You Big Softy! - Your Favourite Soft Drinks

[Subvet642]

My favorite soft drink is still good old Moxie. My grandfather introduced me to Moxie 'n milk when I was about four and I still drink it.

But at home, my parents were more economical about soft drinks. My Mom often used Za-Rex flavoring syrup which could be mixed with either water or milk. It came in a small clear glass jug.

Does anyone else remember Za-Rex? Was it unique to New England?

I haven't thought of that stuff in years! It was good on snow, as well as freezer scrapings, too lol (when you're a dumb kid, you do stuff like that [huh] ).

 

["Skeet" McD]

I haven't thought of that stuff in years! It was good on snow, as well as freezer scrapings, too lol (when you're a dumb kid, you do stuff like that [huh] ).

Both my parents were New Englanders, but I grew up in Westchester County New York in the late 50s and 1960s. Za-rex was available there, although I was not a consumer...how much farther away, others will have to tell us.

"Skeet," now safely back in New England

 

["Skeet" McD]

Any Michiganders with a Vernor's monkey on their back?

My dear wife is a Michigander, and the first time she took me out to meet the folks, the other thing she made sure I sampled for local color was Vernor's Ginger Ale. I'm glad she did! This is a ginger ale which has a good proportion of the ZIZZ that one would expect from a real ginger beer. Well worth trying, if you can get some. Here's a page of interesting stuff....while I'm skeptical of the "oldest soda" claim...much of interest:

http://members.fortunecity.com/fordkramermichigan/vernors/vernors.htm

Enjoy!
"Skeet"

 

[Lefty]

I've never had a root beer that's even in the same league as Virgil's.

 

[ladybrettashley]

Virgil's is good, though even a great root beer always just serves to make me wish it were a sarsaparilla.

Mostly it reminds me of the time that a bunch of us were headed to a get-together at a somewhat teetotaling friend's place. One of the guys picked up a Virgil's Root Beer mini-keg and was standing there with it propped on his shoulder when she answered the door. Priceless. She did think it was funny once she saw the label. =D

 

[JennyLou]

Just got back from Galcos. Their selection on specialty sodas is amazing. I just wish I had some money to buy more products there.

 

[John in Covina]

Galco's deli counter makes good sandwhiches, the signature blockbuster is a good deal.

 

[JennyLou]

I'll have to try ordering something from the deli counter next time I'm there. Thanks John.

 

[Nathan Dodge]

I've never had a root beer that's even in the same league as Virgil's.

An italian meat market here used to carry Virgil's root beer in bottles. I liked the novelty of the foil-wrapping, too.

I miss Best Health's chocolate soda. Haven't seen that since the early 1990s.

 

[Ethan Bentley]

Had some Dr. Pepper Cherry today, frankly I couldn't tell the difference.

 

[K.D. Lightner]

Unfortunately, I have to drink the diet variety. If I could drink the "hard stuff," would probably favor Coca-cola, but, since I drink low-carb, low sugar drinks, I drink diet Pepsi when I drink a cola, as it is less icky-sweet than diet Coke.

My favorites of late have been the Hansen's sodas. My very favorite is diet Grapefruit but I cannot find it in Des Moines, asked HyVee to carry it but they never got it in. I also drink Hansen's Root Beer, Ginger ale and their Tangerine Lime.

I also drink Canada Dry's raspberry flavored seltzer water after I tire of the yucky-sweet artifical stuff.

I will have to try some of those other colas, especially if they come in the low carb/no sugar variety.

karol

 

[Murph351]

Ahhh a nice cold Malta.

Any other Malta lovers out there?
I think you have to have started drinking this at a young age.... I usually get the whole six to myself.

 

[Opas Coat]

Jones Cream soda and Root Beer
Schwepps Ginger Ail (only found in southern ontario)
Pop Shop Pineapple and Black Cherry.

 

[St.Ignatz]

Present day readily accessible I'll take a Dr. Brown's CelRay or Celery soda.
But if I could get the wayback machine working Hire's made with sassafras root, Coke with the original carbonation that burned when you drank it and Booth's Strawberry soda. Use them to wash down an ice cream "Push-up" with the pointed wooden stick in it.

 

[KittyT]

I drink diet Pepsi when I drink a cola, as it is less icky-sweet than diet Coke.

Really? I find Diet Pepsi to be much more icky sweet than Diet Coke. All a matter of taste, I suppose!

My favorites of late have been the Hansen's sodas. My very favorite is diet Grapefruit but I cannot find it in Des Moines

Which totally reminds me that Fresca is totally sugar free, even though they do not advertise it on the bottle.

 

[Foofoogal]

as a kid I was hooked on Nehi Grape and eating popcorn.
I loved cream soda also.

 

[Forgotten Man]

I gave up 'soft drinks' years ago. I deduced that it is merely liquid candy designed to be consumed in mass quantities to stupify the populace into...well the populace we have today.

Having nixed alcohol as well, my last vice is N/A beer - preferably a cold Buckler's.

-dixon 'weaned' cannon

I agree! My lady asked why I don't keep soda in the house... I told her that soda is one of the biggest reasons we have such health problems and obesity today in America. Millions drink it as if it were water and then, they drink very little of that! People drinking Cokes at breakfast and every meal of the day... I can't do that... and seeing people drink 40 plus Oz. daily of soda... and they wonder why they have health problems! Corn syrup and other "fake" sweeteners are one of the problems we face in soft drinks and 100s of other foods we eat.

My self, I still like a good "pop" as it was known in the golden age, now and again I enjoy an ice cold Coke from the Ranch Market, there they sell imported cane sugar Coke from Mexico in glass bottles... now, that's something I can enjoy once a week or so. And when they have it in stock, imported Orange Crush with cane sugar is pretty swell too! Comes in a streamlined ribbed bottle just as they did in the 30s.

If it's not water I drink, I'll have a nice cold glass of milk... now, you can all call me the ultra softy! lol

 

[John in Covina]

Our modern diets are very much unlike them good old days.

Soda pop was (and should still be) a treat, not a staple item.

One thing is that I like to let the ice melt a bit to bring the sweetness and carbonation down in a soda, or even add a little cold water to it.

 

[J. M. Stovall]

Since I've been in Texas I really like Mexican sodas, and my current favorite is Jarritos Pineapple.

 

[KittyT]

Since I've been in Texas I really like Mexican sodas, and my current favorite is Jarritos Pineapple.

We have those everywhere up here in MA, even in the regular grocery stores! Have you tried Inca Cola at all? It's an interesting taste, based on an old lemon-verbena recipe. It was founded in Peru in the late 1920s!