American Tries Ribena For The First Time - But Doesn't Dilute It

An American has shared the moment she tried Ribena for the first time - without diluting it. Watch here:

Holly Auna decided to try the tipple because blackcurrants apparently aren't really a thing in the US.

However, it seems cordial isn't really a thing in the States either, because the singer-songwriter went and necked the stuff straight from the bottle.

In a video shared on her TikTok account, she said: "Ribena is made from blackcurrant plants?

"And, yeah - we don't have those in the US. I've never heard of these before."

Removing the lid, she continued: "OK, let's give this a taste test.

"My first time ever having Ribena, or anything that's blackcurrant flavoured."

After being temporarily put off by the smell, she then took a gulp.

Eyes widening, Holly exclaimed: "That's really good!

"OK, I really don't like the smell combined with the flavour, but just the flavour, that's really good."

TikTok/@hollyauna

The video went viral, racking up almost five million views - and she was subsequently made aware that the syrupy squash is supposed to be mixed with water.

In a follow up video, she said: "Water?! You're supposed to mix it with water?

"I never felt more painfully American. I have never ever heard of a drink that you buy that then you mix it with water, but this is apparently one of them."

She continued: "I bought it concentrated, which I didn't even know was a thing. I'm sorry, guys.

"I'm really naïve to this. I did not know that was a thing.

"It was supposed to be one part Ribena with four parts water. I drank it straight."

She subsequently had a crack at drinking it as intended, and lo and behold, it tasted much better.

She said: "That's way better. That tastes like an actual drink, not like I'm drinking syrup."

TikTok/@hollyauna

If you're wondering why blackcurrants are seemingly such an alien fruit to Americans, it's essentially 'cause they're far less common over there.

In the late 1800s they were farmed in the US, but they were found to spread a fungus - introduced from Europe - which ravaged the white pine trees on which the timber industry relied.

The commercial growth of blackcurrants was subsequently banned and the crops were destroyed in the early 1900s.

Nowadays, you can get blackberries across the pond, but they're not as widespread as they are here.

Marvin Pritts, a professor of horticulture at Cornell University, told Business Insider: "A large majority [of Americans] have never eaten one - probably less than 0.1%."

Well, there you go - every day's a school day.

Topics: Viral, Food, Interesting, Drink, Community, TikTok

Jake Massey

Jake Massey is a journalist at LADbible. He graduated from Newcastle University, where he learnt a bit about media and a lot about living without heating. After spending a few years in Australia and New Zealand, Jake secured a role at an obscure radio station in Norwich, inadvertently becoming a real-life Alan Partridge in the process. From there, Jake became a reporter at the Eastern Daily Press. Jake enjoys playing football, listening to music and writing about himself in the third person.

@jakesmassey