# Dr. Pepper **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 4, 2003, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-pepper/179648 "2003-06-04T17:20:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![herman\_and\_bill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f1d935/32.png) [@herman\_and\_bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/herman_and_bill)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2003, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-pepper/179648/41 "2003-06-06T00:58:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Reeder \* > \*\*What I want to know is who came up with the idea to put phosphoric acid in soft drinks? \*\* If I recall correctly, the phosphoric acid is an aid in bottleing to keep the disolved CO from fizzing out. ---
**Author:** ![MysteryFellow63427](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e4f/32.png) [@MysteryFellow63427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysteryFellow63427)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2003, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-pepper/179648/42 "2003-06-06T02:24:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by DrDeth \* > \*\*most dudes buy their favorite simply out of “brand preferance” and they can’t even tell the difference between Coke & Pepsi (and these do have slight but distinc diferences to a educated palate). Of course, now some Coca Cola fanatic will come in here and swear HE can. Blind taste test studies by independent testers show different results, however, for the large majority of drink fans. Thus, you may insist you can always tell the difference, but I’d say that 90%+ of Coke drinkers, if given Pepsi hidden inside that familiar wasp-waisted bottle, would not say anything. And, if given a blind taste test, maybe 60% could tell which was Coke consistantly. Would it be possible to provide some kind of cite instead of making up numbers? ---
**Author:** ![TelcontarStorm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3ab097/32.png) [@TelcontarStorm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TelcontarStorm)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2003, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-pepper/179648/43 "2003-06-06T02:33:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by DreadCthulhu \* > \*\*Dr Pepper is the sweet nectar of the Great Old Ones, no matter how you drink it. \*\* Testify Brother! ---
**Author:** ![Desmostylus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@Desmostylus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desmostylus)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2003, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-pepper/179648/44 "2003-06-06T02:42:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by herman\_and\_bill \* > \*\*If I recall correctly, the phosphoric acid is an aid in bottleing to keep the disolved CO from fizzing out. \*\* I’ll add another call for “provide a cite and stop making stuff up”. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2003, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-pepper/179648/45 "2003-06-06T05:38:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by caveman \* > \*\*Materials: 4 oz Dr Pepper from a can featuring Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, 1 paper towel, 1 standard coffee cup, 1 small, low-wattage microwave oven > > Method: Dispense Dr Pepper from can into coffee mug, place in center of microwave oven, cover with paper towel. Heat for 30 seconds. Allow to cool briefly. Sip slowly. > > Results: Not bad…better than room-temperature DP, anyhow. It is a bit thinner, and totally flat. The flavor is much sharper and acidic than when cold, almost harsh and medicine-like. The color seems unaffected, but it is much more aromatic. On the whole, drinkable, but not recommended. \*\* That’s because you forgot the whiskey! Hot Dr Pepper is best enjoyed with at least a shot or two of whiskey mixed in. ---
**Author:** ![herman\_and\_bill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f1d935/32.png) [@herman\_and\_bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/herman_and_bill)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2003, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-pepper/179648/46 "2003-06-06T10:40:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Desmostylus \* > \*\*I’ll add another call for “provide a cite and stop making stuff up”. \*\* I do take offense at being accused of making stuff up. [http://www.motherearthworks.com/articles/Food/soft.htm](http://www.motherearthworks.com/articles/Food/soft.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Desmostylus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@Desmostylus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desmostylus)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2003, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-pepper/179648/47 "2003-06-06T11:52:15Z")
Forgive me if I find your cite less than credible. It says: > [@](#): > > In a recent edition of Townsend Letter For Doctors And Patients an article called The Curse Of The Soft Drink inspired me to bring this to your attention. The following are excerpts of that article written by the author Stan Field. > > The soft drink market is huge and has a long history. What we know of as soda had its origin in Atlanta Ga. Back in the 1880’s. The new non-alcoholic beverage would quench the thirst and provide pep. It’s ingredients were cocaine, kola bean, sugar, caramel coloring, lime juice, citric acid, phosphoric acid, nutmeg, coriander, neroli, and cinnamon. Have you guessed it yet? > > So how can such an innocent drink be of harm to the body? Lets look at some of the ingredients that you will find in almost every can of pop. Most contain phosphoric acid, caffeine, sugar, saccharin or nutri-sweet, caramel coloring, carbon dioxide and aluminum. The detrimental health benefits of these beverages takes its toll over a long period of time. I really don’t think having a soft drink occasionally does much harm but what about pop-aholics who drink numerous daily. > > Lets begin with phosphoric acid: this is used in soft drinks to allow the bubbles of carbon dioxide to release more slowly which helps with bottling. Phosphoric acid has a sour taste and needs sugar to make it more palatable. Firstly, the whole point of putting the phosphoric acid in is to make the stuff taste sour. The idea that the sourness is somehow a side-effect that needs to be counteracted by adding more sugar is laughable. Secondly, the author purports to be quoting another source, “The Curse Of The Soft Drink” by Stan Field. That source can be found here: [http://www.google.com.au/search?q=cache:Oqd39lziOGEJ:www.drjuliej.com/article\_07-29-01.php+"stan+field"+phosphoric+acid](http://www.google.com.au/search?q=cache:Oqd39lziOGEJ:www.drjuliej.com/article_07-29-01.php+%22stan+field%22+phosphoric+acid) It’s the usual “soft drinks are bad” stuff, but even so, _it does not contain the sentence “Lets begin with phosphoric acid: this is used in soft drinks to allow the bubbles of carbon dioxide to release more slowly which helps with bottling”_, nor anything even vaguely resembling it. So it looks like you’re off the hook, it was the author of your cite that made it up. ---
**Author:** ![herman\_and\_bill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f1d935/32.png) [@herman\_and\_bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/herman_and_bill)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2003, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-pepper/179648/48 "2003-06-06T12:18:57Z")
Yea that link was from a health food place, I actually read that in the paper the other day and I was surprised that Google got me the same article. What I did find out that lowers the ph, maybe that helps to keep it from fizzing and also it is used as a cleaning agent, especially in brewing( It being phosphoric acid). Thanks for taking me off the hook. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2003, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-pepper/179648/49 "2003-06-10T20:49:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by neuroman \* > \*\*Would it be possible to provide some kind of cite instead of making up numbers? \*\* Well, you know, there is that little thing called “search” on your computer, where a search for “blind taste test coke pepsi” got over 50 hits, including one of our brother sites- Snopes. You really haven’t heard of “the Pepsi Challenge”? Reams have been written about it. Well, here is the snopes cite: > **[Was the 'New Coke' Fiasco Just a Clever Marketing Ploy?](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/new-coke-fiasco/)** > > Was the 'New Coke' fiasco really a clever marketing ploy? ---
**Author:** ![moejuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@moejuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moejuck)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2003, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-pepper/179648/50 "2003-06-10T22:26:33Z")
For me, Dr. Pepper has become some what of a religious experience. Once I strarted drinking this tasty beverage (About 10 years ago), I couldn’t get enough. I will say that I can’t stand it even warm, so hot D.P. sounds slightly disgusting to me. Nothing is better than an ice cold D.P. from the fountain at your local Taco Bell. Anyone that thinks D.P. tastes “exactly like cherry Coke” has a serious lack of fungi-form papilae. Don’t mind my spelling. Why did they name this drink Dr. Pepper? I agree that at one point in time I would not drink it, thinking that it would taste peppery. Maybe Dr. Amaretto, or Dr. Almond, or Dr. Strangelove would have been better sellers. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-pepper/179648/51 "2003-06-11T00:35:20Z")
> [@](#): > > Why did they name this drink Dr. Pepper? I agree that at one point in time I would not drink it, thinking that it would taste peppery. Maybe Dr. Amaretto, or Dr. Almond, or Dr. Strangelove would have been better sellers. \*\* Nobody is sure of the origin of the name, but one of the most likely (IMHO) is that it is supposed to give you extra pep. The old slogan said Drink it at 10, 2 and 4, which supposedly are the times your energy levels are the lowest. ---
**Author:** ![JillGat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JillGat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JillGat)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-pepper/179648/52 "2003-06-11T02:07:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by gypsymoth3 \* > \*\*cecil’s article just said it doesn’t contain anything related to cherries. \*\* Not Cecil’s article, dammit. And I am _not_ a minion. Jill ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-pepper/179648/53 "2003-06-11T02:50:41Z")
Does anyone know if caffeine free Dr Pepper is available in Western PA? I loves me some DP, but unfortunately, I’m not supposed to have caffeine. ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-pepper/179648/54 "2003-06-11T03:05:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Duke of Rat \* > \*\*The only soft drink Duke drinks. \*\* Two of us here can say that. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![John\_Harrison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5ac83/32.png) [@John\_Harrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Harrison)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-pepper/179648/55 "2003-06-11T04:23:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by DrDeth \* > \*\*No need to do so, Max. Read “Big Secrets” by Poundstone. Basicly, we already know almost exactly what is in each soft drink- the difference is in tiny flavourings and the amount there of. Note that stores can make a very passable imitation of colas & “pepper drinks” for their store brands. > > If someone wanted to they could (and likely have) make a erzatz “Coke” that would taste (in a blind taste test) exactly like “the real thing”. Makes no difference- most dudes buy their favorite simply out of “brand preferance” and they can’t even tell the difference between Coke & Pepsi (and these do have slight but distinc diferences to a educated palate). Of course, now some Coca Cola fanatic will come in here and swear HE can. Blind taste test studies by independent testers show different results, however, for the large majority of drink fans. Thus, you may insist you can always tell the difference, but I’d say that 90%+ of Coke drinkers, if given Pepsi hidden inside that familiar wasp-waisted bottle, would not say anything. And, if given a blind taste test, maybe 60% could tell which was Coke consistantly. \*\* First you talk about generic sodas that can match brand names, and then you say that people can’t really tell the difference. Which is it? Would there be any market for generic soda if the latter were true? And your link to snopes was informative, but only about Coke’s formula change. It really didn’t support your claims that “60% of Coke drinkers couldn’t consistently tell if it was Pepsi”, or anything about double blind test results. All the taste tests I could find were about preference, but said nothing about testing for **consistency** of preference. ---
**Author:** ![Donovan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ea666f/32.png) [@Donovan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Donovan)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-pepper/179648/56 "2003-06-11T05:49:30Z")
I heartily disagree with the statment that coke and pepsi are indistinguishable, at least if you drink them out of a can or **glass** bottle; if I take a big swig out of a can of coke I just opened, the burn makes me cross my eyes (which I like for some reason). Pepsi doesn’t do that for some reason. If it’s a fountain soda or soda that is a little flatter, I can’t tell the difference too well - they both taste like crap. Coke isn’t as sweet and seems to have more zing to it, at least to me. As a kid, I wouldn’t touch the stuff, but loved pepsi. Now I prefer coke, won’t really drink a pepsi unless I really need the caffeine - too sweet. I also have to mention that there was some brand X cheap-as-hell cola from this Store called Aldis that is a nearly dead on knockoff of coke, I probably couldn’t tell the difference between that and coke, and I don’t think that was a coincidence. But Pepsi and coke are pretty distinctive, especially if you drink 2 or more colas a day. (rather IMHO for general questions, but I don’t really have any facts regarding this) ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-pepper/179648/57 "2003-06-11T23:34:16Z")
John- the fact is- there isn’t much difference. If you read the studies, they go on with “among those expressing a preference”, which was something like only 40%. In other words- most (but not all) dudes can’t tell the difference. Some can tell the difference, but think they prefer X, where in reality, in a blind test- they choose Y (“Y” here usually being the tatse of Pepsi). A few can taste the difference & pick out their fave every time. There is certainly a difference in the taste- New Coke showed that- if nothing else. But, again, there isn’t much difference. Still, in the trenches of the “cola wars” an extra 10% could make a HUGE difference. Thus, the attempt by Coke to change the taste of Coke closer to Pepsi= “New Coke”. What they apparently did not count on was the incredible brand loyalty of dudes who EVEN THOUGH THEY PICKED THE TASTE OF PEPSI AS THE ONE THEY PREFERRED- still wanted “classic Coke”- because- well, “that’s what they liked, dammit”. Donovan- maybe you can pick out your fave- Coke- over Pepsi- but the odds are against it. Enough dudes can do so that your claim is certainly not impossible. But- I’ll bet a nickle that if someone secretly put Pepsi into that familiar wasp-waisted glass bottle, you would not complain until they confessed. Have someone do a blind taste test someday. ---
**Author:** ![Daftbugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Daftbugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daftbugger)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-pepper/179648/58 "2003-06-12T16:44:39Z")
I put my hand up, I HAVE done the Pepsi challenge. I got it wrong. ---
**Author:** ![TheNerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/858c86/32.png) [@TheNerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheNerd)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-pepper/179648/59 "2003-06-12T17:28:54Z")
I remember taking the pepsi challenge as a young kid. I was extremely disappointed to find out that I’d supposedly chosen Pepsi. Then I was disappointed again when I convinced my parents to buy Pepsi instead of Coke, and it tasted nothing like what the challenge served. We went back to Coke and Dr Pepper. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-pepper/179648/60 "2003-06-12T18:09:30Z")
From the “Curse of the Soft Drink” article… > [@](#): > > Let’s take a close look at the ingredients and the effects they have on the body. How about “Let’s take a bunch of lies and half-truths, and link them together with some kind of pseudo-scientific buncombe”? > [@](#): > > THIS _[ie phosphoric acid]_ IS THE SAME STUFF THAT CLEANS DEPOSITED MINERALS IN YOUR SHOWER. If you read the container it says, “harmful if swallowed”. This acid causes the body to use its alkaline minerals to neutralize the acid and excretes them in the urine. OH NO! PHOSPHORIC ACID WILL REMOVE LIMESCALE!! Er, yes. So will common or garden vinegar. The container says “harmful if swallowed” because it’s **concentrated**! The concentration of phosphoric acid in Coke is much, much lower. And how exactly does the acid in Coke have such a great effect, when it is much **less** acidic than the acid that is already in your stomach. According to [Snopes](http://www.snopes.com/cokelore/tooth.asp) there is 20 times as much phosphoric acid, weight for weight, in an orange as there is in Coke. I am aware that I’m probably preaching to the converted here, but some people’s ignorance just makes me want to hit them repeatedly between the eyes with some good solid **facts**. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-pepper/179648.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-pepper/179648.md?page=4)