Speaking of regional sodas, I'd love to know the story behind Vernor's Ginger Ale. My understanding is that it's a Michigan thing but you could get it some places in Buffalo where I grew up, and it pops up randomly elsewhere -- when I was in grad school in Berkeley there was a little liquor store around the corner from one of my seminar classrooms that carried it and one of the other guys in the class and I used to drive our fellow seminar members nuts by saying "barrel aged, bold taste" to each other constantly.
I came to post about Vernor’s too, and am not surprised someone beat me to it.
My dad is in his 70s, and passed a childhood fondness for Vernor’s down to my brother and me. He grew up in Niagara Falls, NY, and for a good chunk of my life I assumed it was a native Western NY drink. Would love to learn more about how a Detroit-based soda became a staple in WNY!
Also, this was such a great read, I had no idea soda would strike such a chord!
Moxie is fantastic, it's kind of like this rooty tang to it. Very difficult to describe. A love it or hate it proposition. I learned about it because it was a running gag in MAD Magazine so when I moved to Boston, I had to try it. Instantly became addicted to it, because that's pretty much how it goes with me and sodas.
I gotta make a trip and try one! It sounds like the kind of taste I'd like. (Also, didn't realize until looking it up just now that the word came from the soda's name, and not the other way around. Hell of a legacy!)
You’re so right about sense memories taking you back to a place and a time. Sodas are a real source of those. The offhanded mention of Fresca sent me right back to swimming lessons in Florida when I was 8. Always does. This is a soda not a beer space, but the proliferation of local breweries over the last 20 years (some, like Abita in Louisiana, are also making sodas) is a sign that localism and regionalism can be good business. Local flavor, however it’s defined, is worth the effort.
I've come across Cheerwine on my travels but I've never tried one because I had no idea what it was. After reading this description, all I can think about is drinking a Cheerwine!
Next time you're here in St. Louis, try a Vess! (If you haven't already.) Ice cold cans of it were the only soda in the post-Little League game cooler when I was a kid. There are myriad flavors, although the Whistle orange is an iconic one, and the weird flavors like pineapple are a very distinct part of local culture.
My family moved to Chicago from Nashville right after I turned 4, but went down to visit family often. Nashville is where I first had Cheerwine. As a kid, I found it intriguing. You hit the nail on the head -- it's not sweet the way most fruit-flavored sodas are. This sounds like a dis, but it's not meant as such, but I think it's more akin to how cherry flavored cough syrup -- it's not as sweet, and more robust yet somehow, doesn't overwhelm the cola taste. Over the years, I grew to like it more (but my personal favorite soda is Dr. Pepper, so Cheerwine is always a change-of-pace soda). For a few years, my mother-in-law lived near the Research Triangle, and one summer when me and my wife went down for a visit, they had Cheerwine-flavored (or, rather, Cheerwine-laced) Krispy Kreme donuts at the supermarket, which turned out to be pretty good.
Yes! The Krispy Kreme collab is absolutely the best one Cheerwine has done. (They also paired up with NoDa Brewing for a beer I tried *so* hard to like... alas)
I recall Moxie as tasting like awful rooty cough syrup, but I haven't had any in about 20 years, maybe longer. Might be worth a revisit as my palate has aged and I've come to enjoy bitter flavors that disgusted me as a youth.
I heard/saw something recently about how music is really a memory of times/places and I thought that was very true. I’ve never had the association with food or drink as strongly, but I can see how you would.
Research idea: For a long time (not sure it is still the case), the province of Quebec was the only state or province where Pepsi outsold Coke. While I grew up in Quebec, I have no idea why this was/is the case. I would love to know more.
It is also worth adding that Cheerwine is the sleeper candidate for best soda for an ice cream float
Cheerwine floats at Cookout are top-tier eats.
Speaking of regional sodas, I'd love to know the story behind Vernor's Ginger Ale. My understanding is that it's a Michigan thing but you could get it some places in Buffalo where I grew up, and it pops up randomly elsewhere -- when I was in grad school in Berkeley there was a little liquor store around the corner from one of my seminar classrooms that carried it and one of the other guys in the class and I used to drive our fellow seminar members nuts by saying "barrel aged, bold taste" to each other constantly.
Quite a few people brought up Vernor's when I shared this on Twitter! I need to seek it out now...
I came to post about Vernor’s too, and am not surprised someone beat me to it.
My dad is in his 70s, and passed a childhood fondness for Vernor’s down to my brother and me. He grew up in Niagara Falls, NY, and for a good chunk of my life I assumed it was a native Western NY drink. Would love to learn more about how a Detroit-based soda became a staple in WNY!
Also, this was such a great read, I had no idea soda would strike such a chord!
Moxie is fantastic, it's kind of like this rooty tang to it. Very difficult to describe. A love it or hate it proposition. I learned about it because it was a running gag in MAD Magazine so when I moved to Boston, I had to try it. Instantly became addicted to it, because that's pretty much how it goes with me and sodas.
I gotta make a trip and try one! It sounds like the kind of taste I'd like. (Also, didn't realize until looking it up just now that the word came from the soda's name, and not the other way around. Hell of a legacy!)
Foxon Park from CT is great! I also like Sprecher's from Wisconsin
I live in Northern VA, see Cheerwine at Harris Teeter, and can only drink it in the Outer Banks, NC.
You’re so right about sense memories taking you back to a place and a time. Sodas are a real source of those. The offhanded mention of Fresca sent me right back to swimming lessons in Florida when I was 8. Always does. This is a soda not a beer space, but the proliferation of local breweries over the last 20 years (some, like Abita in Louisiana, are also making sodas) is a sign that localism and regionalism can be good business. Local flavor, however it’s defined, is worth the effort.
I've come across Cheerwine on my travels but I've never tried one because I had no idea what it was. After reading this description, all I can think about is drinking a Cheerwine!
Next time you're here in St. Louis, try a Vess! (If you haven't already.) Ice cold cans of it were the only soda in the post-Little League game cooler when I was a kid. There are myriad flavors, although the Whistle orange is an iconic one, and the weird flavors like pineapple are a very distinct part of local culture.
My family moved to Chicago from Nashville right after I turned 4, but went down to visit family often. Nashville is where I first had Cheerwine. As a kid, I found it intriguing. You hit the nail on the head -- it's not sweet the way most fruit-flavored sodas are. This sounds like a dis, but it's not meant as such, but I think it's more akin to how cherry flavored cough syrup -- it's not as sweet, and more robust yet somehow, doesn't overwhelm the cola taste. Over the years, I grew to like it more (but my personal favorite soda is Dr. Pepper, so Cheerwine is always a change-of-pace soda). For a few years, my mother-in-law lived near the Research Triangle, and one summer when me and my wife went down for a visit, they had Cheerwine-flavored (or, rather, Cheerwine-laced) Krispy Kreme donuts at the supermarket, which turned out to be pretty good.
Yes! The Krispy Kreme collab is absolutely the best one Cheerwine has done. (They also paired up with NoDa Brewing for a beer I tried *so* hard to like... alas)
I recall Moxie as tasting like awful rooty cough syrup, but I haven't had any in about 20 years, maybe longer. Might be worth a revisit as my palate has aged and I've come to enjoy bitter flavors that disgusted me as a youth.
Emma, have you ever had Jones soda? I am wondering if that falls under the category of regional.
I heard/saw something recently about how music is really a memory of times/places and I thought that was very true. I’ve never had the association with food or drink as strongly, but I can see how you would.
Research idea: For a long time (not sure it is still the case), the province of Quebec was the only state or province where Pepsi outsold Coke. While I grew up in Quebec, I have no idea why this was/is the case. I would love to know more.