# Nostalgic American Beverages? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [March 21, 2021, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostalgic-american-beverages/938350 "2021-03-21T16:39:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2021, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostalgic-american-beverages/938350/81 "2021-03-22T20:14:17Z")
This must be the place to ask. I’ve always liked Squirt (“Never An After-Thirst!”) and fondly remember the good old days (1950’s) when it had actual bits of grapefuit floating in it. Can any other old-timers tell me if this memory is accurate, or manufactured? ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2021, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostalgic-american-beverages/938350/82 "2021-03-22T20:29:25Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Blenheim’s extra hot ginger ale is a very memorable experience. My favorite! I first found Blenheim’s at a Restoration Hardware in San Diego, of all places. I used to be able to find it at BevMo here in San Jose, but they haven’t had it in stock since the pandemic. I’m looking at a road trip to the east coast soon so hopefully I’ll be able to get some during my travels. A couple of years ago I was on a cave tour in Kentucky and the tour guide mentioned her favorite ginger ale was Vernors. I told her she had to try Blenheims and that I had a bottle she could try–with a caveat that it had a kick. After the tour we traded, a can of Vernors for a bottle of Blenheim. I sort of feel I traded down, but that’s okay. ---
**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:** [March 22, 2021, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostalgic-american-beverages/938350/83 "2021-03-22T20:59:55Z")
No, it actually did use to have grapefruit juice and bits of citrus pulp. I’m not sure when they changed the formula but I think it was no later than the 70s. > [@blondebear](#): > > My favorite! I first found Blenheim’s at a Restoration Hardware in San Diego, of all places. I used to be able to find it at BevMo here in San Jose, but they haven’t had it in stock since the pandemic. I’m looking at a road trip to the east coast soon so hopefully I’ll be able to get some during my travels. > > A couple of years ago I was on a cave tour in Kentucky and the tour guide mentioned her favorite ginger ale was Vernors. I told her she had to try Blenheims and that I had a bottle she could try–with a caveat that it had a kick. After the tour we traded, a can of Vernors for a bottle of Blenheim. I sort of feel I traded down, but that’s okay. Blenheim is one of the few soft drinks that needs a chaser afterward. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2021, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostalgic-american-beverages/938350/84 "2021-03-22T21:02:18Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > How far from the NY metro area does Dr. Brown’s sodas get? They’re pretty common in Central Jersey and I don’t recall seeing them in Florida, New Orleans, Chicago or California. Anyone else familiar with them and not NY, NJ or Connecticut? They exist in Krogers in Atlanta, Georgia. And sure this is more of a local beverage than a nostalgic one, but I have always like Cheerwine (and Diet Cheerwine is tasty as well!). ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2021, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostalgic-american-beverages/938350/85 "2021-03-22T21:06:29Z")
> Grape soda known as Grapette also means a great deal to this gatherer of all things 50s.“I got what I think may be the largest Grapette soda collection in existence,” he claimed. > **[The Texas Bucket List – The Roadside America Museum in Hillsboro](https://thetexasbucketlist.com/2020/08/the-texas-bucket-list-the-roadside-america-museum-in-hillsboro/)** > > Hillsboro— Smack dab between the Metroplex and Waco, you’ll find Hillsboro, which also happens to be the home of some very nice billboards for our favorite rest stop in West. Before we buy a bunch of kolaches at Slovacek’s we got our fill of... ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2021, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostalgic-american-beverages/938350/86 "2021-03-22T22:31:40Z")
I’ve found my Blenheim’s at the Mast General Store in Knoxville, TN and the Cedar Valley Cheese store in Random Lake, WI. I’d hauled 3 cases back from TN before discovering a place less than 10 miles from my WI home had it. D’oh! ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2021, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostalgic-american-beverages/938350/87 "2021-03-22T23:33:49Z")
> [@lobotomyboy63](#): > > Canfield’s Diet Chocolate Fudge I remember a teacher in grade school that had a [Canfield’s Diet **Peanut** Fudge](http://historysdumpster.blogspot.com/2015/09/canfields-diet-peanut-fudge-soda-1989.html) habit. There was also a cherry fudge version. Even when I was a kid, that stuff was dreadful. [Relevant article from Jan 2021](https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/640132/1980s-chocolate-soda-craze) ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2021, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostalgic-american-beverages/938350/88 "2021-03-23T00:58:17Z")
> [@NDP](#): > > No, it actually did use to have grapefruit juice and bits of citrus pulp. I’m not sure when they changed the formula but I think it was no later than the 70s. Thank you!! ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2021, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostalgic-american-beverages/938350/89 "2021-03-23T01:14:34Z")
has anyone everr tasted a chocolate soda that didn’t taste like ass ? Also for good apple soda these days you have to look in a predominantly hispanic store ,I know Pepsi makes manzanita sol > **[Manzanita Sol](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manzanita_Sol)** > > Pages for logged out editors learn more > > Manzanita Sol is a brand of apple-flavored soft drinks owned by PepsiCo and is predominant in Mexico. In the United States it is sold in 12-pack cans, 2-liter, and 20-ounce bottles. The drink is known to be available at Walmart, Albertsons, H-E-B, Ralphs, Kmart, Food 4 Less, Jewel-Osco, Dominick's, Target, Vons, Stater Bros., United Supermarkets in the Amarillo and Lubbock, Texas area, and other smaller chains and smaller family run stores. In La... and coke had an apple soda called Manzana Mia, but i think its discontinued in the states … along with Fanta apple Now the 2 imported sodas we get is sidrial and jarritos … i like sidrial better … but if you like sour jarritos would be your choice ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2021, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostalgic-american-beverages/938350/90 "2021-03-23T01:21:20Z")
> [@nightshadea](#): > > has anyone everr tasted a chocolate soda that didn’t taste like ass ? An Egg Cream is pretty awesome and basically a chocolate soda. I have the vaguest memory that Shasta had a decent chocolate soda. I’m not claiming great, but well above tasting like crap. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2021, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostalgic-american-beverages/938350/91 "2021-03-23T01:50:01Z")
At the old fashioned luncheonettes/candy stores where I used to get egg creams at the counter, you could also get a chocolate soda, which was an egg cream minus the milk, just chocolate syrup and seltzer. Tasted way better than the bottled chocolate sodas I tried. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2021, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostalgic-american-beverages/938350/92 "2021-03-23T01:59:00Z")
this is soda heaven or PDC to it [https://www.pops66.com/soda-ranch/](https://www.pops66.com/soda-ranch/) but no mail order ☹ and the adjacent restaurant has good prices also … ---
**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:** [March 23, 2021, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostalgic-american-beverages/938350/93 "2021-03-23T19:41:47Z")
> [@nightshadea](#): > > has anyone everr tasted a chocolate soda that didn’t taste like ass ? I always liked Canfield’s Cherry Chocolate Fudge. Haven’t seen any Canfield’s here in Northern Virginia since '93 or so. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2021, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostalgic-american-beverages/938350/94 "2021-03-24T20:24:55Z")
OK, **pulykamell** tries Moxie for the first time, one take, live opening and tasting: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/m1TWAKj6GP8/maxresdefault.jpg "I try Moxie!") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1TWAKj6GP8) > **If you don't feel like vicariously experiencing Moxie along with me for the first time, click on that arrow.** > > Basically, it was nowhere near as odd as I expected it to be. Back in my more leisurely years, I used to make stuff like bitters reasonably often, so I’m familiar with all sorts of bittering agents, and I love bitter drinks. I heard that Moxie has gentian root in it, so I was expecting a fairly bitter beverage. I was at least expecting tonic water levels of bitter at a minimum. > > Instead, there’s just a mild bitterness – I don’t even recognize as gentian, as it’s not strong enough. The smell and flavor of it all put me in mind of root/birch beer and Angostura bitters. > > I just gave my wife a taste and she said "hmm…tastes like a sweeter root beer, like if someone took a root beer and a Smartie. I’m not sure I’d agree with that, but she didn’t find it particularly odd herself. Then again, she’s the one who didn’t even grimace the first time she had Jeppson’s Malort (an extremely bitter wormwood infusion that’s regained popularity in Chicago.) and she loves tonic water. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2021, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostalgic-american-beverages/938350/95 "2021-03-24T20:53:02Z")
Cheers! ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2021, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostalgic-american-beverages/938350/96 "2021-03-24T22:29:23Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > OK, **pulykamell** tries Moxie for the first time, one take, live opening and tasting: OK, now that took a lot of gallantry, bravery, courage, spunk, heart, courageousness, guts, spirit, skill, braveness and nerve. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2021, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostalgic-american-beverages/938350/97 "2021-03-24T22:51:44Z")
Wow, that was very entertaining! I’d have liked a Danny Thomas spit-take but ya can’t have everything. Maybe you can post an update when you’ve had it chilled or over ice. Now what will I do with the rest of my day? 🤔 You’re kind of cute. ---
**Author:** ![Crankyhillbilly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7993a0/32.png) [@Crankyhillbilly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crankyhillbilly)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2021, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostalgic-american-beverages/938350/98 "2021-03-24T23:06:46Z")
I remember Jolt. It was nasty tasting stuff. Not surprised it didn’t last long. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2021, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostalgic-american-beverages/938350/99 "2021-03-25T00:17:24Z")
The Jolt slogan was “real sugar and twice the caffeine!” ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2021, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostalgic-american-beverages/938350/100 "2021-03-25T00:39:07Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > You’re kind of cute. He is, isn’t he. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostalgic-american-beverages/938350.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nostalgic-american-beverages/938350.md?page=6)