# Foulest soda/pop? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 24, 2002, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foulest-soda-pop/133733 "2002-10-24T19:45:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Caffeine.addict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f475e1/32.png) [@Caffeine.addict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caffeine.addict)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2002, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foulest-soda-pop/133733/121 "2002-10-31T05:30:53Z")
What’s malta? To me Pepsi Blue tastes like Nyquil that has been watered down, sugared, carbonated and had all the fun characteristics removed. Where can one find Beverly? I have this overwhelming urge to find some of that. ---
**Author:** ![MrVisible](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@MrVisible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrVisible)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2002, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foulest-soda-pop/133733/122 "2002-10-31T06:52:23Z")
There are advantages to living here in Tucson, among them the fact that every day you get exposed to a multitude of cultures, and can sample various culinary aspects of them with abandon. A while back I developed an addiction to [horchata](http://gourmetsleuth.com/horchata.htm), a Mexican drink made from rice and cinnamon and almonds. Surprisingly light, and the perfect complement to a good spicy mean, it’s one of my favorite Tucson experiences. I’ve searched local restaurants diligently, trying to find the one that serves the very best. So imagine my delight when, in a Southwest Supermarket one day, I spotted that Holy Grail of beverages, the legendary Horchata Soda. Imagine my giddy anticipation as I rushed to the checkout stand with a three-liter bottle of it. Imagine the rush of contentment as I poured out a hefty glassful over glistening ice cubes, and raised it up to take my first big gulp. But please try not to imagine my revulsion as I spit the result out all over the kitchen, then spent the next fifteen minuted hunched over the sink, trying unsuccessfully to retain my lunch. It was not a pretty picture. I’ll concede, though. Moxie was worse. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2002, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foulest-soda-pop/133733/123 "2002-10-31T13:27:05Z")
Mr.Visible, what happened? Was the soda defective that one time? Or was the mix of food and soda a bad one? I wonder if my dislike of root beer comes from the fact I may be drinking bad root beer. [size=1]Home is Puerto Rico\* ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2002, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foulest-soda-pop/133733/124 "2002-10-31T13:48:25Z")
I don’t remember the name of this, but a friend had it. It’s some type of Japanese soda that sounds a lot like the Orbitz soda described earlier. It was like Coke with dumplings. There were these little round balls in it that had to be dumplings. It tasted like doughy chicken fat soaked in the protean coloid tin can essence of early experiments. One of the dumpling balls slipped into my throat and I had to swallow it whole or choke to death. I felt violated. I still think about that feeling I got when that buglike clod of chicken chitlin slipped down my esophagus and landed like a plopping turd in my gut. ---
**Author:** ![DeadlyAccurate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@DeadlyAccurate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadlyAccurate)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2002, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foulest-soda-pop/133733/125 "2002-10-31T17:50:11Z")
**brujo** , from looking around, it looks like any Coca-Cola museum might have it if they have a Taste of the World exhibit. Epcot at Disneyworld has it, too. ---
**Author:** ![EchoKitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@EchoKitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EchoKitty)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2002, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foulest-soda-pop/133733/126 "2002-10-31T17:57:27Z")
Is it 50/50 that has chunks of unidentified citrus fruit floating in it? If so, that’s the one that gags me. No solids in my liquids, please. And that goes for crushed-up Oreos in a shake, too. Step off! ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2002, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foulest-soda-pop/133733/127 "2002-10-31T19:09:53Z")
For all your Moxie and Diet Moxie needs: [http://www.mainegoodies.com/food/Moxie/](http://www.mainegoodies.com/food/Moxie/) Seriously, if you’ve never tried the Nector of the Gods’ Unfortunate Younger Siblings who are Living in a Van Down by the River, you owe it to yourself to give it a try. To my taste diet is a bit more Chthulu-oriented than the regular, but both compare favorably to turpentine. ---
**Author:** ![caveman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caveman/32/7242_2.png) [@caveman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caveman)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2002, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foulest-soda-pop/133733/128 "2002-10-31T19:30:11Z")
One day about 2 years ago, I was perusing the exotic beverages available to us Austinites at Central Market. I saw the Mystic Seaport line of beverages there, which consisted of Birch beer (in my head, Birch Beer = Good), Root Beer (also = Good), Sasparilla (good as well). Given my overwhelmingly positive experiences with tree-based beverages, I thought I’d give the next one over a try: Mystic Seaport’s Spruce Beer ( a decidedly negative review is at [http://www.exoticsoda.com/mystic.html](http://www.exoticsoda.com/mystic.html) ). It was like sucking on a christmas tree, without the visual stimulation the tinsel provides. Nasty! Oddly, it’s not reviewed on [Bevnet.com](http://Bevnet.com) … ---
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2002, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foulest-soda-pop/133733/129 "2002-10-31T23:45:07Z")
Okay, maybe I missed it, but what exactly is Moxie supposed to taste like? I don’t mean what does it taste like to you, but what is the hypothetical taste supposed to be? Cola? Ginger? Fruit? An obscure formulation like Dr. Pepper? I’ve never had Spruce Beer, but I have had Birch and Sasparilla, and Birch Beer is okay, sasparilla is better. As I said before I _love_ Root Beer. ---
**Author:** ![Flymaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c4cdca/32.png) [@Flymaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flymaster)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2002, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foulest-soda-pop/133733/130 "2002-10-31T23:49:35Z")
Moxie is an obscure formulation like Dr. Pepper. From that “exotic soda” page linked by caveman: > [@](#): > > First Impression of taste: > I can’t describe it! It’s not sweet like the colas, and it’s not like anything you’ve ever had before. > > Second Impression: > There is almost the hint of some fruit, and almost a bitter taste, but it’s not unpleasant at all. > > Flavor: > I’m told the unique flavor is gentian root, but as I’ve never ate, chewed-on or tasted gentian before, I don’t have a clue if this is what it’s suppose to taste like. People who don’t like Moxie frequently say it tastes like Robitusson cough medicine. All I know is that I love it! Clearly, the man who wrote that page is either lying, old, or hard of tasting. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2002, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foulest-soda-pop/133733/131 "2002-11-01T01:44:16Z")
My vote goes for Josta. Josta was something the Pepsi whipped up to compete with Dr Pepper or Mountain Dew. Anyway I had a soda machine put in an office I ran. About 2 years later, the Pepsi guy was out to reload the machine, and said that he would take the Josta out, since all of it in the machine was over 1 out of date and we had only sold 2 bottles of it in that time. One bottle went to my teenage daughter who drank 2 sips and I had one sip and we threw it out. The stuff tasted like sugar, cranberry juice, floor cleaner, and cough surup. Bleech! ---
**Author:** ![kspharm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ebca7d/32.png) [@kspharm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kspharm)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2002, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foulest-soda-pop/133733/132 "2002-11-02T06:38:45Z")
I am sorry, but there is nothing - I repeat - nothing, that is as vile as **Beverly**. I first tasted this witches brau in Atlanta at the Coke museum, and 13 years later, I still have an aftertaste. (I would like to try Moxie, though, as it seems to have quite a few fans). ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foulest-soda-pop/133733/133 "2002-11-18T18:12:39Z")
In bay area California Cost plus stores you can get Moxie and Italian dry Apperitief sodas. There are several versions of Moxie (cream soda, orange soda ,…) which one should be tried? Cheers, Keithy (feeling masochistic) Also the Celery Soda is available in San Francisco on lower Haight in the Sausage shop. ---
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foulest-soda-pop/133733/134 "2002-11-18T18:44:19Z")
I finally tried original Moxie a couple of weeks ago. I found it at Cost Plus World Market and had to buy a bottle. I have to say, while it wasn’t great, it wasn’t as vile as I’ve read here. It tasted sort of like licorice mixed with sasparilla. Not something I’d buy again, but it didn’t leave any permanent scars either. ---
**Author:** ![Odieman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a87d85/32.png) [@Odieman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odieman)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foulest-soda-pop/133733/135 "2002-11-18T21:09:58Z")
Well the worst soft drink that I have tasted that is commercially available is definitely Pepsi Blue. The aftertaste is especially foul. I also had an “organic” Black Cherry Cola that also was pretty foul but I have repressed the brand out of my memory. It contained the bitter cherrys and blackberries for flavour and was so strong it made people who came into the store go “Ewww!!!” just from the scent of it. Keith ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foulest-soda-pop/133733/136 "2002-11-18T21:32:17Z")
Windex Pepsi is pretty damn awful and I’m sure it won’t clear up minor skin blemishes on your wedding day. I don’t know what kind of berries it’s supposed to taste like but it’s no flavor remotely found in nature. I didn’t find Big Red particularly repulsive but as I read the label I realized it made no pretense to actually taste like any kind of remotely red fruit. It was just _red_ flzvored soda which I found somewhat disturbing. Now I actaully like code red mountain dew but at least it pretends to be cherry flavored. Beats the anti-freeze color of the original. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Carnage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/max_carnage/32/12775_2.png) [@Max\_Carnage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Carnage)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foulest-soda-pop/133733/137 "2002-11-18T21:46:57Z")
Ale-8-1 Supposed to taste like ginger ale. But I think they forgot the ale and it comes across tasting like a big mouthful of wet ginger powder. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Carnage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/max_carnage/32/12775_2.png) [@Max\_Carnage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Carnage)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foulest-soda-pop/133733/138 "2002-11-18T21:56:43Z")
Ooh ooh, also how could I forget Double Cola. Don’t know who bottled it or where youcould get it but my grandparents always kept CASES of this crap in the breezeway. It came only in the tall glass bottles and the taste was exactly what you’d get if you opened a bottle of Coke and let it sit opened in the fridge for 5 days. It’s like Coke sold them their leftovers or something. ---
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foulest-soda-pop/133733/139 "2002-11-18T23:21:16Z")
Max, that reminds me of the store brand cola from Hy-Vee. We used to buy it all the time because it was cheap and tasted okay, but it tasted best if I opened a bottle at night and left it out until morning. ---
**Author:** ![I\_am\_Sparticus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c68b51/32.png) [@I\_am\_Sparticus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_am_Sparticus)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foulest-soda-pop/133733/140 "2002-11-18T23:31:27Z")
Gotta go with chocolate fudge soda. Wouldn’t know if the diet or peanut butter versions are worse. It was a blasphemy against the bean of God. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foulest-soda-pop/133733.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foulest-soda-pop/133733.md?page=8)