Craft sodas in KL

Dissatisfied by the lack of natural sodas in the market, The Tapping Tapir team started concocting colouring- and preservative-free sodas using local spices and herbs. Flavours are as elegant as they are delicious – think lengkuas and lemonade, apple and vanilla, pear and lemongrass, grapefruit and chamomile, or hibiscus and lime.

Available at various locations including VCR, Whisk Espresso Bar & Bake Shop and The Potong Cart in Publika. From RM10 each. www.thetappingtapir.com

Founders Eugene and Emrys were taken by the craft soda scene in Tokyo before launching into the soda business themselves. Made with regionally sourced ingredients, Carbonista’s range comes in flavours like lavender lemonade, osmanthus passionade, rose fizz and a particularly intriguing Nyonya cola. All drinks are packaged into recyclable glass bottles.

Available at TAPS Beer Bar, RAW, Artisan Roast TTDI, Standing Theory and The Red Cherry. From RM10 each. www.carbonistasoda.com.

A large cinema serving of soda sometimes contains a staggering 44 spoons of sugar. Going down a safer route, the good people at Pop, The Soda! use stevia instead of synthetic sweeteners in their beverages, a business choice that comes through nicely in tropical fruit flavours like soursop, banana, pineapple, lychee and mango.

Available at bazaars and local festivals. From RM3 each. www.facebook.com/popthesoda.