Taking A Swig:  A review of the dirty soda shop Swig

The one thing I actually retained from “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” TV series wasn’t the scandals or drama, but the beloved dirty soda shop Swig. 

To put it simply, Swig is the soda version of Starbucks. The Utah-based chain combines well-loved sodas like Dr. Pepper and Coca-Cola with creamers, syrups and fruit to make “dirty sodas.”

Ever since these unique drinks appeared on the show, I’ve been counting down the days until a Swig location opened in Kansas. 

So you can only imagine my disappointment after the Mission, Kansas Swig’s opening date got pushed back for the third time. I decided to take matters into my own hands and drive 30 minutes to Lees Summit, Missouri for my long-awaited “dirty sodas”. This mini road trip was worth every minute — even the 15-minute wait in the drive-through line.

Swig’s FAQs said their most popular drinks are the Texas Tab, Shark Attack and Strawberry Breeze, so I chose these drinks as my first “dirty sodas.”

The Texas Tab was my vision of the stereotypical Utah “dirty soda” — The type of soda has been advertised on my TikTok and Instagram for months.

To be honest, I didn’t think adding extra sugars and creamers to an already sugary and carbonated soda would improve the soda-drinking experience. However, with Texas Tab being one of Swig’s most popular drinks, I knew I’d be missing out if I didn’t try this take on soda — and it was so worth the hype.

The Texas Tab combines Dr. Pepper, coconut cream and vanilla syrup to create a drink that sends you to the beach — even in the middle of Missouri. The coconut and vanilla flavors are the first things you taste, giving this popular soda a tropical vibe.

Swig’s coconut cream is extracted from coconut pulp and water according to their website, which makes the flavor very authentic, not some over-artificial, sugary flavor that leaves a bad taste in your mouth. It also tasted fresh, like the syrup container wasn’t collecting dust on a shelf for months on end. 

But, this blend of vanilla syrup and coconut cream took away from the Dr. Pepper itself. The soda gave the much-needed carbonation and basic soda taste, but the syrups definitely overpowered the drink. 

Overall, the Texas Tab exceeded my expectations of dirty soda and I would consider it a must-try at Swig.

The Shark Attack is an adorable drink for any pool day or summer vacation. The drink has a beachy blue hue and comes with a mini gummy shark to put on top of the bubbly drink — replicating a picture-perfect scene of any hot summer beach day. 

The aesthetic of this drink was excellent. Even though the gummy shark added barely any flavor to the actual drink, it was a cute detail that made this simple drink more appealing. 

Swig’s lemonade isn’t the average Minute-Maid stuff you get at most restaurants — it has a natural lemon flavor. The blue raspberry also doesn’t cancel out the lemon taste either; it unexpectedly compliments the flavor. 

The drink gave me flashbacks to third grade as I stood in front of a soda machine attempting to perfect my lemonade-to-Sprite ratio at restaurants and never quite succeeding. Even with the sugary ingredients, I could have drank the whole cup and not felt sick — something my elementary-school soda concoctions couldn’t compare to.

The mix of Sprite, blue raspberry syrup and lemonade was near perfection. A bit more Sprite would’ve been ideal to make the drink more carbonated and more like a soda than a lemonade. 

However, the time of year when you taste this drink adds to the experience. It was hard to drink this mix of summer flavors when the temperature was in the 20s and snow was on the ground rather than on a beach chair in a bikini. 

Either way, this drink pleasantly surprised me, and when summer rolls around, I’ll definitely order it again. 

Swig’s Strawberry Breeze was a stunning light pink, bubbly drink with strawberry pieces and looked straight from an Instagram photo. The drink mimics a Starbucks Pink Drink with its strawberry and coconut flavoring, but uses water instead of the Pink Drink’s coconut milk base. 

The Strawberry Breeze can be ordered with a base of either plain or carbonated water, not a carbonated soda like the other drinks. This is where my skepticism started. I got the carbonated version but had no idea how water mixed with fruit and sugar-free syrups could be one of Swig’s most popular drinks. 

After thoroughly mixing the cup, I was somewhat delighted by the first sip. The coconut flavor overpowered the strawberry flavor, satisfying me as an avid strawberry hater. 

The sugar-free syrups also surprised me. Instead of the fake sugar taste most diet sodas have, I could barely tell there was no sugar in the syrups. Not to mention, the calories of the Strawberry Breeze are cut in half compared to Swig’s soda-based drinks. 

The carbonation also added to the experience of the drink. The Strawberry Breeze would have been a dull mix of syrups and fruit with just plain water. Going forward, when Swig gives me the option of plain or carbonated water, I’ll opt for the bubbles.

Once I got to the halfway point in the drink the strawberry pieces started picking up in the straw, adding a soggy, unsatisfying texture to the drink. 

The drink’s flavor also didn’t last long; it tasted watered down and not flavorful after just a few seconds. This requires you to practically chug the whole cup to get the full experience. I would rather have a drink I can sip on with a lasting flavor than one with a taste that instantly leaves. 

The Strawberry Breeze wasn’t bad, but I won’t order it again. I like that Swig includes these “healthier” versions of their drinks, but the average person could skip trying this and not miss out on the Swig experience. 

Swig exceeded my expectations with its genuine flavors and unique drink combos that somehow found a way to work — like Dr. Pepper and coconut. 

Unfortunately, the only way to order was in the drive-through; there weren’t even any tables outside for customers to enjoy their drinks. I wish I could have a place to enjoy my drink instead of pulling into a parking place and trying the sodas in my shoebox-sized car. 

Regardless, the drinks came out quickly and satisfied the long-awaited craving I’ve had for Swig.

The “dirty soda” concept is right up the alley of anyone who prefers a soda over a coffee and I love that it is gaining popularity outside of its state of origin, Utah. 

The only downside was the 30-minute drive from Prairie Village but fortunately, a closer location in Mission is scheduled to open on March 21. I’ll most definitely try the rest of their menu this spring.