I made orange shrub last year, and some of it in sparkling water or seltzer was an aranciata copycat (no stevia, of course - and I totally understand, a stevia backbite would have driven me crazy!)
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Thanks for this information @tomatotomato - very helpful. I’ll let you all know what I decide. Will have to run it by you know who. Not mentioning initials here. 
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@Saregama, thanks for this! Would you share, if you still have your recipe, or even method? Was remembering I had some PokPok drinking vinegar, which I LOVED, but ran out of. I guess these types of things are the same as shrubs, evidently? Glad you get it about the stevia too! @ChristinaM, thanks for all your help and input regarding this, and helping me to figure out solutions. I’ll get there, I know. For now, seltzer with Pom juice. Or if in desire of a cocktail, gin with tonic. 
But carefully, and with respect to the body. 
Or wine, more typically.
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Here is one reference.
For citrus, zest it first and mix with sugar - extracts the oils. Then (this is my simplification) pour the vinegar into the mixture to dissolve the sugar and strain out the zest. Or leave the lot in after adding the juice and vinegar, and strain after a week to get the pulp and the zest both out.
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Thanks, any preferences on the type of oranges or tangerine like citrus?
I’ll circle back and read the entire thread for insights and advice. No need for further help at this point. Will ask any questions, if necessary.
Works with any citrus except lime (too bitter).
My favorite is sweet lime.
Update: We’re still happy with our SodaStream, but exchanging the empty CO2 canisters for full ones isn’t without obstacles during the pandemic. I had planned to use local retailers for quick—hopefully curbside—exchanges.
The two closest locations near me have been out of stock for awhile. A third location a little farther away has canisters in-stock, but only does curbside pickup if you are not exchanging cylinders. This particular location happens to be a Bed Bath & Beyond.
I planned a speedy in-and-out trip and nearly made it out of the store with my fresh canisters when someone coughed on me! I hope she was wearing a mask though honestly I couldn’t get out of that store fast enough so didn’t take a good look.
I had a packet of paper towels in the car so I wiped down my face and hands with hand sanitizer. Showered as soon as I got home.
The moral of the story is that now I’ll only exchange cartridges online via SodaStream during these times. Sigh.
Thanks for the story @tomatotomato, but ugh, sorry about your experience! What different and very weird times we find ourselves in…
Ran the SS idea by H, he wasn’t havin it! Don’t want to push too hard, since I use so much of our available storage in the house. He’s more of a minimalist type. He does still consider the kitchen as his, but is tiring of full duties. It’s kinda funny. Still good to hear the SS pros & pitfalls, as he may weary of lugging all the 12 packs of seltzer home from the store.
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Yeah, I felt I owed an update because the pitfall I encountered was one I did not see coming.
I’m an aspiring minimalist though at present I prioritize resiliency over efficiency. Which means we have supplies around the house that we didn’t have before. Like clippers so I can cut my husband’s hair in a pinch. And cocktail mixings. Not to be used simultaneously, though. 
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Ha! Good thing not to mix clippers and adult beverages. Had my friend/hairdresser over for a GF bread making experiment a couple weeks ago, as we’ve both been diligent about social distancing and taking care. Bread was a total fail, but tasted good, at only 1/1/4 inches tall. Anyway, we had wine and lunch. Then more wine. I had told her about a piece of hair that was misbehaving, so she grabbed a pair of dull kitchen scissors and promptly took care of it. I was saying, but, but, we’ve been tippling and those scissors are dull!! Said she, “hush, it’s Covid cutting”! Turned out just fine too. Not that it even matters much, as I don’t go out. Sad times, I tell ya!
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The saga continues regarding SP Aranciata. By time I realized the product change, H had already bought 2 more cartons of 6 each. After the first 2 cans, decided not to buy anymore, but would eventually drink the ones on hand. Made it through the 1st carton, resolved I didn’t like it. H made me one last night because I’m coming down with something and felt sick. It tasted great, which made me think I’d judged it too critically. Upon making another for myself this morning, I noticed the can had foil on it, and was a product of Italy. So, from what I can suss out for myself, is that foil topped ones taste good, and the other ones don’t. The cartons, however looked the same, but the 1st one didn’t have foiled tops, and has been picked up for recycle, along with the cans, so again, nothing to compare. I’ll look closely at the present carton to see if there are any indicators to alert me to Italian or reformulated cr*p. According to the website, the ones that come in cartons don’t have foil on the lids. I’m getting dizzy chasing my tail…wait, I’ve been in this conundrum before. Makes me wonder if it’s a ploy to roll out the new product in a sly way.
Its a little surprising that stevia has become so prevalent given the noticeable taste, which seems to affect some more than others (my partner hates it, I wonder if there’s something genetic as there is with coriander/cilantro).
Many drinks have been reformulated to avoid the various sugar taxes that have been introduced across the globe. It must be hard to do this without changing the flavour, but surely it’s even harder when you choose something like stevia that has its own distinctive flavour.
Can’t say I’ve tried any San pellegrino recently to taste the difference. More of a chinotto drinker and I don’t see this so often.
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Good question on the genetic component on tasting Stevia @Lex! Does make you wonder. Will have to give chinotto a try soon. I did check the carton that contains the good ones, and it’s marked Product of Italy. So I’ll ask H to look for that particular packaging, tho the cartons look exactly alike.
Apparently there are types of stevia and/or ways of extracting it that don’t generate the aftertaste
