I am a fierce critic of the cultural fad known as “designer water”. It is one thing if you happen to live in an area that has water which is not potable, or if you regularly rely on a heavy filtration system to make your water lose its chemical-laden taste. But for the rest of us who have tap water that is freely available and actually tastes like water, I simply cannot understand the impulse to pay for something that is freely available. Archer Farms, however, produces a “Lemon Raspberry” spring water that may just be an exception to this rule. While there is any number of waters available out there, from Dasani and Evian to Vitamin Water, my personal impression of Archer Farms flavored spring water is that this is the yummiest flavored water that I have ever tasted.
It is perhaps a little misleading to label the Archer Farms Spring Water as “water” considering how much is added to the water to give it its flavoring. To achieve the right balance of fruit flavoring and sweetness, Archer Farms Lemon Raspberry Spring Water contains the following additives: citric acid, malic acid, natural flavor, potassium benzoate, potassium sorbate, and sucralose (a sweetener). So while, of course, the primary ingredient is spring water, to label this product as spring water is slightly less than descriptive about what is inside the bottle. That being said, however, the ingredients included are relatively harmless. The citric acid is what imparts the fruitiness of the flavor. The sucralose, although it is an artificial sweetener, is much better for your body than actual sugar, so there is certainly an advantage to drinking Archer Farms Lemon Raspberry Spring Water over a traditional sugar-loaded soda like Coca-Cola or Pepsi. The preservatives are also relatively harmless and are found in practically everything nowadays, but the presence of preservatives in their water might turn some consumers off to Archer Farms Lemon Raspberry Spring Water.
The primary attraction to the Archer Farms Lemon Raspberry Spring Water will not be as a replacement, I believe, but rather its unique flavor. The combination of citric acid for the lemon flavor and other natural flavors for the raspberry component creates a very unique flavor experience that is distinct from the familiar flavors found in more pedestrian beverages on the market. The sucralose adds a sweetness to the water that compliments the lemon and raspberry flavoring, but which some people may find unacceptable for a beverage that presents itself as “spring water. I was initially skeptical myself when my wife purchased the Archer Farms spring water from our local Target store, but the first taste of Archer Farms Lemon Raspberry Spring Water changed my mind, and I found that the sweetness is a compliment to the taste of the water rather than a distraction from the water itself. The lemon and raspberry flavors also make Archer Farms Lemon Raspberry Spring Water remarkably thirst-quenching.
The downside to Archer Farms Lemon Raspberry Spring Water is its lack of general availability. The only local retailer in the area that seems to carry Archer Farms products is Target, which is actually quite a drive for us from our apartment’s location. When we do make the trip to Target, however, we tend to stock up on the water so we will have plenty to get us through until the next trip down there. My wife is actually a bigger fan of the mint-infused spring water also offered by Archer Farms, but I myself prefer the Lemon Raspberry variety. Whatever your flavor preference, Archer Farms offers uniquely flavored waters that distinguish themselves in the designer water market from the rest of the competition.
