I Tried Blake Lively’s New Drink Line and It Lives Up to the Buzz
If you’re anything like me, you’re a bit wary of celebrity brands. Now this is not to say celebrity brands are bad — on the contrary, I’m a fan of many! But with what seems like a new one announced every day, it’s easy to become a bit skeptical about a product backed by a big name. However, every once in a while, there comes a celebrity brand that piques my interest for much more than its famous founder’s connection. Case in point: Betty Buzz.
When I heard that Blake Lively was launching a new line of sparkling sodas, I was intrigued. With its fun branding, dedication to simple ingredients, and a name any Swiftie could immediately clock as a tribute to her daughter (IYKYK), it was clear this was something close to her heart and I’ll be honest — I liked that. Plus, as a fan of husband Ryan Reynolds’ Aviation gin, I felt confident that if anyone could make a good drink, it would be her. So, I decided to put this line to the test, and, yes, dear reader, I’m obsessed.
What is Betty Buzz by Blake Lively?
The idea behind Betty Buzz was simple: to create a line of drinks that are made with high-quality ingredients so you (and anyone in the family) can happily sip without worrying about what’s in your glass. Available in five flavors (Sparkling Grapefruit, Ginger Beer, Sparkling Lemon Lime, Meyer Lemon Club Soda, and classic Tonic Water), these bubbly drinks are made with only a handful of ingredients including carbonated water, natural fruit juices, sea salt, and the occasional sweet kick from agave syrup or naturally sourced cane sugar. And while they make excellent mixers, these beverages do not contain alcohol. Lively does, however, have a line of sparkling cocktails called Betty Booze is you’re looking to imbibe. Cheeky.
Why I Love Betty Buzz’s Sparkling Sodas
Needless to say, I was pretty pumped to give these drinks a try. The first thing I was struck by was the packaging. Housed in gorgeous glass bottles, they definitely feel like a treat upon opening (Note: They are available in cans, too). I decided to put all five flavors to the test as both straight drinks and mixers — the only one I didn’t taste test straight was the tonic water for obvious reasons.
My favorite flavors were the Sparkling Grapefruit and Ginger Beer. They both pack a punch and taste as delicious on their own as they do in a Paloma and Moscow Mule, respectively. As for the Lemon Lime and Meyer Lemon Club Soda flavors, I enjoyed these both on their own while a friend combined the two with some tequila and Cointreau for a sparkling margarita (I tasted this, too and it was divine). And finally, for the Tonic Water, it only felt right enjoy it with a bit of Aviation gin and surprise surprise, delectable.
All in all, I was really impressed with these drinks. More often than not, sparkling waters are too much. Too fizzy. Too bland. Too artificial tasting. Betty Buzz manages to bypass all of these pitfalls for a drink that truly is lovely in a cocktail or on the rocks. Suffice to say, I’m going to be keeping these drinks in my rotation for a while. Man, I’m so happy to say these drinks are worth the buzz.