaba (guava) — and these drinks are poised to take over the world.
Why I Love Bawi Agua Fresca
As a lifelong fan of agua fresca, I went into testing these drinks with high hopes. What I didn’t expect, however, was for my whole family love them, too. I put them out during Christmas, asking everyone to try them and let me know what they thought — and booooooy did they. Person after person excitedly came up to me asking, “Where did you get these drinks?” and “Where can I find them?” My sister even called them, “the perfect canned mocktail.” Needless to say, they were a hit.
While every flavor is delicious (I truly mean this; I was expecting at least one to be a dud but nope, they’re all fantastic), there was one flavor that I noticed went faster than the others, and that was La Guayaba. My personal favorite, this was the one I was the most excited to try as it features three of my favorite agua fresca ingredients: guava, orange, and hibiscus. It’s the most refreshing sip I’ve taken in a while, and I’m still astounded at how perfectly balanced these drinks are — not too sweet and not at all flat. Perfection is impossible, but Bawi’s gotten as close as humanly possible with these drinks.
Each box of Bawi comes with a dozen 12-ounce cans, available in your choice of either single flavors or in a variety pack which includes La Piña, El Limón, and La Maracuyá (La Guayaba is sold separately.) So if you’re ready to add something delicious and good for you to your drink rotation, I think you’re going to love Bawi as much as I do, and Bawi, te adoro.
Buy: Bawi Agua Fresca Caja Variedad, $39.99; La Guayaba, $39.99
My Kitchn Helper
Get our favorite editor-tested and -approved finds sent twice a week to your inbox.