Growing Up Together: Robinsons and Me

Robinsons squash to my childhood was what crusty bread is to baked Camembert: an essential half of the same equation, one would have been lost without another. I mean, did you even grow up in England if you didn’t chug down a glass of Fruit & Barley on coming home from a long after-school bike ride?

I still remember how exotic it felt when Robinsons released their new Summer Fruits flavour. I first tried it at a friend’s house (after a long bike ride, natch) and raced home to beg my mum to buy some. It was so new, so exciting, so pink… what more do you want from a drink when you’re 11?

21 years on and Robinsons continues to be a stalwart water-enhancer in our house. Our trip to Wimbledon with them earlier on in the year cemented that: anyone who introduces us to Tim Henman and lets us have a knock-around at a world-famous sporting venue is pretty darn cool in our book, and just like in my school years we spent the whole day quenching our thirst on their yummy squashes.

And again, just like me (or not) – Robinsons is growing up!

It’s true: to satisfy those of us who grew up on their squashes and fruit barleys, Robinsons have released two ranges for grown-up palates, Fruit Creations and Fruit Cordial, with lovely tasting flavour combinations like Juicy Cranberry and Raspberry, Juicy Pear and Blueberry (both Fruit Creations) and Rhubarb, Raspberry and Orange Blossom (Fruit Cordial). Yum!

This week I’ve been enjoying their lovely Crisp Apple and Elderflower with Barley Fruit Creations, and I can confirm it’s as delicious as it sounds. It’s come at the perfect time for me, too: in an effort to be healthier I’ve been cutting down on drinking alcohol and have really struggled for delicious-tasting alternatives. Having been disappointed after spending the price of a bottle of gin on a ‘non-alcoholic spirit’ that did nothing for my tastebuds and even less for my wallet, it’s great to have something to liven up my water at the much more palatable retail price of £1.99.

Next on the list to sample is the Fruit Cordials: a sophisticated twist on squash with combinations of real fruit and botanical flavours, sold in a swish glass bottle. 

The only complaint I do have is that Hux, sorry I mean Spider-man, was way too jealous and interested in what my intriguing-looking glass contained, but as I explained to him it’s about time grown-ups get the special treatment and this drink is just for us.

He huffed off back to save lives with is spider-web shooting hands, sipping on an orange squash that he reckoned was ‘boring’ in comparison to my exotic-looking cloudy apple drink.

Sorry pal, this one’s for me.

To create their new ranges, Robinsons enlisted flavour experts to combine the very best fruit combinations to appeal to the tastes of us grown-ups. After extensive testing I can confirm the Apple and Elderflower is delicious, with the Elderflower giving it that more mature elevation of taste, almost reminding me of Elderflower tonic water (yum).

The Fruit Creations contain twice the fruit of Robinson’s single concentrate so they’re packed full of flavour, and as always there’s no added sugar, artificial colours of flavourings.

Give it a go – it’s a brilliant water alternative for (almost) grown-ups like us!

Huge thanks to Robinsons for working with us on this sponsored content.