I grew up in central NC, about 20 miles from where Cheerwine is made. Locally, it’s almost as popular and ubiquitous as Coke. It’s in every vending machine, a lot of fast food restaurants, every gas station. There is even Cheerwine ice cream at the grocery stores. It was one of the things I missed most when I moved to Arizona.
Over the years I’ve tried to explain it to people who had never tried it and it was tough for a long time . . .
It’s like . . .
“. . . cherry Coke?”
No
“oh, then cherry soda.”
No, not that either . . .
Eventually it dawned on me:
It’s like cherry . . . Dr. Pepper!
Through iterations of Black Cherry Dr. Pepper and Cherry Vanilla Dr. Pepper, I wished for that Cheerwine taste. I never got it and wondered why they didn’t make just plain old cherry Dr. Pepper. Well, finally they have. I just tried one and, yep, I had been right all those years. It’s almost exactly like Cheerwine. It might not be 100%, but it’s damn close, and if you’d blindfolded me and gave me a drink, I’d’ve said “Cheerwine. No problem.” Instantly.
For some reason, now that it’s here, I’m kind of disappointed. I guess it’s since they’re marketing it as something new and original. I wish the real stuff would’ve just expanded out to here. Dr. Pepper had to have known what they were doing when they made a practically identical drink.
I really don’t see how you can say that. I grew up on Cheerwine, and I still buy it from a specialty shop here a few times a year, and I have a bottle of Cherry Dr. Pepper sitting right next to me. They’re clearly extremely similar. Almost, but I allow for not quite, exactly the same.
Are you sure you tasted the brand new Cherry Dr. Pepper and not the old Cherry Vanilla Dr. Pepper or Black Cherry Dr. Pepper?
I’m still waiting for them to sell bottled Vanilla Dr Pepper, sans cherry. I get it made at Sonic and DQ, but it would be nice to be able to get it at the grocery store or out of vending machines. Berries and Cream Dr Pepper was pretty good. Cherry Dr Pepper is just okay. Cherry Vanilla Dr Pepper sucks.
Personally I would like them to sell me my Holy Grail – Caffeine-Free Diet Dr. Pepper – here in New York. Ever since going off caffeine, I haven’t been able to drink my beloved Diet Dr. Pepper, which is the best diet soft drink around.
Yes, but the diet variety because I never drink non-diet soda. I may have to do a side by side comparison at some point, but I don’t care for (Diet) Cherry Dr Pepper at all, and I’ve always liked Cheerwine.
Baffling. The only difference I could detect, and this was 3/4ths of the way through the bottle, is that I think Cheerwine has a very very very slightly stronger cherry bouquet right up front, and the Cherry Dr. Pepper finishes with just a hint of regular Dr. Pepper taste. It’s very subtle. And I’m a confirmed supertaster. If you did a blind taste test with a little 1 or 2oz dixie cup I doubt 99 out of 100 people would even be able to tell that they’re tasting different sodas.
Maybe the diet versions use different sugar substitutes.
I like Cherry Dr. Pepper and I like Cheerwine better, diet versions only ( I no longer drink sugared sodas ). Available hear in the Bay Area at certain Beverages & More outlets ( diet version can be had in Jack London Square in Oakland for example ).
I have an acquaintance originally from North Carolina who damn near had an orgasm when he found out it could be had in California. It’s good stuff, despite the heavy carbonation, which I’m usually not as big a fan of. I find it “cleaner” tasting than the Dr. Pepper, less cloying. I also have no problem describing it as “cherry soda”, distinct from Cherry Dr. Pepper or Cherry Colas.
As I was pulling into the Piggly Wiggly the other day, there was a giant Cheerwine truck*. I’d never had it, so we bought some. I always like cherry Coke, but I hate Cherry Coke, the taste is far to synthetic. I really liked the Cheerwine, it tasted more like cherry. Evidently, I’m pretty deep in Cheerwine territory, since now I see it everywhere.
*I’ve moved to the country, I’m on a mountain top that can’t decide if it is Georgia or North Carolina. All I know, is the second highest peak in Georgia is right over my shoulder. The sunrises are glorious, FYI.
Technically, Dr. Pepper is a black cherry! What I realy love even more is Canada Dry’s Black Cherry Wisniack (sp?) soda. I’ve only seen it sold in abundance in Philly. Is this available in other places?
I thought Dr Pepper had a slightly cherry flavor to begin with, so the idea of Cherry Dr Pepper struck me as a bit redundant.
Cheerwine is infinity superior anyway.
I absolutely love Cheerwine, as well as Caffeine Free Diet Cheerwine. I think there’s something in this stuff that tickles the Happy Genes of native Southerners. Also, Cheerwine helped me pull though when I had to quit drinking booze. In some ways, I owe it my life.
God Bless the Fine Folks at Cheerwine!
FTR- Jones Diet Black Cherry Soda isn’t bad either.
