# Who's a Pepper???? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [October 19, 2004, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-a-pepper/270011 "2004-10-19T12:30:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CaryGMcC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@CaryGMcC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaryGMcC)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2004, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-a-pepper/270011/1 "2004-10-19T12:30:47Z")
[http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mdrpepper.html](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mdrpepper.html) Now, my personal thoughts/opinions/guesses as to the actual flavourings of this hallowed old soft drink: 1. This could rank as an “urban legend,” but one flavouring ingredient may, or may not, be–burnt rum! This may not be as outlandish as it first sounds because burning, or burnt rum does figure in at least one recipe of the alcoholic drink, “Flaming Dr Pepper.” Here is a link to one of the more common recipes for this beverage: [http://www.drinksmixer.com/drink13.html](http://www.drinksmixer.com/drink13.html) Also, burning/burnt rum is an ingredient in the Spanish coffee drink called Cremat (“Cremated”) [http://www.drinksmixer.com/drink7666.html](http://www.drinksmixer.com/drink7666.html) However, one of the main reasons that I suggest this is because this fact/factoid was divulged to me by a dear friend who has a relative who is employed as a manager at a bottling plant in the US which produces Dr Pepper. 1. Vanillin is another flavouring ingredient. 2. Almond extract is responsible for the cherry-like flavour of our favourite beverage. This is simply my own opinion, one that I have held since childhood. Before we knew about such things as lactose intolerance, my mother insisted on the health benefits of my drinking milk. When I told her that I didn’t like it because it hurt my stomach, she told me that I might add some flavoring to it, so I rummaged thru the pantry and found: almond extract! Using this, plus a little sugar, I promptly came up with my favourite milk drink, which I dubbed “Dr Pepper milk” because of the similarity in taste. (My mother confirmed this, much to her surprise, and praised me for my discriminating palate.) Sadly, however, the milk still caused me to have a tummy ache… ``` So: Straight dope or not, this is my contribution. ``` ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2004, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-a-pepper/270011/2 "2004-10-19T22:38:40Z")
The official stance that there’s no cherry in Dr Pepper doesn’t really mean much, since what most folks think of as cherry flavor is nothing of the sort. What most folks think of as cherry flavoring is Grenadine syrup, which is used in maraschino cherries. But Grenadine syrup is actually made from pomegranites, not cherries. And, of course, nobody has ever confirmed or denied that there’s pomegranite in Dr Pepper. ---
**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:** [October 20, 2004, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-a-pepper/270011/3 "2004-10-20T05:11:45Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > The official stance that there’s no cherry in Dr Pepper doesn’t really mean much, since what most folks think of as cherry flavor is nothing of the sort. What most folks think of as cherry flavoring is Grenadine syrup, which is used in maraschino cherries. But Grenadine syrup is actually made from pomegranites, not cherries. And, of course, nobody has ever confirmed or denied that there’s pomegranite in Dr Pepper. No, not quite. Grenadine is a distinct flavor from Maraschino cherries (IMHO.) The flavor in imitation Maraschino cherries is, in fact, almond. (In real Maraschino cherries, it’s Maraschino cherry liqueur.) I just dug up a cite, too: [http://www.fda.gov/ora/compliance\_ref/cpg/cpgfod/cpg550-550.html](http://www.fda.gov/ora/compliance_ref/cpg/cpgfod/cpg550-550.html) > [@](#): > > The term “Maraschino Cherries” is regarded as the common or usual name of an article consisting of cherries which have been dyed red, impregnated with sugar and packed in a sugar sirup flavored with oil of bitter almonds or a similar flavor. In my experience, the Maraschino cherries I’ve always eaten tasted like they were almond-flavored, not Grenadine-flavored. ---
**Author:** ![CaryGMcC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@CaryGMcC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaryGMcC)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2004, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-a-pepper/270011/4 "2004-10-20T10:23:06Z")
PS: :smack: Oops, I forgot – #4–Lactic acid is responsible for the faint milk-like note of Dr Pepper. ``` This was also revealed in "Big Secrets", but this ingredient was listed directly on the label (still is, as I understand, in some parts of the world.) However, my belief is that it could have been consolidated with the others under the heading of "Artificial and Natural Flavors. " ``` ---
**Author:** ![CaryGMcC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@CaryGMcC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaryGMcC)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2004, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-a-pepper/270011/5 "2004-10-26T20:29:46Z")
And finally, for further reading: [http://www.okkosher.com/Content.asp?ID=118](http://www.okkosher.com/Content.asp?ID=118) ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2004, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-a-pepper/270011/6 "2004-10-26T21:32:13Z")
Since the Kosher rules have been mentioned, what about that lactic acid? Would that make Dr Pepper a dairy product, and therefore not permissible to consume in the same meal as meat? Or is there some non-dairy method of producing lactic acid, or is the processing extensive enough that the origin is not considered relevant? ---
**Author:** ![CaryGMcC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@CaryGMcC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaryGMcC)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2004, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-a-pepper/270011/7 "2004-10-26T21:45:07Z")
Great question, Chronos, so I did a little more digging and found this site which affirms that lactic acid is both kosher and pareve: [http://www.wujs.org.il/stu/life/kosher/ingredients.shtml](http://www.wujs.org.il/stu/life/kosher/ingredients.shtml) Apparently, it’s lactose that is to be considered a dairy derivative and therefore not kosher.