"The official drink of a better world."?

As my gradually expanding midriff attests diet drinks never really taste as good to me as the real thing.

Here is an interesting idea from Germany. Bionade is a brewed, non-alchoholic soft drink that has become something of a phenomenon in its home market. It is completely organic - which might explain some of its popularity in the home of the Green political movemnent.

The drink was created in the mid 80s in response to declining beer consumption. A couple of years ago it had a makeover in packaging and flavour extensions which, according to Der Spiegel, transformed the drink "into a must-have with its retro yet enviro-friendly appeal. The flavors—elderberry, lychee, herb, ginger-orange and the new, sporty "forte"—likewise have a cool, "you're drinking what?" sensibility. And the broadly-striped label, bulls-eye cap and 1920s-style font exude sophistication.

The re-launched drink hit the zeitgeist exactly, appealing to health-conscious consumers who were drinking less beer just as they were embracing organic food and drink. Bionade (pronounced "Bee-oh-nah-deh") soon became a firm fixture on supermarket shelves and behind the bar in trendy nightspots."

What is also extremely interesting is the process they have developed to change the characteristics of the sugar used in the fermentation.

"In order to produce a non-alcoholic refreshment drink in a purely organic way “Mother Nature” has to be out-smarted through her own mechanisms. Under purely natural conditions, alcohol is usually generated during the process of fermentation when sugar is involved.
It was only after a long period of research and development that BIONADE’s inventor, the master brewer Dieter Leipold, was successful in converting sugar into gluconic acid in the process of fermentation according to brewing principles. An analogous process can be found in the production of honey by bees. Glucose-oxidase, an enzyme found in bee saliva, plays a central role. The ultimate kernel of the innovation lies in the HOW of the procedure. That is and will remain the secret of BIONADE." (From the Bionade website)

So, unless I am mistaken they make sugar sweeter without using more of it. That has to be a good thing. A quick glance at the Internet shows that there is a noisy backlash against aspatame (Nutrasweet), the sweetener used in Diet Coke etc.

Has anyone tried this stuff - should Red Bull worry?