Favorite type of soda?

[bandit957]

I never see Vernors at our Kroger, but apparently the one that's 10 miles out of town where nobody lives has it.

Another thing Kroger doesn't have much of anymore is bubble gum. The kinds they have are full of cancer-causing artificial sweeteners.

[Darkchylde]

If we're talking strictly soda, my favorite's Diet Mountain Dew Code Red.

But as for my favorite drink, I've got to agree with Backlin: Cold tea, 2/3 unsweet, 1/3 sweet, with no HFCS.

[thenetwork]

A revision on my earlier post: 

One of my local grocers does have Vernors -- albeit in a 12-pack of cans -- in a single row on a low shelf in the beverage aisle.  Might explain how I missed it, I remember more prominent displays in Ohio.

[inkyatari]

The gum business has gotten really bad with this.

Gum went sugar-free not because of anti-obesity drives, but because of the branding as something good for teeth.

But these artificial sweeteners cause cancer. I'd rather have cavities than cancer.

The amount you'd have to drink in a lifetime to cause you cancer would also kill you if it fell on top of you.

[hbelkins]

Shasta was popular in my area when I was a teenager but I don't recall seeing it lately.

Sheetz carries a lot of different Faygo flavors in its coolers for individual sale.

As for Vernors ... my cousin from Michigan (who, incidentally, works on the Lake Michigan US 10 ferry) brought me four six-packs of Diet Vernors in the bottles this weekend. I prefer it in bottles vs. cans, and cans are the only way I can get it around here.

[Pink Jazz]

Shasta was popular in my area when I was a teenager but I don't recall seeing it lately.

Sheetz carries a lot of different Faygo flavors in its coolers for individual sale.

As for Vernors ... my cousin from Michigan (who, incidentally, works on the Lake Michigan US 10 ferry) brought me four six-packs of Diet Vernors in the bottles this weekend. I prefer it in bottles vs. cans, and cans are the only way I can get it around here.

Shasta is fairly common at dollar stores around here.

[inkyatari]

Jarritos Pineapple, Sidral Mundet and Mexican Coke

[US71]

I never see Vernors at our Kroger, but apparently the one that's 10 miles out of town where nobody lives has it.

Another thing Kroger doesn't have much of anymore is bubble gum. The kinds they have are full of cancer-causing artificial sweeteners.

Check Atwoods

[CNGL-Leudimin]

Several choices in the poll aren't avalaible in my country. These include Mountain Dew, Sprite, orange soda, and Dr. Pepper.

FTFM, as I've found Mountain Dew is avalaible in this part of the world. I seem to recall Sprite is also present, though I cannot confirm now. No orange soda or Dr. Pepper, though.

[SP Cook]

IMHO,

- My go to is Coke Zero.  I gave up sugared pop about 15 years ago and never could develop a taste for Diet Coke.  When they came out with Coke Zero, it was great for me.

- There is an internet rumor going around that the CCC is doing away with Zero and launching a new product called Coca-Cola No Sugar.  Lots of weird internet crap.

- The green bottled version of Coke, which uses Stevia, tastes like iodine.  Vile.

- I can tell the difference in Dr Pepper bottled by Pepsi and Dr Pepper bottled by either Coke or by an independent bottler.  Pop marketing rights are generally county by county and there are two areas near enough to me that I go through every now and then and I will buy the independent Dr Pepper to stock up.

- The artificial sweeteners are bad for you ho-ha is just like most junk science.  Flawed research methods and extremist agendas. 

[Roadgeekteen]

IMHO,

- My go to is Coke Zero.  I gave up sugared pop about 15 years ago and never could develop a taste for Diet Coke.  When they came out with Coke Zero, it was great for me.

- There is an internet rumor going around that the CCC is doing away with Zero and launching a new product called Coca-Cola No Sugar.  Lots of weird internet crap.

- The green bottled version of Coke, which uses Stevia, tastes like iodine.  Vile.

- I can tell the difference in Dr Pepper bottled by Pepsi and Dr Pepper bottled by either Coke or by an independent bottler.  Pop marketing rights are generally county by county and there are two areas near enough to me that I go through every now and then and I will buy the independent Dr Pepper to stock up.

- The artificial sweeteners are bad for you ho-ha is just like most junk science.  Flawed research methods and extremist agendas.

Don't all cokes have sugar?

[kkt]

I'm not a fan of sodas in general and drink maybe 2 a year, if that. 

When I have them, usually cream soda.  They remind me of my first girlfriend who drank them a lot and sometime I'd have one to keep her company.  No special brand, just local microbrews that make it with sugar instead of artificial sweetener.

Otherwise, sometimes root beer, mostly because of the root beer scene in Star Trek Deep Space 9, or for root beer floats. 

And sometimes Mexican coke.  Beats me why they don't make that formula in the states too, lots of people seem to prefer it.

[english si]

Don't all cokes have sugar?

Only red- and green-labels, assuming you are in a place where they use sugar rather than HFCS. Grey- and Black-labels are two different sugar-free varieties.

[SP Cook]

Don't all cokes have sugar?

No.  Diet versions have artificial sweeteners.  That is why they are diet.

(note, this is USA information, the formulas are differents elsewhere)

Regular Coca-Cola really does not contain sugar.  Rather they use high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) which (warning some people will disagree) tastes and is metabolized just like sugar.  In the USA, tax laws (remember Iowa's importance in both parties' primary elections) make HFCS less expensive.  (Same reason there is corn liquor in gasoline).  The people that disagree caused first the gray market and then official importing of "Mexican Coca-Cola" which really contains sugar.  This was because Mexico taxed HFCS and sugar in a way that made HFCS too expesive, the opposite of the USA.  The Mexicans changed their laws a couple of year ago and now Coca-Cola there has HFCS, but they still make a sugar version for export to the USA.  Generally this is sold in the traditonal glass bottles at a high markup.

Diet Coke is sweetened with Aspertame, which was sold under the brand name "Nutra Sweet" until the patent ran out. 

Some places sell Diet Coke With Splenda.  Splenda is the brand name of sucralose, which is another artificial sweetener.  The "ribbon" on this product is yellow rather than white. 

Coca-Cola Zero is sweetened with Aspertame and Acesulfame Potassium (also known as "ACE-K")  another artificial sweetener.

Coca-Cola Life, AKA "green Coke" is part sugar and part Stevia leaf extract.  Stevia is a plant that is grown in South America.  This is sold in green packaging.  IMHO,  it tastes nothing like sugar at all.    This is generally out to get the people who fall for the junk science that "natural" = healthy. 

[thenetwork]

- My go to is Coke Zero.  I gave up sugared pop about 15 years ago and never could develop a taste for Diet Coke.  When they came out with Coke Zero, it was great for me.

- There is an internet rumor going around that the CCC is doing away with Zero and launching a new product called Coca-Cola No Sugar.  Lots of weird internet crap.

That is true, it's starting in Australia for now.

[hbelkins]

The Diet Coke with Splenda tastes nothing like normal Diet Coke, and is very hard to find.

The Stevia Coke is just awful.

[1995hoo]

There is also "Kosher Coke," sold around the time of Passover, that I believe is the same as the Mexican stuff. You can identify it by the yellow bottle cap with Hebrew characters. I'm not Jewish and I'm not motivated enough to look up all the details, but from what I recall, there are certain Jewish sects that do not consider corn products kosher for Passover and therefore they won't drink normal US-spec Coke at that time, so the company makes a version with sugar to try to retain their business (sort of like McDonald's introducing the Filet-o-Fish to retain Catholic business on Fridays during Lent).

[formulanone]

Blenheim's Ginger Ale (red-cap) would probably be my absolute favorite. Red Rock and Buffalo Rock make a decent substitute, as Blenheim's is a rare find.

Ale-81 is pretty good too...it makes me wonder how Mountain Dew became popular, and this didn't.

Dr. Pepper would be my favorite mainstream soda. The 8-ounce bottles with pure-sugar are even better.

Jarritos Pineapple

Not bad, I tend to pick up a can or two when I'm in Miami. Something different.

There is also "Kosher Coke," sold around the time of Passover, that I believe is the same as the Mexican stuff.

I used to pick this up at Publix when they have it, but it always seems to be a tad less carbonated than Mexicoke, in my unofficial opinion.

[hbelkins]

Ale-81 is pretty good too...it makes me wonder how Mountain Dew became popular, and this didn't.

It was pretty much intended to be a regional (very regional, as originally only a handful of Kentucky counties had it) drink. They're increasing their distribution, however, as Cracker Barrel carries it with their specialty soft drinks and a few grocery stores chains have started carrying it.

[US71]

Ale-81 is pretty good too...it makes me wonder how Mountain Dew became popular, and this didn't.

It was pretty much intended to be a regional (very regional, as originally only a handful of Kentucky counties had it) drink. They're increasing their distribution, however, as Cracker Barrel carries it with their specialty soft drinks and a few grocery stores chains have started carrying it.

Atwoods sells it here

[MNHighwayMan]

Ale-81 is pretty good too...it makes me wonder how Mountain Dew became popular, and this didn't.

Dr. Pepper would be my favorite mainstream soda. The 8-ounce bottles with pure-sugar are even better.

Because Ale-81 is terrible. I always thought it tasted like Vick's Vapo Rub smelled, if that makes any sense.

But Dr. Pepper was my vote in this thread, just because I love it so much. Diet or regular, doesn't matter. I like them both. I got a chance to try the cane sugar version once, and that was heaven on my tongue.

[bandit957]

Ale-8-1 is decent. Once in a great while, you see it in northern Kentucky, but not very often. I don't think our Kroger has it. They might have it occasionally, like they do with Dubble Bubble.

[bandit957]

Anyone remember the radio commercial for Ale-8-1 in the late '80s/early '90s? It used to air on the old WLAP-FM in Lexington, which you could pick up almost in Cincinnati.

If you don't remember this ad, it's because you didn't listen to WLAP-FM.

[7/8]

- My go to is Coke Zero.  I gave up sugared pop about 15 years ago and never could develop a taste for Diet Coke.  When they came out with Coke Zero, it was great for me.

- There is an internet rumor going around that the CCC is doing away with Zero and launching a new product called Coca-Cola No Sugar.  Lots of weird internet crap.

That is true, it's starting in Australia for now.

In Canada, they've changed it to Coca-Cola Zero Sugar (as opposed to just Coca-Cola Zero).

[1995hoo]

For some reason, this thread has prompted me to remember back 35 to 40 years ago when we'd go to Brooklyn to visit our grandparents and they always had cans of C&C Cola. I don't ever remember seeing that stuff in the DC area and I doubt I've had it since the late 1980s. I seem to recall they had a TV commercial where they had some sort of bike horn that kept honking every time they mentioned competitors' names, I assume because in the 1970s it was still customary for the most part to refer to "Brand X" or whatever instead of naming competitors. I'd look for their commercials online except my wife is dozing on the couch here and I don't want to wake her up playing old adverts!