Area-specific soft drinks

[US71]

Everytime I hear the old jingle "Faygo remembers", I want to ask if they remember how to make sodas without HFCS

[Brian556]

As for Sundrop, some of my family in TN drinks the s*** out of that stuff. It became a nationwide drink recently with an ad campaign featuring the song "Drop It Like It's Hot".

[JMoses24]

I strongly associate Ale-8-One with Kentucky.  Isn't Ski also bottled out there too?

Isn't Ale-8 specifically only eastern KY?  Ski is all over southern Indiana. I got looked at funny there when I didn't know what it was.

I've gotten it in central Kentucky (Elizabethtown) in my one visit to that state in 2006.  Also, some specialty soda stores manage to have it shipped out of state (i.e. RocketFizz in California; I recently had Ale-8-One at their store in Camarillo).

Ale-8-One is available in Northern Kentucky, too.

[Brandon]

Everytime I hear the old jingle "Faygo remembers", I want to ask if they remember how to make sodas without HFCS

They have them, in glass, but I cannot find them outside Michigan right now (see my earlier comment).

[SP Cook]

Ale-8-One is available in Northern Kentucky, too.

They made a distribution deal a few years ago.  Coke bottlers carry it even into southern Ohio, as far north as Columbus.  We cannot get it in WV due to our soft drink tax, but you can get it in Ashland.

Ski is a part of the Double Cola company and should be available anywhere that deep discount product is.  Mostly Double Cola takes the place of a store brand in mom and pop stores.  There is a Double Cola bottler in Columbus OH and one in Roanoke VA and I have seen the product in both areas.

[Desert Man]

Shasta is a west coast-based soft drink company, I've seen Shasta sodas in many supermarkets and stores like Wal-Mart. Where I happen to work (Ralph's) in southern CA used to carry Shasta sodas, but stopped like 3 years ago...their sister store Food-4-Less continues to carry them. If anyone else in the US has Shasta, let me know. Shasta began as a bottled water company in the 1890s named after Mount Shasta, one of CA's tall peaks and two of CA's volcanoes.

[corco]

Shasta is a west coast-based soft drink company, I've seen Shasta sodas in many supermarkets and stores like Wal-Mart. Where I happen to work (Ralph's) in southern CA used to carry Shasta sodas, but stopped like 3 years ago...their sister store Food-4-Less continues to carry them. If anyone else in the US has Shasta, let me know. Shasta began as a bottled water company in the 1890s named after Mount Shasta, one of CA's tall peaks and two of CA's volcanoes.

Shasta is awesome- comparable in quaIity to the good stuff but cheaper. I usually get it at WinCo on Idaho.

[Pete from Boston]

Shasta is a west coast-based soft drink company, I've seen Shasta sodas in many supermarkets and stores like Wal-Mart. Where I happen to work (Ralph's) in southern CA used to carry Shasta sodas, but stopped like 3 years ago...their sister store Food-4-Less continues to carry them. If anyone else in the US has Shasta, let me know. Shasta began as a bottled water company in the 1890s named after Mount Shasta, one of CA's tall peaks and two of CA's volcanoes.

Shasta was on the East Coast at least in the late 70s/early 80s.  I don't recall when it finally disappeared here.

[roadman]

Moxie...ugh, tastes like a blend of toothpaste and Diet Coke.

Funny thing about Moxie - people either like the taste or hate it - no middle ground.  Although this is the first time I've heard a description like that.  Most people I know who've tried Moxie and hate it describe it as "carbonated cough syrup".

And, for the record, I've always liked Moxie.

[agentsteel53]

not a soft drink, but ... cilantro.  either you love it or you hate it.  and, it's genetic.  some people have the "tastes like deodorant" gene turned off.

[thenetwork]

I had read somewhere that in cities with higher populations of the Jewish faith, there are either times of the year in which the local soft drink companies will crank out "Kosher" brands with real sugar seasonally around their major holidays, or will provide pure sugar brands year 'round. 

I live in an area where "Mexican Coke"....and Pepsi products are plentiful.  Besides the pure sugar taste, I also notice that their beverages are not as carbonated.  I've had soft drinks with so much carbonation, it's hard to taste the taste.

Also in my area, the local Pepsi bottlers still make the "throwback" products (Pepsi/Dew/Pepper) with real sugar (and original labeling). Not sure if that is region-specific or if it is country-wide.

I heard that Jolt Cola is still around in limited areas (not here), and that RC Cola is still barely hanging on.  It's a shame that RC couldn't/didn't keep up with "The Big 2" -- they had some great advertising.  I know when I lived in the Midwest several years back, it was easier to find old outdoor RC and Diet-Rite signs at beverage stores than it was to find the actual products inside.

One product I'm glad that is only found domestically at the World of Coca-Cola museum is Beverly (a popular brand in Italy).  If you've tried it, you'll remember it!  So much in fact that one time, I convinced a little 8-year old snot-nosed kid who saw their free soft drink sampling area as a sugar mecca to get a BIG glass of Beverly and to down it like one big shot.  I want to say that somewhere out there, the kids parents still want to thank me for permanently weaning their kid off of soda pop and junk food!

[spooky]

Moxie...ugh, tastes like a blend of toothpaste and Diet Coke.

Funny thing about Moxie - people either like the taste or hate it - no middle ground.  Although this is the first time I've heard a description like that.  Most people I know who've tried Moxie and hate it describe it as "carbonated cough syrup".

And, for the record, I've always liked Moxie.

Imagine my surprise in my childhood when I grabbed an orange Moxie can expecting orange soda. I'm sure I didn't get past a couple sips.

[Pete from Boston]

I had read somewhere that in cities with higher populations of the Jewish faith, there are either times of the year in which the local soft drink companies will crank out "Kosher" brands with real sugar seasonally around their major holidays, or will provide pure sugar brands year 'round.

Until the recent revolt against HFCS and widespread awareness of Mexican Coke, this was a topic of great interest on the internet here each Passover.  People would post supermarket stock on ne.food ("Passover Coke spotted at Brookline Stop & Shop!").   I never cared enough about Coke to really notice the difference, though I never tried them side by side.

[cpzilliacus]

You can't get birch beer outside of NJ/PA normally.

Disagree.  Can be found in places  (including soda dispensers at some Roy Rogers burger joints) in Maryland.

[tdindy88]

Ale-8-One is available in Northern Kentucky, too.

They made a distribution deal a few years ago.  Coke bottlers carry it even into southern Ohio, as far north as Columbus.  We cannot get it in WV due to our soft drink tax, but you can get it in Ashland.

Ski is a part of the Double Cola company and should be available anywhere that deep discount product is.  Mostly Double Cola takes the place of a store brand in mom and pop stores.  There is a Double Cola bottler in Columbus OH and one in Roanoke VA and I have seen the product in both areas.

I've heard of Ale-8-One myself and tried it when passing through Lexington. I've heard of them being seen in Indianapolis and personally I've seen them sold as far north as a Walgreens in Muncie. I learned about Ski when doing a trip with a couple of friends in Southwest Indiana a few years ago and heard they were sold around Evansville. I didn't know at the time if it was sold elsewhere but presumed southern Illinois and parts of Kentucky would be on the list.

[nexus73]

A PNW regional chain called BiMart sometimes has Teddy Root Beer and Teddy Cream Soda in stock.  The root beer has a robust rich taste.  I don't know about the cream soda.  Is this brand showing up elsewhere?

What I miss: Crush Cream Soda.  I bought the last six pack in 16 oz. bottles back in the mid 80's from a small neighborhood market in my area.  One time I wrote the Crush folks about that product and heard back with them saying it was a regional choice to have it.  Has anyone else seen it?

Fanta makes a fine tasting root beer but I only see it on tap at one place in my area. 

Is Nehi still around anywhere?  Delaware Punch? (my sister loved this as a small girl)

Rick

[NJRoadfan]

Until the recent revolt against HFCS and widespread awareness of Mexican Coke, this was a topic of great interest on the internet here each Passover.  People would post supermarket stock on ne.food ("Passover Coke spotted at Brookline Stop & Shop!").   I never cared enough about Coke to really notice the difference, though I never tried them side by side.

Funny story about Passover Coke. One day I picked up a random bottle around the house that someone bought and had a glass. Drinking it I noticed it immediately tasted different. I looked at the bottle and it took me a second to register that it was made with real sugar, the only tip off was the yellow cap. Yes, there is a difference between cane sugar sweetened Coke and the HFCS stuff.

[Ian]

Moxie...ugh, tastes like a blend of toothpaste and Diet Coke.

Funny thing about Moxie - people either like the taste or hate it - no middle ground.  Although this is the first time I've heard a description like that.  Most people I know who've tried Moxie and hate it describe it as "carbonated cough syrup".

And, for the record, I've always liked Moxie.

I LOVE Moxie, but I definitely didn't at first. I remember stopping at Moody's Diner along US 1 in Waldoboro a few years ago where they were giving out free samples of it outside. I took one sip, and poured the rest out because it tasted like a very bitter root beer to me. But I remember having a full can of it about a year later, and I kinda liked it. It's definitely an acquired taste.

[bugo]

There is a regional brand called Yike's that makes soft drinks, energy shots, and energy drinks.  They make an energy drink that is 99 cents for a 16 ounce can.  It tastes just like Red Bull to me, but Red Bull is over $2.50 for an 8 ounce can and a 20 ounce can is nearly 5 bucks.  Their cola isn't bad either.

[Laura]

You can't get birch beer outside of NJ/PA normally.

Disagree.  Can be found in places  (including soda dispensers at some Roy Rogers burger joints) in Maryland.

Yep! The Roy Rogers has Fanta Birch Beer. Pennsylvania Dutch Birch Beer can be found in various places in Maryland.

I love Cheerwine! It's seriously my favorite soda. I drank it all the time when I lived in Virginia. I'm starting to see it in places in Maryland. I've bought it in glass bottles from Wegmans and bought a 20 oz bottle in Salisbury at a gas station last weekend (they also had 2 liter bottles).

[Takumi]

Guarana Antarctica. It's a Brazilian soda.

[NJRoadfan]

I love Cheerwine! It's seriously my favorite soda. I drank it all the time when I lived in Virginia. I'm starting to see it in places in Maryland. I've bought it in glass bottles from Wegmans and bought a 20 oz bottle in Salisbury at a gas station last weekend (they also had 2 liter bottles).

That explains your reaction when you heard that I was bringing back 4 cases from NC last July.

[hbelkins]

That's why I told everyone who came to Pikeville that there was a store there that sells both Cheerwine and Ale-8.

[Laura]

Yep! You know what I really miss? Cheer wine Popsicles. They sell them at Food Lion in Virginia (and I assume in food lions in other states where they distribute ).


iPhone

[RoadWarrior56]

I never really liked it, but in Evansville, IN, especially the west side of town, Double Cola is very popular.  I have never seen it anywhere else.

Not sure I would classify this as a an area-specific soft drink, but the drink I miss and remember best of all is Snapple Mint Iced Tea.  That was their best tasting tea flavor of all, and it suddenly disappeared sometime in the mid 90's, never to be seen again.