Moxie – America’s First Mass-Produced Soda
Moxie holds the title of being the first commercially distributed soft drink in the U.S. The fizzy drink burst onto the scene in 1876, a solid decade before anybody had even heard of Coca-Cola and 17 years before Pepsi was invented (22 years before the Pepsi-Cola name). Moxie started its long career as a medicinal tonic. In fact, in its early years, it was marketed as Moxie Nerve Food, a cure-all concoction for a huge range of ailments. The original elixir promised to cure everything from nervousness to a “loss of manhood,” which sounds pretty ambitious for a soft drink!
Made from gentian root, which is also an ingredient in cocktail bitters, Moxie wasn’t sweet like many of the pops we know and love today. Instead, the soda was herbal and somewhat bitter. And the pop’s flavor has stayed pretty much the same over time. In 2005, Moxie Elixir Soda was named the official soft drink of the State of Maine. Today, you can still find this distinctive drink in New England supermarkets, where it maintains a passionate following among those who appreciate its unique, acquired taste.
Vernors – The Barrel-Aged Ginger Ale
Actually, there’s another American fizzy drink that’s still produced and predates Moxie – a lesser-known brand of ginger ale called Vernors. Created in 1866, Vernors is among the oldest sodas in the U.S., but it also stands out in terms of its unique production, its fabled history, and its cult following. According to one story, Vernors ginger ale was invented by a junior drug store clerk called James Vernor who left behind a concoction of ginger, vanilla, and spices in a wooden barrel while he served in the Civil War. After returning from the war in the mid-1860s, Vernor discovered that the mixture had transformed into a delicious beverage.
Vernors is often described as a ginger ale, but if that’s what you’re expecting, you’re in for a surprise. It’s spicier, fizzier, and far more intense than your average mixer. Having been around since 1866, the truth of Vernors is that it’s one of the oldest sodas in the nation. Today it is owned by Keurig Dr Pepper. The drink remains especially popular in Michigan, where locals swear by it for everything from upset stomachs to ice cream floats.
Nehi – The Colorful Fruit Soda
Most of us remember the three main flavors of Nehi Soda – grape, peach, and orange – which paired perfectly with an afterschool snack. Created in 1924, the sweet drink is still available, but primarily by the case on Amazon. By 1928, Hatcher created the company Nehi which sold fruit-flavored soda. This wasn’t just another soda company – it was part of the same operation that would eventually become RC Cola, making it a genuine piece of American beverage history.
While it once had broader distribution, these days, you’re most likely to stumble upon Nehi in the South or in specialty soda shops. It’s the kind of drink that makes you wonder why more companies don’t lean into these old-school flavors. Both RC Cola branded drinks and Nehi are still available today. Keurig Dr Pepper now owns the brand. The vibrant colors and sweet fruit flavors make Nehi a delightfully nostalgic treat for anyone lucky enough to find it.
Cheerwine – The Cherry Soda That’s Not Wine
This sweet cherry soda, invented in Salisbury, has been a cherished Tar Heel treasure for more than 100 years. Established in Salisbury in 1917, Cheerwine is the oldest family-owned soft drink company still in operation. The recipe was created by L.D. Peeler when sugar was scarce during World War I. Peeler’s use of cherry flavor in the beverage helped compensate for its lower sugar content without sacrificing sweetness.
Cheerwine and barbecue have long gone hand in hand, but in 2015, the National Barbecue Association named the beverage its official soft drink, solidifying the Southern handshake’s place in history. The anniversary party was such a success that Cheerwine made the festival a yearly event to celebrate the Carolina classic. To learn more about the Cheerwine Festival, held this year on May 17, visit cheerwine.com/festival. This bright red soda remains a Southern staple that’s slowly expanding its reach beyond the Carolinas.
Faygo – Detroit’s Colorful Champion
If you grew up in the Midwest, especially around Detroit, Faygo might be your go-to soda. Anyone from elsewhere, however, may never have heard of it. There’s something endearingly chaotic about Faygo’s lineup, which includes flavors such as Redpop, Moon Mist, Rock & Rye, and Firework. If you want to look through every available Faygo flavor, you may want to get comfortable. There are a lot. Over 50.
What makes Faygo special isn’t just its wild flavor combinations or its connection to Detroit culture – it’s the fact that this regional soda has managed to thrive while maintaining its quirky, unpretentious personality. Made in Detroit, Michigan. © 2025 Faygo Beverages, Inc., a National Beverage company. Unlike many vintage sodas that have become harder to find, Faygo continues to innovate with new flavors while keeping its classic ones available.
Green River – The Electric Lime Soda
If you’re wondering what happened to Green River soda, it never actually went away. It’s just not widely available across the U.S. and is very much a regional affair. Green River looks like something a kid might dream up – an electric, neon-green soda that tastes like a zingy lime sherbet. Sprecher Brewing Company was the place to get Green River in 2024, and it continues to be a go-to today. Learn about the wild history of this iconic midwestern soda, and then buy a 12 pack online.
The bright green color alone makes Green River unforgettable – it’s the kind of soda that practically glows in the dark. Created in Chicago in the early 1900s, this lime-flavored treat became a Midwest favorite, especially around St. Patrick’s Day when its vibrant green hue made it a natural celebration drink. While it’s not as widely distributed as it once was, dedicated fans can still track it down through specialty retailers and online stores.
RC Cola and Royal Crown – The Cola Alternative
In 1905, a pharmacist named Claud A. Hatcher revolutionized the soda industry by developing the very first RC soda. This pioneering creation was the Royal Crown Ginger Ale (today known as RC Refresher Ginger Ale), which made its debut at the Hatcher family’s grocery store in Columbus, Georgia. The pop was so successful that it prompted Hatcher to establish the Union Bottling Works and introduce his second offering – a cherry-flavored drink called Chero-Cola.
RC Cola (Georgia, 1905): Royal Crown Cola from Columbus, Georgia, was an innovator, first to launch a diet cola and a canned soda, carving its niche in the cola market. Mott was successful on all fronts, and the company was able to come out of debt within a year. Plus, the new formulas were a success, being marketed under the updated name Royal Crown Cola, which became the official name of the company. Over the years, this became shortened to just RC Cola. While it’s not as common as it once was, RC Cola can still be found in many grocery stores and remains a favorite among those who prefer a slightly different take on cola.
Dad’s Root Beer – The Family-Friendly Classic
Dad’s Root Beer was created in Chicago in 1937, and that familiar flavor is still popular today. Dad’s also makes cream soda, orange cream soda, blue cream soda, and red cream soda, as well as lemon-lime soda Bubble Up. Dad’s and Hires are actually alive and well and quite easy to find around – nationwide. Dad’s Root Beer company also makes Bubble Up now.
What sets Dad’s apart from other root beers is its smooth, creamy flavor that’s neither too sweet nor too bitter. The brand has managed to maintain its old-fashioned charm while expanding its product line to include various cream sodas that taste like liquid versions of classic ice cream flavors. You can find Dad’s products in many grocery stores, and the familiar logo brings back memories of family picnics and summer afternoons.
Jolt Cola – The Original Energy Drink
Created in 1985, Jolt was the precursor to energy drinks like Red Bull and Monster, with high levels of caffeine and sugar – with a sweet cola taste. The taste of this amped-up cola was akin to most others of its time, albeit noticeably sweeter from the real sugar. The heightened amount of caffeine in the beverage is what paved the way for such modern giants as Red Bull, which eventually overtook Jolt in popularity. Jolt filed for bankruptcy in 2009 but was made available again in Dollar General stores for a fleeting couple of years in the late 2010s before disappearing again from the public eye.
An announcement at the end of 2024 sparked some hope for Jolt aficionados, indicating that, in collaboration with energy drink brand Redcon1, Jolt would be making a triumphant return to shelves in 2025. The original slogan “All the Sugar and Twice the Caffeine” perfectly captured what Jolt was all about – it was the first soda to openly market itself as a high-caffeine alternative to regular colas, paving the way for today’s energy drink market.
Frostie Root Beer – The Nostalgic Favorite
Created in Maryland in 1939, by the 1950s it was being bottled at 300 plants across the US. Frostie was available in Root Beer, Cherry Limeade, Vanilla Root Beer, Blue Creme, and other sweet flavors. Frostie Root Beer (Maryland, 1939): Frostie’s traditional root beer taste and branding catered to America’s nostalgia for the old-fashioned soda fountain era.
Frostie represented everything people loved about classic American root beer – the rich, foamy head, the perfect balance of sassafras and vanilla flavors, and the satisfying fizz that made it ideal for root beer floats. The brand’s vintage-style bottles and old-fashioned marketing helped it stand out during the golden age of soda fountains. While not as widely available today, Frostie products can still be found in some specialty stores and online retailers.
Surge – The Citrus Revival Story
Surge came out in 1997 as Coca-Cola attempted to compete with Pepsi’s Mountain Dew. It was tangy, sweet, uber-caffeinated, and brighter than a nuclear explosion. The SURGE Movement is a fan-powered community recognized for the return of SURGE, a citrus soft drink produced by The Coca-Cola Company that was resurrected in 2014 and formerly available from 1997-2003. The Movement remains an integral driving force of interminable activism, focusing on the brand’s growth, success, and sustainability.
What makes Surge’s story particularly fascinating is how passionate fans literally brought it back from the dead. After being discontinued in 2003, devoted Surge enthusiasts organized online campaigns and petitions that eventually convinced Coca-Cola to bring back their beloved citrus soda. It’s true – some once-beloved sodas, like Surge or Slice, have managed to work their way back into relevance, returning to store shelves after years of absence. Today, you can find Surge in select stores and online, proving that sometimes fan power really can make a difference.
These eleven vintage sodas prove that good flavors never truly disappear – they just wait patiently for the right moment to bubble back into our lives. Whether you’re seeking a taste of childhood nostalgia or curious about flavors that dominated past decades, these old-fashioned sodas offer something special that modern beverages often lack: character, history, and the kind of unique personality that comes from being crafted in a different era. Next time you’re shopping, keep your eyes peeled for these liquid treasures – you might just discover your new favorite fizzy friend has been hiding in plain sight all along.
Where to Find These Liquid Time Capsules Today
Tracking down these vintage sodas isn’t as impossible as you might think, though it does require a bit of detective work. Your best bet is hitting up regional grocery chains, old-fashioned general stores, and specialty beverage shops that pride themselves on stocking unusual drinks. Cracker Barrel restaurants are surprisingly reliable goldmines for retro sodas like Nehi and Dad’s Root Beer, while independent gas stations and convenience stores in rural areas often carry regional favorites that disappeared from big-city shelves decades ago. Online retailers like Amazon and specialty soda websites have made the hunt significantly easier, letting you order cases of Moxie or Faygo delivered straight to your door no matter where you live. Some craft soda shops and vintage candy stores have also jumped on the nostalgia train, curating collections of discontinued and hard-to-find beverages that’ll transport you straight back to childhood. The thrill of stumbling upon a dusty bottle of Green River in some random corner store? That’s an experience no modern energy drink can replicate.
Why These Forgotten Sodas Are Making a Comeback
There’s something deeper happening here than just nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake. These old-school sodas are riding a massive wave of consumer rebellion against the bland uniformity of modern beverages. People are genuinely tired of the same three mega-brands dominating every cooler and vending machine in America, and they’re actively seeking out drinks with actual personality and regional character. The craft beverage movement has created a perfect storm where smaller, independent soda makers can actually compete again, and consumers are willing to pay premium prices for authenticity over mass-market mediocrity. Social media has amplified this trend dramatically – one viral TikTok video of someone trying Moxie for the first time can spark thousands of new customers hunting down that peculiar gentian root flavor. Even major retailers are catching on, dedicating shelf space to regional and retro sodas because they’ve realized younger generations crave the stories and heritage behind these drinks just as much as the taste itself. It’s not just about drinking a soda anymore; it’s about connecting with a piece of American history that your grandparents might have enjoyed at the local soda fountain.
The Secret Ingredients That Made These Sodas Unforgettable
What really set these vintage sodas apart wasn’t just clever marketing or regional loyalty – it was the wild, unexpected ingredients that would probably terrify modern focus groups. Moxie’s gentian root creates that distinctively bitter punch that people either worship or absolutely despise with zero middle ground. Vernors gets its complex, almost medicinal flavor from aging in oak barrels for years, a process that’s insanely expensive and time-consuming compared to just mixing syrup with carbonated water. Green River used to contain actual lime oil and other natural extracts that gave it that shockingly bright color and taste, before artificial everything became the industry standard. These sodas weren’t formulated by corporate committees trying to offend absolutely nobody – they were created by regional bottlers and pharmacists who threw caution to the wind and experimented with flavors that had genuine character. That’s precisely why they taste so different from the sanitized, market-tested beverages lining store shelves today, and it’s exactly what modern consumers are desperately craving in an era of artificial sameness.
How Regional Soda Wars Shaped America’s Drinking Habits
Before Coca-Cola and Pepsi dominated every gas station cooler in America, regional sodas fought brutal territory battles that would make Game of Thrones look tame. Cities had fierce loyalty to their local bottlers – you’d get genuine side-eye ordering a Pepsi in Detroit when Faygo practically ran through the city’s veins, or asking for anything but Cheerwine at a North Carolina barbecue joint. These weren’t just beverages, they were badges of regional identity that separated insiders from outsiders instantly. The distribution wars got so intense that some bottlers would literally sabotage competitors’ delivery trucks or pay stores under the table for premium shelf space, creating soda empires that lasted generations within specific zip codes. What’s fascinating is how these territorial divisions still exist today in pockets across America – walk into certain mom-and-pop stores in Pennsylvania and you’ll find shelves stocked with brands that haven’t been seen in California since the Nixon administration. The big corporate consolidations of the 1980s and 90s tried to erase these regional differences completely, but they couldn’t kill the deep cultural connections people had with their hometown sodas.
