# I got Moxie! (cola, that is) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 28, 2004, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-moxie-cola-that-is/242407 "2004-04-28T01:37:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![International\_Playboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/48db29/32.png) [@International\_Playboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/International_Playboy)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2004, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-moxie-cola-that-is/242407/1 "2004-04-28T01:37:54Z")
When I was a kid, I remember often seeing the phrase, “Drink Moxie Cola” in tha backround of various Mad Magazine articles. I thought it was some kind of running inside joke, like the “Arthur” avacado plant that was often featured in the backround of their drawings. I learned a few years ago that Moxie is a real drink and the Mad Magazine thing was an actual ad campaign. The only ads the magazine ran until Bill Gaines died and the magazine started to change. It’s of limited distributorship, either the south or New England area, maybe both, don’t really recall the facts. I found a website of a company in the Phoenix area that sells various hard to find sodas. They carry Moxie and after waiting about a month, they finally sent me my order. It seems that the bottler for Moxie went bankrupt and there was a delay due to the new bottler tooling up. I had read that this stuff was strang tasting, sort of medicine-like and was an acquired taste. I liked it with my first swallow. It’s better than Coke in my opinion but tastes more like an almost root beer with a hint of licorice. Pretty good stuff, wish it was easier to get, I would drink it all the time. Another drink I received in the same shipment was Borgnine’s Coffee Soda. Didn’t like this one at all. Tasted like coffee left sitting in the cup for a couple of days, had a strange sweetness and no carbonation. Unfortunately, I have another bottle of this left. I thought I would like it as I like iced coffee and often sip coffee while drinking a Pepsi. Others I received but haven’t tried yet are “Afri-Cola,” in an unusually shaped bottle, “Whooppee Cola,” “Red Hot Blenheim Ginger Ale,” and “Black Lemonade.” Only have one bottle each of these but three left of the Moxie. Any fans of Moxie out there? Anyone have other unusual sodas to recommend? ---
**Author:** ![Gadfly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/aeb1de/32.png) [@Gadfly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadfly)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2004, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-moxie-cola-that-is/242407/2 "2004-04-28T01:47:09Z")
Dublin Dr. Pepper. There is no substitute. Makes every other soda out there seem positively putrid by comparison. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2004, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-moxie-cola-that-is/242407/3 "2004-04-28T03:15:59Z")
Ordering Moxie online? Why don’t you just pick up a six-pack at the supermarket like I do? Okay, I’ll admit you can’t do this in most supermarkets. But whenever I visit Vermont, I always stop in one of the big chains like Hannaford or Price Chopper and restock my Moxie supply. I picked up two six-packs and a couple of liter bottles last week as a matter of fact. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2004, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-moxie-cola-that-is/242407/4 "2004-04-28T03:22:54Z")
Moxie isn’t cola; it’s soda. And the references to Moxie in Mad Magazine was not ads. Moxie never paid Mad to run them; Feldstein was using the name as a running joke, at a time when most people didn’t realize Moxie was still around. ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2004, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-moxie-cola-that-is/242407/5 "2004-04-28T03:32:30Z")
Heh. I had never had Moxie until **Little Nemo** and a few others came to VT for a Dopefest and suggested it. I don’t get it often, but it’s pretty… unique, and I like it. ---
**Author:** ![Tentacle\_Monster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba9def/32.png) [@Tentacle\_Monster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tentacle_Monster)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2004, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-moxie-cola-that-is/242407/6 "2004-04-28T04:46:45Z")
Anyone remember Double Cola? I’ve never had it or seen it outside of old bottles. Apparently it was cola with a double dose of the syrup- the Jolt of its day. This “Black Lemonade” you speak of intrigues me. Please give us your opinion when you crack it open. ---
**Author:** ![Flipstrip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f6c823/32.png) [@Flipstrip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flipstrip)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2004, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-moxie-cola-that-is/242407/7 "2004-04-28T06:12:41Z")
Black Lemonade was pretty tasty when I had it, IIRC. Turned my tongue black too. Great for Halloween! ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2004, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-moxie-cola-that-is/242407/8 "2004-04-28T06:27:55Z")
Was it Pop the Soda Shop? I ordered some [Cheerwine](http://shop.store.yahoo.com/soda-pop/cheerwine.html) from there about 6 weeks ago, it being one of the things I miss from my native lands. This thread just reminded me that I still haven’t gotten it. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2004, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-moxie-cola-that-is/242407/9 "2004-04-28T16:14:07Z")
Not particularly unusual but [Hansen’s](http://www.hansens.com/products/soda/signature/sigsoda1.tpl?) is some great stuff. No corn suryp in _there_! ---
**Author:** ![Lsura](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Lsura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lsura)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2004, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-moxie-cola-that-is/242407/10 "2004-04-28T16:35:17Z")
I miss Moxie - and can’t afford to order it right now. I developed a taste for it when I did my undergrad in Maine. It was one of the items in the dorm soda machine - the other option was Pepsi, very much not one of my favorite things. It’s not available in stores here in the South - AFAIK Moxie is just a New England thing. I’m jealous. Someday I’ll get back to New England and my taste buds will be happy for many reasons. ---
**Author:** ![Number](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/number/32/242_2.png) [@Number](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Number)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2004, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-moxie-cola-that-is/242407/11 "2004-04-28T16:53:42Z")
Black Lemonade is one of the better [Skeleteens](http://www.skeleteens.com) beverages. I like it almost as much as red Brainwash. Just don’t spill any on your clothes; it would be a hard stain to get out. [BevNET](http://www.bevnet.com/reviews/skel/) has some amusing reviews. ---
**Author:** ![Rex\_Fenestrarum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rex_fenestrarum/32/7265_2.png) [@Rex\_Fenestrarum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rex_Fenestrarum)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2004, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-moxie-cola-that-is/242407/12 "2004-04-28T17:05:51Z")
Jeez **Cisco** , why didn’t you ask your fellow Dopers? As I moved to North Carolina last year, I am surrounded with Cheerwine and would be happy to hook you up for cost. In fact, a local c-store is having “customer appreciation days” and has 12-packs for $1.99! Too bad the stuff tastes awful to me - it’s a good thing _my_ hometown cola (I’m from Atlanta, you can guess which! 😃 ) is available pretty much everywhere! As for unusual colas, if you can find one called “Tropicola” - go for it. It’s Cuban. Apparently it’s Castro’s version of Coca-Cola - it even has a similar logo - and it apparently started out as a “clone” but has come into its own. Damn good stuff! ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2004, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-moxie-cola-that-is/242407/13 "2004-04-28T17:56:35Z")
Good lord, that stuff is _nasty_. My college roommate was addicted to it, and whenever we drive up to New England, she’d fill the trunk of the car with cases of Moxie. I used to drink castor oil to get the taste of Moxie out of my mouth! ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2004, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-moxie-cola-that-is/242407/14 "2004-04-28T17:58:48Z")
I’m surprised at all the good notices Moxie’s getting in this thread especially after the trashing it got [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=141040&highlight=foulest). As for me, I drank a bottle of Moxie… once. To me, it tasted like carbonated Vick’s Vapor Rub with a distinct hint of rubber cement. It’s definitely an acquired taste. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2004, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-moxie-cola-that-is/242407/15 "2004-04-28T20:27:07Z")
> [@International Playboy](#): > > I learned a few years ago that Moxie is a real drink and the Mad Magazine thing was an actual ad campaign. The only ads the magazine ran until Bill Gaines died and the magazine started to change. As **RealityChuck** noted, those weren’t really ads, but Mad did run some real advertising for a very short period in the late '50s, not long after the transition from comic book to magazine format. ---
**Author:** ![International\_Playboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/48db29/32.png) [@International\_Playboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/International_Playboy)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2004, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-moxie-cola-that-is/242407/16 "2004-04-29T13:31:53Z")
> [@Biffy the Elephant Shrew](#): > > As **RealityChuck** noted, those weren’t really ads, but Mad did run some real advertising for a very short period in the late '50s, not long after the transition from comic book to magazine format. I recal reading on one of my books about Mad that it was an actual ad campaign. Guess it was misinformation. **Little Nemo** : Living in Arizona, I don’t have the convience of being able to pick up Moxie in a store. **Cisco** : Yes, it was Pop the Soda Shop. They have a bunch of other sodas I’d like to try too. **Jeff Olsen** : In Mexico, I think they still use cane sugar for most of their drinks. I know a Coke there tastes a lot better and more like I remember from my childhood than a Coke right across the border does. I haven’t tried any of the others that I bought yet. Will probably have one or two this weekend. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2004, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-moxie-cola-that-is/242407/17 "2004-04-29T15:25:34Z")
After looking around the Pop the Soda Shop site, I’d be surprised if anything they sell contains corn syrup. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Papermache\_Prince](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f05b48/32.png) [@Papermache\_Prince](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Papermache_Prince)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2004, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-moxie-cola-that-is/242407/18 "2004-04-29T15:43:59Z")
I’ve heard that they way to get Coke with sugar instead of corn syrup is to buy it during Passover. The audio clip is at the link below. [NPR](http://www.npr.org/features/feature.php?wfId=1832301) “Kosher-for-Passover Coke is made with sugar – not corn syrup – just like in the old days. And that’s why many true Coca-Cola fans stock up during the Jewish holiday. NPR’s Linda Wertheimer talks about the difference in taste with Ralph Roberts, co-author of Classic Cooking with Coca-Cola.” ---
**Author:** ![International\_Playboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/48db29/32.png) [@International\_Playboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/International_Playboy)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2004, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-moxie-cola-that-is/242407/19 "2004-05-02T19:40:09Z")
> [@Tentacle Monster](#): > > This “Black Lemonade” you speak of intrigues me. Please give us your opinion when you crack it open. Just opened it. Not bad, more of a lemon soda than a true lemonade. Though it is black, it’s got heavy carbonation and is reminiscent of a sprite or 7Up. I would buy it again. As for its packaging, I like the bottlecap with the skull on it. ---
**Author:** ![Katisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bcef8e/32.png) [@Katisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katisha)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2004, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-moxie-cola-that-is/242407/20 "2004-05-02T19:46:51Z")
> [@Lsura](#): > > It was one of the items in the dorm soda machine - the other option was Pepsi How very _Bored of the Rings_… 😉 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-moxie-cola-that-is/242407.md?page=2)