Obscure Celery ‘Tonic’ has Rich Tradition and Loyal Kosher Fans–Cel-Ray was originally developed by a doctor who treated immigrant children in NY. The seltzer known at the time as a ‘tonic’ helped children with digestion and contained celery seeds and sugar.
Once called “The Drink of Champions” because of it’s connection and endorsement by New York Yankee players, Yoo Hoo chocolate drink has changed ownership through the years, but remains the most popular chocolate soft drink in America.
–The fondest for flavors in the soft drink business really began in 1924 when Claude Hatcher, a Georgia grocer developed a line of orange, grape, root beer, peach, and other fruit flavors of soda
Squirt is available nationally, but is regionally popular as a both a mixer and a soft drink that was first formulated in Phoenix, Arizona as a non-cola beverage called Citrus Club in 1938. The recipe evolved and the brand proved to have a consumer base that used Squirt as a mixer for varied spirits as much as it thought of it as a soft drink.
For the past year, ‘Peppers’ around the world have been raising Dr Pepper bottles and cans celebrating the 125 Year Anniversary of the unique soft drink. It was first formulated by a Brooklyn born pharmacist named Charles Alderton who worked at Morrison’s Old Corner Drug Store in Waco, Texas. The drink was first called a ‘Waco’ and promoted to locals by Wade Morrison who Alderton gave the recipe to when he left the area.
No, Virginia they didn’t ‘Invent’ Santa Claus…but Coca Cola did establish the image of the Santa we know today It was the Coca-Cola Company and their annual advertising campaign that has established the image that most Americans identify as the classic Santa Claus. Coca Cola asked commercial illustrator Haddon Sundblom to create a series of drawings that depicted Santa cooling off with a Coke back in 1931. Even though other long bearded Santas in red suits with white fur trimming had appeared in print prior to the first Coca-Cola Santa Claus
Vernors, the oldest ginger ale sold in the US, shares the title of America’s oldest surviving soft drink with Hires Root Beer. James Vernor was a Detroit pharmacist who had attempted to duplicate a popular ginger ale imported from Dublin, Ireland. When Vernor was called off to serve in the Cilvil War, he stored the syrup base of 19 ingredients, including ginger and vanilla flavorings, in an oak cask. After returning four years later, his soft drink had been changed by the aging process in the wood. Vernor called the unique flavor “Deliciously different,” which remains the drink’s motto to this day. He sold his ginger ale at his drug store fountain and by 1880, he began selling bottling franchises in nearby cities. In 1886, he sold his drug store to sell Vernors Ginger Ale only. ‘Woody’ the gnome became the mascot for the robust drink, which was a leading brand until the end of prohibition when ‘Dry’ Ginger Ale became the standard because it mixed better with alcohol. Vernors maintained regional popularity but the Vernor family sold in 1966 and the brand went national in the 80’s.
In 1985, Jolt was the Nation’s First ‘Energized’ Beverage. JOLT Cola was created in 1985 and every can and bottle had the slogan “All the Sugar and Twice the Caffeine.” JOLT became an instant hit for anyone else needing a quick pick me up.
Beverages Back in the Day Moxie Soda When Dr. Augustin Thompson of Union Maine introduced his new herbal soft drink Moxie way back in 1884, he called it ” A delicious blend of bitter and sweet, a drink to satisfy everyone’s taste”. Moxie, was so well received that it became the first mass produced carbonated soft drink in the United States,
Bubble Up® was the First Lemon-Lime Soda. Before there were soda guns, or cocktails that called for specific soft drinks like ‘Rum & Coke® and even before ‘7 & 7®’there was ‘Bubble Up’, the very first lemon-lime soda. Founded in 1917 by Sweet Valley Productions in Sandusky, Ohio and at least 10 years prior to its more popular competitor ‘7-Up
