Soft Drinks

[Hal Paul]

I saw on Ian Gentles' profile that his favorite drink was Irn Bru. Since I had never heard of Irn Bru I decided to look it up. I was half expecting it to be some type of Scottish Ale, but it turns out to be an orange colored "citrus flavored" soft drink. However, the flavor was described as something other than orange. From what I could gather, Irn Bru is the most popular soft drink in Scotland.

After a little further research I found a U.S. based distributor of Irn Bru (http://www.irn-bru-usa.com/) it has a search tool that I used to find a store that sells Irn Bru here in town. so we picked some up the other day. I can't say that the flavor reminds me of anything citrus. It definitely didn't taste like orange, instead, it kind of reminded me of Dubble Bubble (http://www.oldtimecandy.com/double-bubble-gum.htm) bubble gum. While I enjoyed drinking Irn Bru, the cost (two dollars per 500ml bottle), and my American preference for cola, I probably won't be changing favorites any time soon.

http://www.thescottishgrocer.com/irnbru/IrnBruBottlesmall.jpg

Thanks Ian for the intercultural pop experience.

Does anyone else have a favorite soft drink that is associated with the region they are from?

Have you moved to a new area where you can no longer find your favorite soft drink?

Has anyone tried a soft drink while traveling that is a local favorite which is difficult to find where you live now? What did you think?

[Hal Paul]

Here is a bottle for a soft drink that I picked up in Japan in the early '70s. The bottle is reusable and the soft drink tasted similar to 7-Up or Sprite. We could only find this type of soft drink in Mom and Pop neighborhood stores.

The marble inside the bottle served as the cork or cap, the rubber gasket at the top of the bottle held the marble in place until bottle was opened. The only opener I ever saw was tied to a string at the store and the sales clerks would use it to push the marble down after we purchased the drink. The marble also served as a stopper that limited spills if the bottle was dropped, it was also a bit annoying since it would block opening if the bottle was tipped back to far. The bottles are pretty durable, we had one fall off a shelf in a bathroom and land on the porcelain sink. The bottle survived the fall but the sink did not.

Typically we consumed the drink outside the store and left the bottle when we were done. But we could take the bottle with us if we paid a deposit fee. I don't remember what the price for the drink or bottle was, but it couldn't have been much since my allowance was 1 dollar or 300 yen per week (try to get that exchange rate now days) and I still had enough money to buy candy or some small toy.

I'm not sure if I liked the soda because of the flavor, or because I thought the bottle was cool.http://www.naznet.com/community/G:%5CDCIM%5C102_PANA%5CP1020385

[Joanne Vergin]

Vernors ginger ale.
As far as I kow is only found in Michigan and a few other midwest states.
Nothing compares. If you think Canada dry is the norm you won't like Vernors probably.

I find a wide variety of root beers. One I like now is Frosty or Frostybite. Can only find it in summer. Very rooty flavor. Others can be blah.

[Gord Evans]

Vernors ginger ale.
As far as I kow is only found in Michigan and a few other midwest states.
Nothing compares. If you think Canada dry is the norm you won't like Vernors probably.

I find a wide variety of root beers. One I like now is Frosty or Frostybite. Can only find it in summer. Very rooty flavor. Others can be blah.

Vernors is very available in southern Ontario. Has been for some time. I like it. Hey, this has reminded me of when Joe Hittle came for a visit! Good times ...

I also enjoy Canada Dry, Schweppes and Ginger Beer as soft drinks. I prefer these to Coke or Pepsi style soft drinks.

Ah yes, and then, there's Root Beer ... so many from which to choose ... haven't heard of Frosty. I think I like A&W primarily because it reminds of the 'good ol' days' when I could drive to the local A&W and get hooked up with an A&W Root Beer Float and a Teen Burger and crisp Onion Rings!!

ooo-weee!!

:fav18

[Hal Paul]

Vernors ginger ale.
I find a wide variety of root beers. One I like now is Frosty or Frostybite. Can only find it in summer. Very rooty flavor. Others can be blah.

Ahh root beer. My brother-in-law loves it, but since he lives down under it is difficult to find, and when he does, it costs a pound of flesh, so he doesn't get it very often. When he is here in the states I think he empties all the grocers shelves of root beer within a five mile radius;).

He recently decided to try and make his own, but he needed root beer extract, which he can't find in Australia either. We managed to send him a couple of bottles of extract a few months back but I haven't heard how successful his root beer making ventures have been.

[Gina Stevenson]

Vernors ginger ale.
As far as I kow is only found in Michigan and a few other midwest states.
Nothing compares. If you think Canada dry is the norm you won't like Vernors probably.

I find a wide variety of root beers. One I like now is Frosty or Frostybite. Can only find it in summer. Very rooty flavor. Others can be blah.

At first it was just Michigan, methinks, many many long years ago. However, since someone bought out Vernors, it's even available out west where I lived, tho' not found in every store; has to be hunted down (at least it was when I was there in AZ or CA). Yes, Vernors is cooooooooool!!

Root beer? HAS to have much more fizz than most sodas to be acceptable ... to rather counter the very, very sweet taste (seems sweeter than some sodas).

Vernors is very available in southern Ontario. Has been for some time. I like it. Hey, this has reminded me of when Joe Hittle came for a visit! Good times ...

Yeah, he used to pick it up when it couldn't yet be found in Iowa (wonder if they're still there?), didn't he? When I first flew from CA back to MI, I had to have Vernors and Michigan cottage cheese ... still my favorite. As it's made in Ohio, I'm not sure WHY Michigan cottage cheese is not yet distributed out west! 'Found several other people out west who also---if they liked cottage cheese at all---missed the Michigan cottage cheese back here.

I also enjoy Canada Dry, Schweppes and Ginger Beer as soft drinks. I prefer these to Coke or Pepsi style soft drinks.

Ah yes, and then, there's Root Beer ... so many from which to choose ... haven't heard of Frosty. I think I like A&W primarily because it reminds of the 'good ol' days' when I could drive to the local A&W and get hooked up with an A&W Root Beer Float and a Teen Burger and crisp Onion Rings!!

ooo-weee!!

:fav18

Ahhh ... root beer float ... haven't had one of those in eons. A & W ... reminds me of Lake Michigan, because that's where there was one that we'd go to now & then, right near the beach. ;)

[Jim Franklin]

Here in the Rockies we like Mountain Dew but the one that I favor which is also named after me is "Squirt."

[Brad Mercer]

My favorite soft drink is a local Queensland Australia drink called Bundaberg Lemon, Lime & Bitters.

It's a very strong lemon-lime drink, tart with a hint of bitterness to it. I love it. Bundaberg also makes the best ginger beer (very strong ginger ale) in the world.

Also, when we left the United States they seemed to have stop selling Vanilla Coke in the states, but it's still available here. I like that, too.

My childhood favorite in Arkansas was Grapette. They stopped making it in the U.S. for years, but the company got the U.S. rights back again a few years ago and it's now available as a WalMart brand. Still the same glorious, cheap fake grape flavor I loved as a child. I still love it.

Brad

[Brad Mercer]

Ahh root beer. My brother-in-law loves it, but since he lives down under it is difficult to find, and when he does, it costs a pound of flesh, so he doesn't get it very often.

Yes, it's generally an expensive American import here in Australia, and hard to find. They do have Sarsaparilla, though, which is basically the true, original root beer. Bundaberg has a root beer with all natural ingredients (real roots and real licorice and vanilla flavors, etc.) It's certainly not A&W, but it's easy to find and might tide him over.

Where in Australia does your brother live?

Brad

[Brad Mercer]

Vernors ginger ale.
As far as I kow is only found in Michigan and a few other midwest states.

Vernors is now widely available in supermarkets in the north Dallas, Texas area.

Brad

[Brad Mercer]

Irn Bru can be found in both Brisbane and Dallas if you know where to look. I've tried it. It's good.

Brad

[Hal Paul]

They live in Coffs Harbour, NSW, moved up from Morewell, VIC a little over a year ago.

I think he tried Sarsaparilla but it just wasn't the same after A&W.

[Dana Grant]

Vernors ginger ale.
As far as I kow is only found in Michigan and a few other midwest states.
Nothing compares. If you think Canada dry is the norm you won't like Vernors probably.

I find a wide variety of root beers. One I like now is Frosty or Frostybite. Can only find it in summer. Very rooty flavor. Others can be blah.

Vernors is in Arizona, as well.........and you're right, I think Canada Dry is norm and I don't like Vernors!!! LOL

In fact, right now, I'm trying to stay away from caffeine all together, so I'm drinking diet Canada Dry most of the time.

[Hal Paul]

I think Mountain Dew is pretty much everywhere since it is is a PepsiCo brand. I haven't seen Squirt for a while, although it produced by Dr. Pepper/7-Up brands in the U.S.

[Mark Bolerjack]

Do you like the Mountain Dew Baja, only found in Taco Bells? I get it every time I go there.

[Gina Stevenson]

My favorite soft drink is a local Queensland Australia drink called Bundaberg Lemon, Lime & Bitters.

It's a very strong lemon-lime drink, tart with a hint of bitterness to it. I love it. Bundaberg also makes the best ginger beer (very strong ginger ale) in the world.

'Think I'd love that lemon, lime & bitters ... whatever soda I drink, I usually have to add something to it to cut the sweetness. Not that I drink a whole lot of it, but when I do, I have to cut that sweetness. (usually with a chunk of fresh lime or lemon, preferably lime). Actually, when I got that Bundaberg ginger beer because I love Vernors, it was sweeter than V, ir seemed. After 3 of the 4 bottles, I tho't, "Hey, I'll try some sour salt in it (since it didn't seem something in which to put lime ... tho' it might have been even better than what I did)." Don't recall seeing that lemon-lime-bitters stuff at World Market when I found that Bundaberg (40% off). 'Have to look, perhaps, eh? ;)

Normally, I'll open a can/bottle, put it in a screw-top bottle, and drink from it for days ('bout once every month or two ... or less sometimes). [boy, water's good!]

I think Mountain Dew is pretty much everywhere since it is is a PepsiCo brand. I haven't seen Squirt for a while, although it produced by Dr. Pepper/7-Up brands in the U.S.

Oh, yeah ... Squirt's not too bad ... GRAPEFRUI! ;) Mountain Dew is one of the sweetest (sweeter than the sweet ginger beer above) sodas I've ever had ... can't stand it! Sorry. :eek:

[Dennis M. Scott]

I guess Moxie, from Maine, is a regional thing. Primarily people buy it, pour it out on the ground, and sell the bottles at garage sales. I don't think it's too good for the ground, however. The only people who actually drink it are pretty old and really stubborn. It's dark like cola, and is at least partly used motor oil.

I have in a corner of my office the only two cases of Vernor's east of Buffalo, New York. Those cases are rationed and protected.

For those who don't like the taste or effect of Vernor's, just don't inhale.

[Mike Wooldridge]

My favorite is RC (for Royal Crown) Cola. I think it's still available but it's a bit hard to find.
Mike

[Mike Schutz]

Never had Vernors in Maryland where I was raised. When I went to college folks from the midwest would briing it to Boston and I loved it. When I went to Ohio State for graduate school I had Vernors every day.
Have been unable to find it in the Philadelphia - Lancaster area. Would love to have a Vernors as a special treat.

I really like ginger beer, but it is hard to find.

I miss grapefruit flavored Squirt from my childhood. I like Fresca, but can't drink it because it has real grapefruit juice in it and I take medication that won't allow it.

New England folks are very familiar with Moxie, an acquired taste that I never really enjoyed but would drink on a dare. Perhaps someone from New England could describe the taste of Moxie. To me it represents the personality of the region, especially Maine. Like the weather, Moxie is difficult to enjoy and a sign of endurance to get through!

[Brad Mercer]

I'm a food adventurer. I love to try wierd novel foods. So once several years ago in a little independent convenience store run by someone from the Middle East or India area, I noticed a "yoghurt soda" near the register. I bought it. It was immediately apparent from the clerk that I hadn't just ordered a soda; I had volunteered to pass judgment on his entire culture. He was desperately eager to make sure it was a positive experience for me. He shook it up for me first to mix the yogurt and carbonated water, then carefully opened it for me with a clean cloth so it wouldn't spew on me, and watched with eager anticipation for my positive, culture-affirming response.

It was plain, natural, completely unflavored yogurt in plain, completely unsweetened and unflavored carbonated water and no other ingredients. It was one of the nastiest things I'd ever tasted in my life. Without swallowing I managed to smile really big, nod my head, raise the bottle to him and gurgle a quick thanks. I then walked as quickly as I could without appearing to be in a hurry to the door, found a nearby trash receptacle and repeatedly spit, scraping my tongue with me fingernails, and threw the rest away.

Some food adventures are diamond and some food adventures are stone.

Brad