You guys have probably figured out by now that I am trying to lose weight. It’s definitely a constant struggle to keep up an exercise routine and eat a healthy diet, without sacrificing FUN – especially when I’m entertaining.

I love to host parties at my house, especially with the awesome ladies in my meetup group. We get together often to play bunco, have book club meetings, craft nights and more. I recently hosted a White Elephant Party which was so much fun. I always love seeing the wacky gifts and hearing the stories behind how we all came by the different presents we are regifting. I also love an opportunity to indulge in a sweet treat or a fun drink with my friends.

But you have to be careful on nights like that because it’s easy to throw your diet when the spread comes out, esepcially when alcohol is involved. Those wine coolers can really add up quickly. But I recently got an opportunity to review Calypso Bay’s new line of 99 calorie spritz drinks, available in two tropical flavors: Ruby Red Citrus and Pineapple Mandarin Orange. I thought this would be the perfect event to try them out and see what everyone thought. After the New Year, we’re all trying to watch our weight even when we’re having fun.

So what’s the deal with Calypso Bay?

The sophisticated new Spritz boasts the same alcohol by volume as most light beers – 4.1% – but offers a lighter, more refreshing drinking experience.  Lower in calories than most wines and less sweet than other bottled drinks, New Calypso Bay™ Spritz is a tropically inspired line made from natural fruit flavors, and contains a mere 99 calories per bottle.  Calypso Bay™ Spritz is now available in all of Wisconsin and Massachusetts and will sparkle into other locations in the coming months. The product is available in grocery and liquor stores as six-packs and is also served in both states in popular bars and restaurants.

They use a blend of artificial sweeteners to keep the calories lower – and you guys know that I don’t normally go for the artificially sweetened options – often just the taste of an artificial sweetener in a drink or snack will turn me off from the product, but I was so intrigued by these drinks that I decided to try them anyway.

My verdict: I have to say, I was pretty impressed. I couldn’t actually taste the artificial sweeteners in this drink the way that I can always detect them in diet sodas – the flavor of the drink and the alcohol completely covered it up. The Spritz has a light, not too sweet flavor that is less acidic than the Mikes coolers I typically  go for. They are similar to Smirnoff coolers, but with less than half the calories (from what I’ve read a Smirnoff Ice has 228 calories per bottle). I definitely preferred the Mandarin flavor over the ruby red, but I’m not a grapefruit fan personally.

Most of my guests sampled a cooler and the reaction was pretty similar – good flavor, not too acidic, definitely a drink to try! Most of them seemed to prefer the Mandarin drink over the Ruby like I did, something to consider, but we all liked the Mandarin. Even my beer loving husband tried it and was pretty impressed, though he admitted that he’d rather have a beer (more for me!), he did drink a bottle with me the other night while we played cards.

Now, because of the artificial sweeteners, I’d be wary of drinking this all the time, but seeing as I don’t drink very often, it’s really not a big deal for me and I’m glad to have a low calorie option to choose from. These will definitely be a go to choice for me now!

Have you tried the Calypso Bay Spritz drinks or a similar low calorie drink? How do you keep the calories at bay during holidays and parties?

Thanks to Corinna from Duo Public Relations and the folks at Calypso Bay for providing me with free samples of the product to try in exchange for my honest review.