Do lots of areas of the US have different pop brands?

[KarenNC]

I see no one has mentioned Sundrop or Cherry-Lemon-Sundrop, which is a NC thing (maybe SC as well), along with Cheerwine. I grew up here calling them either "drinks" or "cokes."

 

"Would you like a coke?"

"Sure."

"What kind?"

"Sundrop."

 

Here we get the standard Coke/Pepsi stuff, Dr. Pepper, Cheerwine, Sundrop, various store brands, RC, Diet-Rite, Mello-Yello, Fanta, Fresca, Crush, Jarritos (a Mexican brand?), Mt. Dew, Sierra Mist, Sunkist, Sprite, 7-UP, A&W, Welch's, Tropicana Twister, Canada Dry, IBC, Polar, Slice, Squirt, Tahitian Treat, Vernors, Vault, Wink, Seagram's, Tab, Stewarts, Frostie (not sure if that's a store brand), Hires, Pangleheimers, Hansen's, Mug, Izze, Dr. Brown's, Reed's, San Pellegrino.

 

That list is from the online shopping for two major grocery stores in the area and includes things like root beer and ginger ale. Ten to fifteen years ago, the list would have been vastly smaller. An average restaurant, which would likely have just the standard basic Coke/Pepsi (not even Sundrop or Cheerwine many places), or specialty store will have different options. For instance, we have (or had, haven't been in a while), a British import shop where you could buy Lilt. I know I've seen Faygo and Shasta around lately, but don't remember where. Dollar store, maybe?

 

For an odd regional soft drink/soda/etc, the local is either a suicide or a witchdoctor, both of which are fountain-only. A suicide is a mix of everything in the fountain (not sure if they include diet flavors in that, as there's usually only one). A witchdoctor is a suicide with dill pickle slices added in. Yes, those options are indeed on the menu at a couple of places around here (notably a very local burger chain and the skating rink ;)). The cherry-lemon-Sundrop started out that way, as a fountain-only mix, but is now available in bottles (though I don't like the bottled variety nearly as well).

[nukeswife]

we have sundrop here in VA and we were able to get it in WI and IA when visiting there a year ago. I think it may have been a regional thing, but recently went nationwide.

[DawnM]

My friend is from Ohio and likes lime Pepsi. Here in NC we can only get lime Coke, which she doesn't like.

 

As for Cheerwine, I had never heard of it until I moved to NC.

 

Dawn

[extendedforecast]

We have both Coke and Mexican Coke in some stores. The Mexican Coke is made with cane sugar instead of HFCS. We can also get malta which tastes likes the brown tootsie roll lollipop-yum!

 

Where can I find Mexican coke? I've been telling dh about it for years, yet he's never believed me. I've never heard of Malta. I bet my kids would love it!

[Jane in NC]

I did not see anyone mention Sun Drop, another NC drink. Some people seem to be raised on it.

 

 

I see no one has mentioned Sundrop or Cherry-Lemon-Sundrop, which is a NC thing (maybe SC as well), along with Cheerwine.

 

Funny that we posted on Sundrop at the same time!

[AngieW in Texas]

We have Sprite here in TX. It's the only soft drink my 14yo is interested in.

 

When we visited Virginia several years ago, nobody had any idea what root beer was. They'd never heard of A&W or Barq's (both have caffeine-free option). They kept pointing me to Mr. Pibb (hadn't seen that since I was a kid), but it's NOT the same.

[chiguirre]

Where can I find Mexican coke? I've been telling dh about it for years, yet he's never believed me. I've never heard of Malta. I bet my kids would love it!

 

In the regular soda aisle at HEB, it's under the regular plastic bottle packs at my store. HEB also sells their own cane sugar sweetened sodas, they've got root beer, cola and Dr. B (their Dr. Pepper knock off) in cans in the regular soda aisle. Malta's with the imported stuff. In my HEB that section is labelled Goya even they stock other brands too.

[dangermom]

Mmmm, Squirt. I didn't know that was mostly a CA thing.

 

I can't think of any others, except that around here we drink Knudsen's sparkling fruit drinks instead of Martinelli's.

[LaxMom]

Every time I go home, I try to have a Moxie. It's bitter and distinct. I love the stuff :D Crack open a cold one with an Italian sandwich and some salt & vinegar chips......mmmmm-mmmmmm good!

 

Mmmmmmmm. I :001_wub: Moxie. And Italian sandwiches. And salt & vinegar chips. (But I do not love the disgusting red hotdogs that crunch when you bite into them. :ack2: Maybe that's why I dot care for hotdogs much. Flashbacks.)

 

My Pepe used to drink unsweetened Moxie. I can't even imagine how less-sweet Moxie could be. My dad and his brothers used to empty the sugar bowl into their glasses, just to make it drinkable, when they were kids.

 

I also like the Jarritos tamarind soda. I get it at our favorite taqueria in Dover. They also sell export Coke (with sugar) and Squirt. (no, it doesn't taste like Moxie, but it has its own distinct flavor.)

 

Speaking of soda with sugar, does everyone else have Blue Sky, Hansen's and/or Maine Root (best ginger ale ever! Spicy!)? Or are those eastern seaboard specific?

Edited June 24, 2012 by MyCrazyHouse

[LaxMom]

I love the red hotdogs. I haven't had one in years.

 

I just ran into some (but I don't think they're proper Maine red hot dogs) in Giant here. I practically knocked myself over recoiling from the case, a la Kramer. They were right there with the other random, inexplicable meat products - pork roll, etc - at the end of the case next to the restrooms (which is why I was standing there, pondering odd meat products; I was waiting for the boys.)

[GoVanGogh]

I recognize many of the brands mentioned as non-regional drinks:

Squirt

Vernors

Shasta (Drank this growing up in Iowa in the '70s)

Sprite (DS was amused that it was served with a lemon slice in Paris)

Orange Slice

Stewart's

 

 

PSA:

Dr Pepper does not have a period in their name/logo. ;)

[gardening momma]

The 6 years I lived in Michigan, it was near impossible to find Dr. Pepper. :glare: NO! Mr. Pibb will NOT do!

I grew up in MI, and Dr Pepper was never hard to find (northern MI, west MI, and later as an adult, the U.P.). What area were you in?

Edited June 24, 2012 by gardening momma

[gardening momma]

I have never heard of Moxie or Verners. My friend likes Squirt which is apparently a western states/California thing.

We had Squirt in MI and have it here in OH.

[gardening momma]

Is Stewart's national? Root beer, cream soda, cherry soda and orange soda (I think).

I used to drink Stewart's Key Lime in Michigan's U.P.

[gardening momma]

For an odd regional soft drink/soda/etc, the local is either a suicide or a witchdoctor, both of which are fountain-only. A suicide is a mix of everything in the fountain (not sure if they include diet flavors in that, as there's usually only one). A witchdoctor is a suicide with dill pickle slices added in. Yes, those options are indeed on the menu at a couple of places around here (notably a very local burger chain and the skating rink ;)). The cherry-lemon-Sundrop started out that way, as a fountain-only mix, but is now available in bottles (though I don't like the bottled variety nearly as well).

We used to make "swamp water," which was a combination of Faygo Rock & Rye and whatever other pop flavors you wanted to mix in--you had to have Rock & Rye and at least 2-3 other flavors to achieve swamp water.

[melissad2]

We have RC and cheerwine around here. I much prefer Pepsi though!

[NavyMommy]

We have Sprite and Dr. Pepper here... :confused:

 

I miss the days when I could get a Cheerwine when eating out. We have to pick it up specially in NC or SC when we're driving through now. :(

 

Not that we drink soda much anyway. But Cheerwine is special stuff.

 

I love Cheerwine! And Sun Drop! When we lived in VA we would bring back cases when we went to visit my grandma in NC. They've just sold their distribution to Pepsi though so it should soon be much easier to find (I just found some in a VA Wal Mart). I just hope the quality doesn't change!

[gardening momma]

I live near this store, where I can probably find every brand of pop mentioned in this thread (except the store brands that have been mentioned).

 

Go ahead--be jealous. :tongue_smilie:

[Occasionally]

Black Cherry Wishniak

 

Frank's! They also have a pineapple flavor. I always had pineapple flavor when visiting my great-aunt and -uncle's house.

[Stacia]

Is that to compete with Cheerwine?

 

I did not see anyone mention Sun Drop, another NC drink. Some people seem to be raised on it.

 

And then (drum roll) there is a better ginger ale than Vernors: Blenheim's from SC. Amazing stuff. Regular is hot; hot blows your socks off.

 

Oh, yeah, Blenheim's is strong! :lol: Good, but hot/spicy (not sure what word best describes it). Feel the burn!

 

I see no one has mentioned Sundrop or Cherry-Lemon-Sundrop, which is a NC thing (maybe SC as well), along with Cheerwine. I grew up here calling them either "drinks" or "cokes."

 

"Would you like a coke?"

"Sure."

"What kind?"

"Sundrop."

 

Here we get the standard Coke/Pepsi stuff, Dr. Pepper, Cheerwine, Sundrop, various store brands, RC, Diet-Rite, Mello-Yello, Fanta, Fresca, Crush, Jarritos (a Mexican brand?), Mt. Dew, Sierra Mist, Sunkist, Sprite, 7-UP, A&W, Welch's, Tropicana Twister, Canada Dry, IBC, Polar, Slice, Squirt, Tahitian Treat, Vernors, Vault, Wink, Seagram's, Tab, Stewarts, Frostie (not sure if that's a store brand), Hires, Pangleheimers, Hansen's, Mug, Izze, Dr. Brown's, Reed's, San Pellegrino.

 

:iagree: w/ Jane's & Karen's lists. (I grew up moving around a lot, much of it in the South w/ many relatives in NC & SC.) My sister used to love Cheerwine & I had one awhile ago when I was visiting her, just to remind myself of what it tasted like. I had an uncle that lived on Tab, an aunt that loved RC, my dad drank Diet-Rite by the gallon, my good friend lives on Dr. Pepper, of course many of the teens love Mello-Yello & Mt. Dew, etc...

 

Of course, I also partially grew up/live in Coke territory, where all drinks are a Coke & when the waitperson asks if Pepsi (:ack2:) is ok, the answer is NO! (I don't really drink Cokes of any kind anymore; I used to live on Diet Coke for many years, though. Once in awhile, I'll have a Coke esp. because we can get the little glass bottles at Costco & I love those. :D)

 

There are a lot of drinks on this thread that I've never heard of....

[Belacqua]

Squirt once nearly caused my grandmother to fire her physician. I had taken her to the doctor and he wanted her to drink a big cup of something (for some test or other); he told her it "tasted just like warm Squirt."

 

Well.

 

"Warm WHAT?"

 

"Squirt."

 

"Squirt of WHAT?" Grandmother was at this point most agitated and had started poking her finger into the cup to figure out what he meant.

 

"Squirt. It's...you know. Squirt!"

 

Fortunately, I was familiar with the soda and was able to tell Grandmother that it was a grapefruit-flavored soft drink. She was still half-convinced that her doctor was trying to force her to drink something dreadful. Not entirely sure what she thought it was, but it wasn't anything good. Doctor was about one more "Squirt!" away from getting her handbag upside his head.

[Jane in NC]

We used to make "swamp water," which was a combination of Faygo Rock & Rye and whatever other pop flavors you wanted to mix in--you had to have Rock & Rye and at least 2-3 other flavors to achieve swamp water.

 

You have to remind me what "Rock and Rye" is. I know it is not alcoholic! :lol:

[Jane in NC]

Oh, yeah, Blenheim's is strong! :lol: Good, but hot/spicy (not sure what word best describes it). Feel the burn!

..

 

I read somewhere that Blenheims #3 (hot) will "remove tattoos". :D It is my son's favorite soda!

[LittleIzumi]

I miss Faygo and Vernor's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I crave a Faygo Grape regularly. Sigh.

 

<------ stuck in the desert with just Shasta

 

Oh, we would also drink Ski in Ohio. Imported from another county due to caffeine content, the story went. :lol:

[Dealea86]

Is that to compete with Cheerwine?

 

I did not see anyone mention Sun Drop, another NC drink. Some people seem to be raised on it.

 

And then (drum roll) there is a better ginger ale than Vernors: Blenheim's from SC. Amazing stuff. Regular is hot; hot blows your socks off.

 

Jane (not a soda drinker)

 

I forgot about Sun Drop. I was never a fan of any of the yellow sodas, but I definitely remember it. And my dad is a huge Blenheim's fan. He buys them by the case when he drives through SC.

[Bug's Mom]

Where can I find Mexican coke? I've been telling dh about it for years, yet he's never believed me.

 

I see it on the shelves here near all of the Mexican food supplies...taco sauce, tortillas, refried beans.

[Stacia]

I read somewhere that Blenheims #3 (hot) will "remove tattoos". :D It is my son's favorite soda!

 

:lol:

 

Hmmm..... Wonder if laser tattoo removal is less painful than Blenheim's #3 tattooo removal??? ;)

 

So, does your ds love spicy food too (hot chili peppers, Chinese mustard, etc...)?

[gardening momma]

You have to remind me what "Rock and Rye" is. I know it is not alcoholic! :lol:

It's a red pop made only by Faygo, as far as I know. It's not strawberry or cherry or any other common fruit. I don't know how to describe it. It's unique.

[TN Mama]

We're going to check this out, hopefully sometime this summer.

 

http://route66.com/40.0.html

[ravinlunachick]

No one has mentioned Dr. Enuf? It's local to NC I believe.

[TravelingChris]

Most of my family doesn't drink sodas including me so I don't really pay attention to sodas. However, I can add, that when we moved to Belgium, my girls were first happy that one of the choices of drink was lemonade. Since they liked the typical lemonade at restaurants in the US, they went ahead and ordered that. It isn't like lemonade in the US, it is what the Europeans call Sprite or 7 up. My girls did not like it at all and never ordered it again. And yes, we did know it wasn;t just this restaurant because we noticed that in vending machines they sold the same things.

[Kathryn]

I never realized Cheerwine and Sun Drop were regional, though I knew Blenheim's was, only because of their awful commercials. We get Mexican Coke in the Hispanic food section at Kroger.

 

Every time I go back to Maine, my dad buys Moxie puts on a show of loving it and offers me one. I always decline with horror. Mom says he never drinks them unless I am there...

 

When I moved, it took me a while to explain to the New Yorker's that in Maine people often "have an Italian for lunch." I think they suspected canibalism!

 

:lol: DH came up to Maine with us this year for the first time for my family's annual trip to my grandparents' place. He made that joke when we were ordering sandwiches. He also commented on the Moxie at the grocery store (and the liquor, which isn't allowed here).

 

Mmmmmmmm. I :001_wub: Moxie. And Italian sandwiches. And salt & vinegar chips. (But I do not love the disgusting red hotdogs that crunch when you bite into them. :ack2: Maybe that's why I dot care for hotdogs much. Flashbacks.)

 

My Pepe used to drink unsweetened Moxie. I can't even imagine how less-sweet Moxie could be. My dad and his brothers used to empty the sugar bowl into their glasses, just to make it drinkable, when they were kids.

 

I also like the Jarritos tamarind soda. I get it at our favorite taqueria in Dover. They also sell export Coke (with sugar) and Squirt. (no, it doesn't taste like Moxie, but it has its own distinct flavor.)

 

Speaking of soda with sugar, does everyone else have Blue Sky, Hansen's and/or Maine Root (best ginger ale ever! Spicy!)? Or are those eastern seaboard specific?

 

We get those at our local "natural" store, but not in the "normal" stores.

[Jane in NC]

:lol:

 

Hmmm..... Wonder if laser tattoo removal is less painful than Blenheim's #3 tattooo removal??? ;)

 

So, does your ds love spicy food too (hot chili peppers, Chinese mustard, etc...)?

 

His middle name should be "Sriaracha".

[akmommy]

We always have to remind the kids that they can't order Sprite in the States. That's usually what they want.

 

:confused:

 

I'm in alaska and we have sprite everywhere here. Dr. Pepper too.

[Jane in NC]

It's a red pop made only by Faygo, as far as I know. It's not strawberry or cherry or any other common fruit. I don't know how to describe it. It's unique.

 

There is a vague recollection of this from my Midwestern childhood. So it is not Dr Pepper, either? Not a cola like drink?

[Jane in NC]

I never realized Cheerwine and Sun Drop were regional, though I knew Blenheim's was, only because of their awful commercials. We get Mexican Coke in the Hispanic food section at Kroger.

 

 

I have never seen a Blenheim's commercial! How awful, dare I ask??

[gardening momma]

There is a vague recollection of this from my Midwestern childhood. So it is not Dr Pepper, either? Not a cola like drink?

No, nowhere near a cola or Dr Pepper. It's a fruity flavor.

[Kathryn]

I have never seen a Blenheim's commercial! How awful, dare I ask??

 

I haven't seen them in years, but imagine the most stereotypically redneck guy you can (you know, shirtless in overalls, bad teeth, accent, etc.) and have him tell you about the awesome SC secret soda.

[LittleIzumi]

:confused:

 

I'm in alaska and we have sprite everywhere here. Dr. Pepper too.

 

I've been in many states and never seen a place where Sprite or Dr. Pepper wasn't available, except in specific restaurants (because they are usually either Coke-brands-only or Pepsi-brands-only, so you could get either 7-up or Sprite, depending on the franchise).

[Jane in NC]

No, nowhere near a cola or Dr Pepper. It's a fruity flavor.

 

I don't drink soda anymore but now I am sufficiently curious to find Rock and Rye when I visit the Midwest! I do remember Faygo "Red Pop" was a big deal at some point.

 

I haven't seen them in years, but imagine the most stereotypically redneck guy you can (you know, shirtless in overalls, bad teeth, accent, etc.) and have him tell you about the awesome SC secret soda.

 

Yikes! A good thing that I have not seen this commercial because I would not be inclined to buy the product. (Even if it is an awesome SC secret!)

[OnTheBrink]

I have never heard of Moxie or Verners. My friend likes Squirt which is apparently a western states/California thing.

 

No, you can buy it here in Illinois, too. My daughter loves it.

 

Does anyone remember Slice? It was PepsiCo's stab at producing a 7up/Sprite alternative. They also had flavor such as Orange Slice and my favorite was Apple Slice.

 

I LOVED Apple Slice. There was also another apple soda called Aspen. I wish they were still around.

 

I've been told that Cherry Pepsi is a NC specific thing.

 

Moxie is the toxic sludge of soft drinks.

 

No, I have gotten Cherry Pepsi everywhere. I had a diet one yesterday. LOL

 

What I wish I could get here is Cactus Cooler. I've only seen it in CA.

[LittleIzumi]

I don't drink soda anymore but now I am sufficiently curious to find Rock and Rye when I visit the Midwest! I do remember Faygo "Red Pop" was a big deal at some point.

 

Mmmmm, Red Pop....

 

What I wish I could get here is Cactus Cooler. I've only seen it in CA.

 

We have it in Utah!!! Liquid gummi bears, that stuff. Yum.

 

Oh, do other states have Apple Beer, or is that a Utah-only pop? (It's like fizzy apple cider.)

[frugalmama]

I find it funny - 10 pages in and nobody has mentioned my favorite soda! Dr Pepper Cherry Diet

[Dustybug]

We always have to remind the kids that they can't order Sprite in the States. That's usually what they want.

 

I have never seen a place that didn't have Sprite. :confused:

 

Thomas Kemper... root beer... mmmmm....!!!

 

There's also Jones Soda, if you like your soda to be blue or some strange flavor.

 

And Shasta.

 

I love Jones Cream Soda!!

 

I've been told that Cherry Pepsi is a NC specific thing.

 

Moxie is the toxic sludge of soft drinks.

 

I get cherry pepsi anywhere I travel, including NoVa (I see you are in D.C.) when I visit my parents.

 

The only place I know of that wouldn't have Dr. P would be restaurants. They don't always stock all the flavors. I hate it when I go somewhere and the only choices are Coke and Sprite.

 

When we traveled earlier in the month I couldn't get root beer in two different places in PA.

 

Anyone remember Grape Nehi? When I was a kid there was one gas station that had a machine with glass bottles, and one could get Grape Nehi. When they changed their name to RC Cola, it was all down hill from there.

 

You can still find grape Nehi in come convenience stores around here!

 

We have Sprite here in TX. It's the only soft drink my 14yo is interested in.

 

When we visited Virginia several years ago, nobody had any idea what root beer was. They'd never heard of A&W or Barq's (both have caffeine-free option). They kept pointing me to Mr. Pibb (hadn't seen that since I was a kid), but it's NOT the same.

 

 

I grew up in VA and had root beer all the time.

 

Squirt once nearly caused my grandmother to fire her physician. I had taken her to the doctor and he wanted her to drink a big cup of something (for some test or other); he told her it "tasted just like warm Squirt."

 

Well.

 

"Warm WHAT?"

 

"Squirt."

 

"Squirt of WHAT?" Grandmother was at this point most agitated and had started poking her finger into the cup to figure out what he meant.

 

"Squirt. It's...you know. Squirt!"

 

Fortunately, I was familiar with the soda and was able to tell Grandmother that it was a grapefruit-flavored soft drink. She was still half-convinced that her doctor was trying to force her to drink something dreadful. Not entirely sure what she thought it was, but it wasn't anything good. Doctor was about one more "Squirt!" away from getting her handbag upside his head.

 

:lol:

 

No one has mentioned Dr. Enuf? It's local to NC I believe.

 

 

I'm in NC and have never heard of that.

 

I had never heard of Cheerwine or Sundrop until I moved here.

[Dmmetler]

Red cream soda-it was a fountain drink at the Allsup's across from my college dorm in New Mexico, 20 or so years ago. Probably carcinogenic or something, but SO good!

[ChocolateReignRemix]

Red cream soda-it was a fountain drink at the Allsup's across from my college dorm in New Mexico, 20 or so years ago. Probably carcinogenic or something, but SO good!

 

I used to be able to find that in the Pittsburgh area. One of my all time favorites.

[cottonmama]

Not that we drink soda much anyway. But Cheerwine is special stuff.

 

:iagree:

[LittleIzumi]

Red cream soda-it was a fountain drink at the Allsup's across from my college dorm in New Mexico, 20 or so years ago. Probably carcinogenic or something, but SO good!

 

Barq's makes a red cream soda that's been in many states across the country I've visited.

[KarenNC]

No one has mentioned Dr. Enuf? It's local to NC I believe.

 

I've not seen it here in the Piedmont and had never heard of it. Looks like it's local to the NC/TN/GA/VA mountains http://www.wheretofinddrenuf.com/ which makes sense, as the website says it's out of Johnson City, TN.

[LeslieAnneLevine]

When I was a kid my grandma always had a big crate of Towne Club Soda, some type of variety pack. We'd always have to put the empty glass bottles back into the crate when we were done. (This was in the Detroit area)

 

Growing up I loved Faygo rock n rye and I agree with the PP that it's hard to describe. You just have to taste it.

 

My euro-DS loves Orangina and Ramseier carbonated apple juice (it comes in a green glass bottle and looks like a beer).