# Your favorite non-mainstream soda **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** soda-softdrinks\ **Created:** [May 24, 2010, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-non-mainstream-soda/540528 "2010-05-24T01:59:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2010, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-non-mainstream-soda/540528/41 "2010-05-24T14:38:57Z")
We have some root beer in the fridge but I rarely have any. It’s there for my wife. Unless we’re on the road I don’t normally bother with soft drinks. Coffee’s my mainstay. When we’re traveling and I go into a stop-and-rob I look for (in order): – Ginger Ale (Seagram’s or Canada Dry) – Fresca – Root Beer – 7-Up or Sprite – Cheerwine – and usually wind up settling for Dr. Pepper Otherwise, if all that is unavailable, I’ll settle for a hi-test Coke. Or Pepsi. ---
**Author:** ![Jet\_Jaguar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jet_jaguar/32/3562_2.png) [@Jet\_Jaguar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jet_Jaguar)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2010, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-non-mainstream-soda/540528/42 "2010-05-24T14:41:52Z")
Is IBC considered mainstream? If not, then IBC cream soda. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2010, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-non-mainstream-soda/540528/43 "2010-05-24T14:54:40Z")
> [@Kyla](#): > > Mexican Coke. It’s Coke, but it’s _better_ than regular Coke. Yep. By the same token, [Dublin Dr. Pepper](http://www.dublindrpepper.com/). Anyone who is skeptical: set up your own blind taste test, either of these products, poured from glass bottles, against the mainstream HFCS version of same, poured from any container you like. ---
**Author:** ![JimmyFlair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ce7236/32.png) [@JimmyFlair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimmyFlair)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2010, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-non-mainstream-soda/540528/44 "2010-05-24T15:04:20Z")
Crush makes all kinds of regional flavours in Canada - Pineapple Crush from Newfoundland is the most common one, but I think I’ve seen birch flavoured Crush as well (never had it). The pineapple pop is delicious but unbelievably sweet. A coworker brought a can in to the office and four of us split it - three ounces seems to be the limit that you can drink before you instantly develop diabetes on the spot. I also looooove Jarritos, but it’s pretty hard to find in Canada, and like $3 a bottle when you do find it. Booo! ---
**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:** [May 24, 2010, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-non-mainstream-soda/540528/45 "2010-05-24T15:06:40Z")
Ginger Beer (any brand). Ideally with some vodka added. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2010, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-non-mainstream-soda/540528/46 "2010-05-24T15:12:05Z")
Inca Cola from Peru. I believe Peru is the only country were the top drink is neither Coke nor Pepsi. ---
**Author:** ![snowmaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e99b99/32.png) [@snowmaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowmaster)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2010, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-non-mainstream-soda/540528/47 "2010-05-24T15:16:13Z")
Jolt. Not the fancy-pants guarana taurine make your testicles shrink energy dreck, good ol’ fashioned over-caffinated Jolt Cola ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2010, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-non-mainstream-soda/540528/48 "2010-05-24T15:17:50Z")
[QUOTE=Kyla] Mexican Coke. It’s Coke, but it’s better than regular Coke. [/QUOTE] It’s because they use pure cane sugar in the recipe still. Mexican Pepsi tastes better than regular Pepsi as well, for the same reason (plus they still bottle it in those thick glass bottles which I think makes everything taste better). -XT ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2010, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-non-mainstream-soda/540528/49 "2010-05-24T15:27:01Z")
[Buffalo Rock Ginger Ale](http://www.buffalorock.com/products/gingerale.html). It’s only sold in Birmingham, Alabama (and surrounds), and it’s lovely. It’s very heavy on the ginger, to the point that it’s nearly as spicy as Blenheim, but it’s softened by a deep, rich, dark molasses-like flavor. Blenheim is all spice, but too sharp and light on the ginger flavor. Buffalo Rock is superb by itself, or (especially) as a mixer with bourbon. ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2010, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-non-mainstream-soda/540528/50 "2010-05-24T15:43:18Z")
[Reed’s Spiced Apple Ginger Brew](http://www.reedsgingerbrew.com/order/sab.asp) ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2010, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-non-mainstream-soda/540528/51 "2010-05-24T15:52:14Z")
> [@spark240](#): > > China Cola… > You may be able to track some down [here](http://www.reedsinc.com/china-cola/). Wow! Thanks! I’m emailing them now. ---
**Author:** ![Jormungandr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@Jormungandr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jormungandr)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2010, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-non-mainstream-soda/540528/52 "2010-05-24T15:53:57Z")
Moxie, Sioux City Sarsaparilla, Dublin Dr. Pepper. ---
**Author:** ![RoniaBorkason](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9dc877/32.png) [@RoniaBorkason](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RoniaBorkason)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2010, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-non-mainstream-soda/540528/53 "2010-05-24T16:24:58Z")
Sidral Mundet - sugar sweetened Mexican apple soda. Like Martinelli’s, but less fancy. ---
**Author:** ![kath94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/67e7ee/32.png) [@kath94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kath94)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2010, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-non-mainstream-soda/540528/54 "2010-05-24T16:31:17Z")
> [@RoniaBorkason](#): > > Sidral Mundet - sugar sweetened Mexican apple soda. Like Martinelli’s, but less fancy. Is it anything like the old “Aspen” clear apple soda? I feel in LOVE with that as a kid, and was excited to see that Wendy’s had picked it up as a fountain soda. Alas, it is now just a memory. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2010, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-non-mainstream-soda/540528/55 "2010-05-24T16:49:52Z")
> [@RoniaBorkason](#): > > Sidral Mundet - sugar sweetened Mexican apple soda. Like Martinelli’s, but less fancy. This puts me in mind of another one I used to love, and, alas, haven’t seen in years: Apple Beer! I’m delighted to find that you can order it [online](http://www.applebeer.com/)! ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2010, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-non-mainstream-soda/540528/56 "2010-05-24T17:04:17Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > Inca Cola from Peru. I believe Peru is the only country were the top drink is neither Coke nor Pepsi. I had a can of that once and I seem to recall it being yellow, which I thought was kind of strange for something labeled a cola. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2010, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-non-mainstream-soda/540528/57 "2010-05-24T17:23:10Z")
> [@joebuck20](#): > > I had a can of that once and I seem to recall it being yellow, which I thought was kind of strange for something labeled a cola. Didn’t really taste like cola to me, either. Have to say, I’m not a fan at all. Too syrupy for me. ---
**Author:** ![ScatteredFrog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8c91f0/32.png) [@ScatteredFrog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ScatteredFrog)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2010, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-non-mainstream-soda/540528/58 "2010-05-24T18:00:00Z")
> [@spark240](#): > > Yep. By the same token, [Dublin Dr. Pepper](http://www.dublindrpepper.com/). > > Anyone who is skeptical: set up your own blind taste test, either of these products, poured from glass bottles, against the mainstream HFCS version of same, poured from any container you like. Never had sugared Dr [no period, btw] Pepper…but I’ve had the sugared Coca-Cola, and you know what? I don’t like it. It’s not as smooth as the HFCS version, and, sorry to say, sugar Coke tastes like Pepsi, and I hate Pepsi. Give me the HFCS Coca-Cola any day. My favorite non-mainstreams: - Moxie Cream Soda – the best factory-made cream soda I ever had! I ordered that via someone’s Yahoo! store a few times. - The cream soda they make at the Old Town School of Folk Music. It’s relatively expensive, but WORTH IT. I grab one before my class every week. They have an alternate that the guy who runs the stand calls a “brown calf,” which is cream soda, but with root beer instead of soda water. Good stuff! - Green River. Basically, fizzy lime Kool-Aid. I didn’t know it’s a Chicago invention, but it is. Most stores only sell it around St. Patrick’s Day, but Ultra Foods, Binny’s, and the indie places typically keep it in stock fairly regularly. I know it’s also on the menu at Heaven On Seven and Hackney’s here in the city. - Berghoff’s root beer. My wife and I first tried it at the restaurant back in 2004, and damn, if it’s not the smoothest root beer we ever had! Thankfully, they typically sell it in the same stores where you can get Green River. It’s not QUITE restaurant-quality in the bottles, but it is pretty close. Next thing I want to try is Club-Mate, but so far the only US distributor is via the magazine _2600_, and you have to buy it by the case, and it’s pretty expensive (understandably, as it’s imported from Germany)… ---
**Author:** ![PookahMacPhellimey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pookahmacphellimey/32/3175_2.png) [@PookahMacPhellimey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PookahMacPhellimey)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2010, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-non-mainstream-soda/540528/59 "2010-05-24T18:23:19Z")
> [@Caprese](#): > > [Lemon Soda.](http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lemon-Soda/75014275047?v=wall) First tasted it in Italy. It had a lot more real lemon juice in it than other USA lemon soda drinks. The can said it was made by Coca Cola, but I’ve never seen it for sale in the USA, and it isn’t listed on the Coca Cola site. Maybe it no longer exists. > So instead I buy San Pelligrino’s [Limonata.](http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001TZJ3N0/?tag=a-t-o-20) Another San Pellegrino soda I like is aranciata amara, a fizzy orange drink but with a less sweet and more bitter taste. ---
**Author:** ![Jormungandr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@Jormungandr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jormungandr)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2010, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-non-mainstream-soda/540528/60 "2010-05-24T19:09:39Z")
> [@joebuck20](#): > > I had a can of that once and I seem to recall it being yellow, which I thought was kind of strange for something labeled a cola. Especially when it has a bubble gum flavor to it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-non-mainstream-soda/540528.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-non-mainstream-soda/540528.md?page=4)