Regional Sodas (or Pops)

I remember New York Seltzers -- the raspberry ones were awesome.

Who remembers Like Cola?

Who remembers Like cola? I do. If I'm not mistaken it was a Canada Dry product.

I remember Like Cola. I remember it well because up until mid 2002 you could buy it in the Scranton, Pennsylvania area. I had just recently finished the last can of the 3 six packs I bought last year.

Then there was Pal Cola, which was a similar product to Moutain Dew...I think it actually tasted better...
O-So_Good
Squirt
Grapette
And Shasta I think is in national distribution...at least I can get it in central Illinois
and how about double Cola?
and Tab?

Does anyone still sell Pepsi in 16 ounce glass bottles anymore? It tastes better than aluminum or plastic!

Kidlightning: I suggest you read this thread and see what has been discussed already. Just about every brand you mentioned has been discussed. I suggest to anyone new to roadfood.com read through the threads and then post a comment if it's pertinent and/or new. Just a suggestion...

quote:

Originally posted by kidlightning

Then there was Pal Cola, which was a similar product to Moutain Dew...I think it actually tasted better...
O-So_Good
Squirt
Grapette
And Shasta I think is in national distribution...at least I can get it in central Illinois
and how about double Cola?
and Tab?

Does anyone still sell Pepsi in 16 ounce glass bottles anymore? It tastes better than aluminum or plastic!

quote:

Originally posted by kidlightning



And Shasta I think is in national distribution...at least I can get it in central Illinois


Does anyone still sell Pepsi in 16 ounce glass bottles anymore? It tastes better than aluminum or plastic!

Shasta has seemed to corner the 'dollar store' market..local Dollar Tree store carries it- 2 20 oz bottles for $1..COLD no less too!

Coke and Pepsi have both done a real nice job of KILLING the 16 oz glass bottle....Talked to a guy awhile back in a beverage barn where I USED to be able to pick it up;and he said that both companies essentially blackmailed/threatened the few local bottlers that were still using them into switching to plastic...

Pepsi has just come out with a vanilla pepsi(both regular and diet) in this area (central illinois. I tried a bottl;e last night and it is very good...much better than the vanilla coke. If you close your eyes, you think you are really at the old soda fountain. It really puts the vanilla coke to shame. Incidentially, I concur with everyone that the lemon pledge coke was awful! Pepsi Free (from the 80's) and the current Twist is so much better!

quote:

Originally posted by ConeyIslandLou
Coke and Pepsi have both done a real nice job of KILLING the 16 oz glass bottle....Talked to a guy awhile back in a beverage barn where I USED to be able to pick it up;and he said that both companies essentially blackmailed/threatened the few local bottlers that were still using them into switching to plastic...

On the other hand, Coke has successfully reintroduced the 7 oz. glass bottle (which I've always preferred) with Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and Canada Dry all readily available in the Boston area.

Anyone interested in the workings of the beverage industry should read this
web page by Elliott of Elliott's Amazing, a small juice company owner
in the Philadelphia area... Read about Pepsi, Coke, Snapple, Nantucket Nectars, what happened to Franks' Sodas, etc. - Fascinating stuff!

http://www.elliottsamazing.com/faq_cmp.html

Funny, but nowhere in Elliott's poorly-written and creatively spelled slam book against the big companies that are keeping him down, maaaaaaaaaaan, does he mention that his own product tastes like a diabetic koala's morning urine. Perhaps if he weren't so consumed with what the big boys are doing, he could find time to improve his own stuff.

quote:

Originally posted by Lucky Bishop

Funny, but nowhere in Elliott's poorly-written and creatively spelled slam book against the big companies that are keeping him down, maaaaaaaaaaan, does he mention that his own product tastes like a diabetic koala's morning urine. Perhaps if he weren't so consumed with what the big boys are doing, he could find time to improve his own stuff.

Wow. I've never had his stuff myself - don't think much of it gets out to the west coast. That good, huh? :)

quote:

Originally posted by kidlightning

Pepsi has just come out with a vanilla pepsi(both regular and diet) in this area (central illinois. I tried a bottl;e last night and it is very good...much better than the vanilla coke. If you close your eyes, you think you are really at the old soda fountain. It really puts the vanilla coke to shame. Incidentially, I concur with everyone that the lemon pledge coke was awful! Pepsi Free (from the 80's) and the current Twist is so much better!

I was in my local Ralph's market (LA - San Fernando Valley) and sure enough, there it was, Vanilla Pepsi in diet and regular - had to buy a bottle, and sure enough - it (the Diet version) blows away the Diet Vanilla Coke; I've bought that a few times, but then after I drink some, keep wondering why I do, it's got kind of a chemical taste. This is MUCH better... Thanks for the tip!

BULLETIN,
For some reason -unknown to anyone but dearly departed SAM- Stewart's Soda in Black Cherry, Root Beer, Orange Creme, and Key Lime flavors IN GLASS BOTTLE 6-packs are now carried by my local WalMart SuperCenter (Corydon,IN). Also Ale81 in 12 pack cans is now on the shelf too. Didn't get the price on the Stewart's but the Ale81 is $299 a 12er.

Stewart's in the local supermarkets in L.A. are $3.50 a four-pack, $3 on sale.

Here at the end of the summer, I finally today found some lemon flavored Pepsi Twist which several of us were discussing back in July. However, I think there must be something wrong with my taster, for while its flavor is ok, it really was not as good to me as was the lemon flavored Coca-Cola which I tried last summer and which everyone else said was the world's worst tasting soda, tasting like Pledge. I think I must have been unusually hot, thirsty, and tired that day to have thought it tasted so good, what with opinion of everyone else. Think someone's suggestion of a slice/squeeze of a lemon in a glass of Coke is probably the best of all ideas re this topic.

My favorite name, if not drink, is Kickapoo Joy Juice. Don't know who made it, but I think it was a precursor to Mountain Dew. I used to be the brewmaster at Gray's in Wisconsin. We made some excellent root beer.

We could buy small 6 oz. bottles of "Trick or Treat" soda. I don't know who made it, but I remember flavors like orange, root beer, grape. Anyone else out there drink "Trick or Treat" soda?

The "mom and pop" store carried "Howdy" soda. I believe that that was produced by Coca-Cola. They were 10 oz. glass bottles. Flavors: root beer, orange, grape...maybe more, but I can't remember.

Dad's Root Beer was a favorite and was produced in Chicago. It was a family operation initially, but now one of the big soda producers owns it.

quote:

Originally posted by Poverty Pete

My favorite name, if not drink, is Kickapoo Joy Juice. Don't know who made it, but I think it was a precursor to Mountain Dew.

Definitely a tie in to the "Lil' Abner" comic strip that was popular from the mid 40's through the 60's or early 70's.

Seaman's Orange Soda, limited to maritime Canada. Only in glass bottles. In fact, several years ago, Prince Edward Island enacted a law prohibiting pop from being sold in anything but glass bottles, in a thinly-veiled attempt to protect Seaman's from the big boys. Ironically, a couple years later Seaman's made a deal with Coke and now bottles all Coke products in glass for the island (though not coke's original shape.) Still their own orange, though.

quote:

Originally posted by hucknbock

Seaman's Orange Soda, limited to maritime Canada. Only in glass bottles. In fact, several years ago, Prince Edward Island enacted a law prohibiting pop from being sold in anything but glass bottles, in a thinly-veiled attempt to protect Seaman's from the big boys. Ironically, a couple years later Seaman's made a deal with Coke and now bottles all Coke products in glass for the island (though not coke's original shape.) Still their own orange, though.

Your comments reminded me of a quirky Australian movie called The Coca-Cola Kid about an ostensible war between the last independent soda bottler in Australia and Coca-Cola.
[url='http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088931/']Don't wanna go where there's no Coca-Cola![/url]

In addition to the soda's mentioned in this very informative and nostalgic forum was a brand called Suburban. They had the usual cola, grape and orange soda's but they had a soda called "almond smash". I think that it had a cherry flavor. It was unique and I've often wondered what brands today would come close to the flavor of almond smash.

Seaman's isn't just in maritime Canada: I buy it in Toronto too.

I grew up just outside of Chicago. We were drinking Canfield's "Cherry-Ola-Cola" before Cherry Coke even came out! My mom like the chocolate fudge pop--not my idea of refreshing, but hey, life is too short . . .

quote:

Originally posted by ocdreamr

quote:

Originally posted by Poverty Pete

My favorite name, if not drink, is Kickapoo Joy Juice. Don't know who made it, but I think it was a precursor to Mountain Dew.

Definitely a tie in to the "Lil' Abner" comic strip that was popular from the mid 40's through the 60's or early 70's.

Wasn't the slogan, "It'll tickle yore innards!" or some such? Or was that the old Mountain Dew slogan back in *mumblemumblemumble...*?

Blenheim Ginger Ale, if I've not mentioned it before, is available in the Carolinas. WHEW! Does this stuff have a KICK. And I didn't even touch the "Hot" flavor!

My son's nuts for Cheerwine, which he associates with the Outer Banks. I generally order him a couple of 12 packs online for Christmas. We're not big soda pop drinkers, so he can make that last him a few months.

"It'll tickle yore innards" was the Mountain Dew slogan. I have some great old bottles pre-1970 with the Mountain Dew hillbilly and that slogan.

quote:

Originally posted by jmckee

quote:

Originally posted by ocdreamr

quote:

Originally posted by Poverty Pete

My favorite name, if not drink, is Kickapoo Joy Juice. Don't know who made it, but I think it was a precursor to Mountain Dew.

Definitely a tie in to the "Lil' Abner" comic strip that was popular from the mid 40's through the 60's or early 70's.

Wasn't the slogan, "It'll tickle yore innards!" or some such? Or was that the old Mountain Dew slogan back in *mumblemumblemumble...*?

Blenheim Ginger Ale, if I've not mentioned it before, is available in the Carolinas. WHEW! Does this stuff have a KICK. And I didn't even touch the "Hot" flavor!

My son's nuts for Cheerwine, which he associates with the Outer Banks. I generally order him a couple of 12 packs online for Christmas. We're not big soda pop drinkers, so he can make that last him a few months.

Seem to me that the first sugar-free (or diet) soda (that's what we've always called any carbonated beverage here in Northeastern NY State) I remember was some crap with the brand-name of Diet-Rite Cola. I think it was part of the Royal Crown (later called RC) family. Boy did it taste like ****. I would think that this was in 1964 or 1965. I expect those dates qualify me as (almost!) an olde fart.

Wally

quote:

Originally posted by wallhd

Seem to me that the first sugar-free (or diet) soda (that's what we've always called any carbonated beverage here in Northeastern NY State) I remember was some crap with the brand-name of Diet-Rite Cola. I think it was part of the Royal Crown (later called RC) family. Boy did it taste like ****. I would think that this was in 1964 or 1965. I expect those dates qualify me as (almost!) an olde fart.

Wally

I don't know what it tasted like back then, didn't like any of the diet sodas back when they used sacharin. But Diet Rite is still out there & now sweetens with Splenda. In my humble it is one of the best diet sodas now. Splenda is sugar without the carbs, therefore anything made with it tastes like it would made with regular sugar. As a matter of fact I'm sipping on one right now!Another plus is that unlike other sodas there's no caffiene & no sodium. Just sweetened colored fizzy water!They also have flavors, the tangerine is a seriously good orange.

The biggest soft drink bust of all time: Coke II or New Coke introduced in 1987. I prefer New Coke to Coke Classic. I stocked up on it at one time but ran out. The last 2 liter bottle of it that I ever saw for sale was at a liquor store on Belmont Avenue in Chicago in 1999 and it had dust on the plastic bottle. I bought it and enjoyed it as I always have enjoyed New Coke.

The new Pepsi Vanilla does nothing for me. It tastes flat as if they bottled just the syrups and forgot to carbonate. To me, Vanilla Coke is better but not something I can drink every day. I usually bypass the bottled Vanilla Coke and go directly to Waffle House. Along with the surly waitresses and maddening songs on the jukeboxes, the flavored syrups for your Coke are another perk.

Oh, Poverty Pete,
Gray's USED to make some excellent root beer? What happened; did they go out of business? I hope not; Gray's (Janesville, WI.) were some of the most consistently excellent microbrews I ever tasted. And the packaging on the Honey Ale, with the demented, leering bee ("Bzz, Bzz... I got mine, hee hee... you get yours!" it seemed to be saying) was one of the most ingenious things I've EVER seen.
I found a small Gray's tasting glass in a thrift store for 25 cents awhile back. Now, if I could only get up there to buy a t-shirt... assuming, as I am, that the company is still in business....
Hey, I admit it... I like good beer almost as much as I do good food!
Prositionally, Ort. Carlton in One-Brewpub (Very Good, I Must Hasten To Add!) Athens, Georgia.
P. S. I am wearing a Blind Man Ale t-shirt as I peck. That was the first Southern brewery to make only bottle-and-cask-conditioned Real Ale! They lasted a couple of years, but because they brewed on rubble, try as they might, there was little quality control. Sigh. They made a flagship Ale, an India Brown Ale (87 I. B. U.), and an Espresso Stout. W-O-N-D-E-R-F-U-L stuff!

I'm pretty sure Gray's is still around. They've been in business since 1856. It is the oldest family-owned brewery and soda maker in the USA. All I meant to say is that I am no longer associated with them. We had our differences, but together we made some excellent products.

I have looked back through all the posts in this thread and have seen several references toCheerwine which is a delicious drink made and bottled in these parts, but I still haven't seen anthing about Sundrop,. which is my favorite drink of all time! The Sundrop plant is only about 10 miles from my house. It's a great lemon-lime concoction that comes in a green bottle or can, and is a cross between yellow and green in color. It runs rings around anything like Mountain Dew or Mello Yello, but is only distributed in about the same markets as Cheerwine. If you ever drive through this area and have the opportunity to try it, by all means do so...you won't be disappointed.

Richardson Root Beer, manufactured in Elmhurst, Illinois. It was served out of a big wooden barrel. McDonalds served it when I was a kid. I can still see the barrel behind the counter. It was also served at the local Rx in little frosted mugs for 10 cents each. The only place I know of that still serves it is "Hamburger Heaven" in Elmhurst. It comes out of the wooden barrel; no frosty mugs though. By the way, "Hamburger Heaven" has been around since the '40s, I think. It's just a stand on a busy corner; open seasonally (March-October). Burgers are kind of like Big Macs, only they make their own "special sauce" on the premises. Can't say what's in the sauce, but the burgers are good; so is the root beer. Brings back memories!

My Dad ran a concession stand for about ten years at a community pool and I had free run of the "soda machine" It had those big 5 gallon containers of syrup one for each flavor and I would mix what I called a "TOOTIE FRUITY" which was a combination of all the flavors. I felt like a chemist ( I was only a kid)

My kids mix all the sodas at the fast food places that allow you to fill/refill your own - they call the everything-but-diet mixture, "Suicide"

One "healthy" burger chain, "Topz", has the fountain *plus* chocolate, vanilla, and cherry syrups - the kids did the "Suicide" there too..

I tasted it once, and it was pretty bad.

In fast food places, convenience stores, etc. with the "fill/refill your own" fountains which you mention, jeffskal, I've mixed Sprite, 7-Up, or whatever drink of that nature was offered with the pink lemonade and found the result to be an improvement over either alone.

POMAC! Bless you. with my kid-hand full of fifty cents, I'd walk to 7-11 and buy a Pomac and either a banana flip or snowballs.....kid "beer" and sugar....what a way to go!

Ah, Pommac! It's the most requested soda at our soda shop in Dallas, but unfortunately has not been available in the U.S. since the late 1960's.

Here's the story, according to customers and a former Dallas Dr Pepper employee: Pommac is a Swedish soda, still produced in Sweden & Finland. Dallas Dr Pepper in a joint venture with Pommac Sweden produced the soda for basically regional distribution (we didn't know it had made it to California!) from 1963-1969. It was light amber in color, in a clear glass bottle, and the logo included a bunch of white grapes and a wine glass. It was very popular with teens and younger, who liked to pretend they were drinking "beer" or sometimes "wine". Though supposedly non-alcoholic, several of our customers have told us it "fermented a bit" when left in the sun. According to the former Dr Pepper employee, so many parents complained about the above to Dr Pepper that in 1969 they discontinued production and destroyed all inventory. The employee managed to save a few bottles, and several years ago gave us one which we have displayed in our shop. As Pommac is still being produced in Sweden/Finland, we have tried with no luck to find an importer in the U.S. As to importing it ourselves, the quantity that would be required and the price would be prohibitive. So...for the time being at least, if you want a Pommac you'll just have to go to "the continent". But if you're in Dallas we hope you'll stop by our shop -- we carry most of the sodas mentioned in this thread, all in glass bottles.

Our web site: http://www.ifsandsbutts.com

An article on Pommac in an industry magazine:
http://flavours.danisco.com/web/fla/default/presentation/home/news/news_archive.html&newspath=/web/fla/default/content/news/Beverage_from_Danisco_on_the_trends_list.html

When the family was out in Montana last month, we had some Huckleberry Cream Soda, which was unique in our experience. It bore the mark of the Flathead Lake Monster Brewing Company, but no address. It said it was brewed "at our secret location." (probably secret from OHSA as well.) They also make a flavor called "Lake Myst," which we did not try, but is described as "a melon-flavored soft drink."

According to their website http://www.flatheadlakemonster.com/pages/main2.html they also brew two variteties of beer, Montana Trout Slayer Ale, and Grizz Whizz. Sosomebody there has a sense of humor.

If you want to visit a new site to discuss soda in glass bottles, there is a new Yahoo Group. It is located @ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/popinglassrules . Maybe if we get enough people talking, we can get it back someday!

quote:

Originally posted by jpatweb

You can still find white birch in the New Haven area. Foxon Park is the brand, been around for awhile. It's available in Italian markets and some grocery stores, but the best place to enjoy it is with an apizza at Pepe's or Modern, where it's almost an insult to drink anything else.

In Reading, PA there is the Reading Draft Birch Beer Inc. They make a white birch beer. I had just bought a few bottles when I was in Reading (Vanity Fair). Not too bad.

Does Kappy's (Liquors) north of Boston still have its own brand of "tonic" (a.k.a. soda). And, if so, who bottles it ??

A product called "Ale8" is produced in Kentucky and is not easily obtainable even in Cincinnati or NKy. The locals swear by it, disdaining most other softdrinks available there.

http://www.ale-8-one.com/index.html

I've been noticing that the supermarkets in the Philly area are stocking for a limited time 6-packs of Coke in bottles for the holidays. Seeing the bottles in the cardboard carriers is a real throwback to the old days.

Coke in the specially decorated bottles are an annual event here . The Derby Bottles are anticipated by Coke-aholic's and collectors each Spring. As soon as Derby is over, the Indy 500 bottles come out. Once again there is swift trade buying up the lot of them in record time. This year (2003) they were still using the tall 16 oz glass bottle for the event markers. I will be suprised if they stick to that in this day of Plastic 20 oz mainline product container.

Al, based on the info. I get from soda bottle collector newsletters, Coke will keep doing commemorative bottles in glass. I don't collect the commemoratives, but there is a big demand for them with collectors.

anyone heard of C&C cola? They were out of NY and NJ(where I'm from. They made other flovors as well, but I don't they are in business anymore.

I would love to know what became of Grapette, the delicous grape soda pop. Paul mentioned drinking it in his youth in East Tennessee. I only encountered it in small country stores around Kentucky's Lake Cumberland, where I went to camp several summers. Finding a Grapette was a big deal. I'm guessing I enjoyed my last one in the early 60s.

Anyone know the story of Grapette?

Go to www.grapette.com for the official Grapette story.

Regional to France is the remarkably named soda "Pschitt." Clearly the name is onomatopeic, emulating the sound of a fizzy soda bottle opening. It's owned by Perrier, but for obvious reasons the name is a bit harder to swallow in English-speaking countries.

We have the decorative Santa 6oz cokes here too. Have also have the Nascar "Coca Cola" drivers decorative bottles. But, most of our stores continue to carry the regular 6oz. 8 packs year round. I personally like Pepsi, but you really can't beat an ice cold 6oz coke in the bottle.

Chicago soft drinks from my childhood included:

Green River-my favorite
Kayo-my second favorite
Burley's
Old Colony Orange Pop
Upper 10-similar to 7UP

I just love DR.Pepper, by the way Dr.Pepper Museum here in my home town. (Waco Texas)

The last time I was in Miami I drank a Cuban paop called Iron Beer.
There is NOTHING like it any where that I know of. Around Lexington KY they have a ginger ale that's different (Can't remember the name)

Dr. Pepper was local when I was a kid. I tried to order it in Groton CT back in '67 just before I reported for submarine school there. The waitress said, "Doctor who?"

I have always liked root beer, but never before had any as good as I have found in Milwaukee over the last 2 months. Most of the samll breweries here also produce root beer, and Specher's does the best I have tasted. They also produce a cream soda that is way better than Dr. Brown's, and an orange cream soda that is in a class by itself. I haven't tried their other sodas, but have sampled most of their outstanding beers.

quote:

Originally posted by Liketoeat

In fast food places, convenience stores, etc. with the "fill/refill your own" fountains which you mention, jeffskal, I've mixed Sprite, 7-Up, or whatever drink of that nature was offered with the pink lemonade and found the result to be an improvement over either alone.

MY favorite mix is Coca Cola with a splash of any kind of orange soda...makes a refreshing drink even more refreshing! Try it sometime!

I really miss Apple Slice! Don't remember Lemon Crush or Lime Crush but would sure love to try some! Too bad I missed out... Anyone here ever have Chocolate soda? I was watching a rerun of the Cosby show and it was mentioned. Is it worth ordering online with heavy shipping charges?

In 60's I too drink Pommac.. brought from a Dr. Pepper machine in junior high... but grownup's made the school take it out because it look like beer to them..Ha.... what did they know....anyway.. I have one of the bottles from the sixties... and so proud of it.... love the drink....wish Dr. Pepper would bring it back to the American market.. but it gone like Dr. Pepper Red Fusion... no longer market.. too bad....gee.

I'm new to site. Not sure what to do. When I was a kid (born in 1962 in New Haven) there weren't many options for kids like me who didn't like carbonation. Friends & siblings looked cool drinking soda in bottles and I had water, milk, or Hi-C in a cup. With one important exception: Pal non-carbonated orange drink. My dad's friend had a liquor store and whenever we went there, Dad would buy me a bottle of orange Pal. Such a treat to drink "soda" like other kids. Has anyone else ever heard of this stuff? Is it still around anywhere? Thanks!