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Olde Timey Sodee Pop


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Now, what was/is a saloon?   Why it's a drinkin' establishment of course!   Now, as Cowboy Shooters, we have an affinity for "old timey" stuff.   Well, I figured, since this is the SASS "Saloon" let's talk about old timey soft drinks.

 

The four oldest carbonated beverages, or "tonics" in the US of A are as follows...

From 1885, Dr. Pepper.
From 1884, Moxie.

From 1876, Hire's Root Beer.

From 1866, Vernor's Ginger Ale.

I would "propose" that these four vintage beverages should be available at every State/Regional/National/World Champtionship match.   Preferably, the version in glass bottles made with real cane sugar and not the ersatz versions in aluminum cans and corn syrup.   We need to promote old stuff and emphasize it in our game.  

Plus, it'd just be really cool to do so.

Of course, I am not *really* serious here, but it sure would be fun.   Although, I have to admit, I haven't seen Hire's here in New England in decades.   It's supposedly still available somewhere, but I don't know where.

What other old timey, non intoxicating, beverages can we promote?   Well, their may not be any other "brands" as old as the old four, but types like sarsaparilla come to mind.  Which I always hear pronounced as if it were spelled, "Sassparilla."  Maybe we could market a drink called, "SASSparilla, sarsparilla!"  Birch Beer, Ginger Beer, and other items come to mind.  What about Cola?   Well, Coke does date to 1886, but to me, it just doesn't have that "old timey feel" to it that other beverages do.  Plus, it would probably so dominate sales that nobody'd bother to try the other stuff.   And that would be tragic.  

And so, with tongue firmly in cheek, but with a craving for a nice bottle of Moxie, I shall now walk over to the fridge here at work, and grab a Pepsi.

Have a nice day.  :)

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Hires Root Beer is great! I’ll take either a Coke or Pepsi doesn’t matter although we always had Pepsi growing up. 

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Those would be appropriate for major cities,  and possibly whistle-stop towns, although I suspect that in those they would be prohibitively expensive.

 

My guess is that the more "frontier" towns would have offerings of lemonade, house made sarsaparilla, birch beer, root beer,  and the like.

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At least Dr. Pepper originated in the west...Waco, Texas.

 

Moxie started in Maine, Hires Root Beer was from Philadelphia, and Vernor's came from Detroit.

 

So Dr. Pepper can rightly claim to be a "frontier" drink!

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37 minutes ago, J-BAR #18287 said:

At least Dr. Pepper originated in the west...Waco, Texas.

 

Moxie started in Maine, Hires Root Beer was from Philadelphia, and Vernor's came from Detroit.

 

So Dr. Pepper can rightly claim to be a "frontier" drink!

SOLD!

I'LL TAKE IT!

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58 minutes ago, J-BAR #18287 said:

At least Dr. Pepper originated in the west...Waco, Texas.

 

Moxie started in Maine, Hires Root Beer was from Philadelphia, and Vernor's came from Detroit.

 

So Dr. Pepper can rightly claim to be a "frontier" drink!

 

 

  ........ maybe so, but it tastes like cough medicine, ...... the kind with no alcohol ........... the kind that I HATE !!!  🙃

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15 minutes ago, Wallaby Jack, SASS #44062 said:

 

 

  ........ maybe so, but it tastes like cough medicine, ...... the kind with no alcohol ........... the kind that I HATE !!!  🙃

You got Dr. Pepper confused with Moxie.

Dr. Pepper is cherry flavored root beer.  (To me.)

On the other hand, Moxie HAS been described as carbonated cough syrup by many, rancid root beer (by my father) distinctly different (by Moxie themselves), and other odd descriptions.  It's taste is...  Unique.

But I actually like it.   And Moxie actually started in Lowell, Massachusetts.  :)

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The 1886 version of Coke had real coca leaves.......YeeeeHaw! If that don't make you shoot faster, nothing will.

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There is a place on old route 66 near where Land Run is held called POPS. When you see it...you can't miss it. They have a lot of the old...obscure...brands...and they are sweetened with real cane sugar. Some of then are pretty good

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Hires Root Beer is currently owned by the same conglomerate that owns Dr. Pepper.

 

It is no longer sold in bottle or cans. 

 

However, if you have a soda fountain, it is available as Syrup Extract. 

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2 hours ago, H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619 said:

If there is a Cracker Barrel near you, they have Vernor's in glass bottles sweetened with real cane sugar.   Try that.

They have a lot of old time drinks.  I get Sarsaparilla there and Dr. Pepper.  They also have Verner's, but I'm not crazy about it nor ginger ale.  Never tasted Moxie.

 

Look for Squirt.  My Dad used it for a mixer, and they have dozens of others, too.

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12 hours ago, Charlie Harley, #14153 said:

Barq’s crème soda was a favorite that seems to have gone away. 

I just got back from Hot Lead in Deadwood, which is southeast of Baton Rouge Louisiana. We stopped at a little Mom & Pop supermarket and discovered Barqs cream soda in can 12 packs. I had no idea they EXISTED!!

Red cream & French vanilla! 
We drank a 12 pack while there, & went back for more to take home!

It was delicious!!

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On 10/29/2024 at 7:13 AM, H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619 said:

You got Dr. Pepper confused with Moxie.

Dr. Pepper is cherry flavored root beer.  (To me.)

On the other hand, Moxie HAS been described as carbonated cough syrup by many, rancid root beer (by my father) distinctly different (by Moxie themselves), and other odd descriptions.  It's taste is...  Unique.

But I actually like it.   And Moxie actually started in Lowell, Massachusetts.  :)

 

  .... no Sir, ain't never heard of Moxie, whatever that is,  ....... and Dr. Pepper tried to make an appearance here ....... once .... (hard to find now)  🙃

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im all for them being available but ill admit i probably drink less than a dozen sodas a year - i swore off them years - decades ago , not that i dont enjoy them , my past experience with consuming too much was not conducive to my health , rather have a beer 

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