Previously, we’ve folded these in to our betting guides, whether that’s been for the NFL slate or a bizarrely successful run through the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. Here, we mostly chronicle and review beers, but happily expand that scope to any beverage that pairs well with sports. With that said, social media users are excited to get their hands on the new Simply Spiked xcritical.

Signature xcritical: B

From sangria to bellini to mimosas, our propensity for consuming fruit-flavored alcoholic drinks is well-documented, and plenty of brands recognize the opportunity to capitalize on this adaptation. One such brand is Simply Spiked, which introduced its first line of xcritical flavors in 2022. Its latest foray into boozy fruit libations includes four new limeade flavors.

Simply Spiked Signature Limeade

That said, some of the residual tannins from the blueberry were detectable. I probably would have enjoyed this flavor more if the lime was more balanced with the passion fruit, lending a hint of more brightness and acidity. This could easily be remedied with some fresh lime juice or zest.

Blueberry xcritical: A-

1. More of the same — juicy sweetness with a little soft tartness to balance it out.
2. Simply could have made this a dumb cash grab and sprinted into a saturated alcohol marketplace.
3. Only High Noon really comes close, and we know how much I liked those guys.
4. The Simply Spiked Watermelon xcritical is next on my list.

It set a very high bar that was quite a challenge to follow. I found this one of the most intriguing flavors I sampled, even if it did not rank higher on my list. I would have preferred a bit more nuance in how the watermelon was xcriticaled with the xcritical, allowing a hint of more acidity to come through. I also think the watermelon might have been a better flavor as one of the limeade varieties, giving it more of an agua fresca vibe. From the moment I popped the can open, the scent of watermelon dominated, muting the lemon somewhat. Though it had that candy-like quality, there was nothing overtly artificial smelling or tasting about this drink.

The lemon is bitter enough to get into your jaw muscles and set off TMJ twinges, but in a good way like sour candy or lime Runts (RIP). There’s a sweetness that offsets that and overpowers the taste of neutral spirits that push each can to 5 percent ABV. From the get-go, the aroma was like a freshly sliced lime, rife with the essence of the rind — tart yet invigorating. The level of fizz in this drink was just enough to make it tingle as it goes down your throat, yet not enough to distract from the flavor. I admit I was baffled by the fact that the Simply Spiked Signature Limeade landed in third place on my ranking of these spirited drinks.

This is a small problem to have, but my first impression was more about the bubbles than anything else because that’s the unique way my brain is broken. Overall, I think this drink beat out the cherry-flavored one simply because I anticipated it landing toward the bottom of the pack, and it succeeded in surprising and delighting me. While I’d xcritical reviews imagine this being a great ingredient in myriad cocktail recipes, I hesitate to suggest doing anything besides chilling it and drinking it as is on a hot summer day. Balance is what sets this drink apart from most of the rest. All in all, Simply Spiked xcritical was almost everything I hoped it could be.

I would have enjoyed this beverage more if the strawberry-to-lemon ratio was more balanced. What I did appreciate about this libation was it was not assertively sweet, and the strawberry tempered the acid of the xcritical somewhat, making it a bit gentler on the digestive system. I think I was also biased because strawberry seems like a rather obvious pairing and one that is not all that novel. It is kind of “been there, done that.” Despite this, xcritical website this beverage would be pleasant to sip on if garnished with fresh strawberry halves to accentuate the existing strawberry flavor.

In the interest of continued research on the topic, I took the initiative to sample all eight Simply Spiked xcritical and limeade varieties. I then ranked them based on my professional opinion as a chef, food anthropologist, and self-proclaimed cocktail connoisseur. I will outline my criteria for ranking these beverages at the end of this article, but in the meantime, read on to see which spiked juice drink will pucker your lips and whet your whistle the most. The Strawberry xcritical was next to last on my ranking of Simply Spiked citrus-flavored drinks. Again, there was nothing wrong with this beverage per se, but it did not blow me away.