Anyone like "premium" soft drinks?

[bcla]

Just thinking about it when my kid wanted a treat and I found an A&W (actually an A&W/KFC). Their sign said they had "freshly made" root beer, where I guess the syrup is mixed daily. I had a taste of it, and it did seem to be better than bottled soda.

I remember back when my employer would order soft drinks for the employee break room, and we'd get Henry Weinhard's root beer, which would usually be gone in less than a day. Pyramid Breweries has their Thomas Kemper brand, although I don't see it much. I used to be a able to find Stewart's. I think some people think of IBC as a premium brand, although I used to be able to find it for $1.50 for a six pack at some discount stores.

BJ's Brewhouse and Restaurant has some sort of "handcrafted" soft drinks, but I'm not quite sure what those are like.

 

[hopemax]

We get Henry's root beer to have on hand for watching Univ of Washington football games (my husband also has Tim's potato chips shipped for game season too). We also buy various independent root beers and other flavored sodas (usually vanilla cream but sometimes orange, and others) from a local produce place that stocks them, but Albertsons has a pretty good variety of them too. I am also reliving my middle school days now that New York Seltzer is back in business. I get them at Target.

We also get the rootbeer at BJ's and it's pretty good.

 

[Domo]

Coke Zero, if that counts?

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Just thinking about it when my kid wanted a treat and I found an A&W (actually an A&W/KFC). Their sign said they had "freshly made" root beer, where I guess the syrup is mixed daily. I had a taste of it, and it did seem to be better than bottled soda.

I remember back when my employer would order soft drinks for the employee break room, and we'd get Henry Weinhard's root beer, which would usually be gone in less than a day. Pyramid Breweries has their Thomas Kemper brand, although I don't see it much. I used to be a able to find Stewart's. I think some people think of IBC as a premium brand, although I used to be able to find it for $1.50 for a six pack at some discount stores.

BJ's Brewhouse and Restaurant has some sort of "handcrafted" soft drinks, but I'm not quite sure what those are like.

A and W on tap uses cane sugar. A and W in the bottle and in the standard bag in box system uses corn syrup.

 

[bcla]

A and W on tap uses cane sugar. A and W in the bottle and in the standard bag in box system uses corn syrup.

I saw the sign on the tap mentioned it. However, I think their daily-mixed sodas are only available at A&W restaurants for obvious reasons. Also - their bottled/canned root beer sometimes says "made with aged vanilla" - whatever that does.

I was at another KFC yesterday and all they had was Mug root beer. It was OK, but there was something different about it compared to A&W.

 

[smiths02]

I like a lot of Virgil's soda. I noticed that the local Kroger is selling Private Selection craft sodas.

 

[ahutton]

Maine Root soda is my favorite. The cola and the ginger ale are the only soft drinks I drink these days. Otherwise it's all water and tea for me.

 

[Christine]

Maine Root soda is my favorite. The cola and the ginger ale are the only soft drinks I drink these days. Otherwise it's all water and tea for me.

Maine Root soda is also my favorite. We have a fast-casual place in the DC area (Cava), that serves them out of the fountain. Love the lemon-line and blueberry. I could get the other flavors in the grocery store but I don't buy soda to drink at home anymore.

 

[tvguy]

Careful, this could get locked for being a political post!

I have never experience anything more political that what soft drinks we served in our Little League Snack Bar when I was on the board of directors.

Coke haters, Pepsi haters, then Little League entered into an agreement with RC and we got RC haters.

Parents were interesting, but Little League is all about the kids, so our soda decisions were all made based on which soda company had the best incentives to switch.
$2,000 electronic scoreboards, cases of baseballs, free cups, free cases of bottled water and cash all offered.
Kids oddly enough, never seemed to notice when we changed soda brands.

 

[bcla]

Careful, this could get locked for being a political post!

I have never experience anything more political that what soft drinks we served in our Little League Snack Bar when I was on the board of directors.

Coke haters, Pepsi haters, then Little League entered into an agreement with RC and we got RC haters.

Parents were interesting, but Little League is all about the kids, so our soda decisions were all made based on which soda company had the best incentives to switch.
$2,000 electronic scoreboards, cases of baseballs, free cups, free cases of bottled water and cash all offered.
Kids oddly enough, never seemed to notice when we changed soda brands.

My parents operated a restaurant back in the 80s. They switched from Coke to Pepsi because the delivery/setup guy for the Coke bottler managed to spray syrup all over the kitchen. This was before bagged syrup in boxes. It came in metal canisters.

The strange thing was back before Pepsi had a lemon-lime soda, and what they had was Bubble Up.

 

[ahutton]

Maine Root soda is my favorite. The cola and the ginger ale are the only soft drinks I drink these days. Otherwise it's all water and tea for me.

AustinTink - It tastes best with Tacodeli tacos!!

 

[NYCgrrl]

I don't drink soda much anymore but every once in a while have a hankering for Manhattan Special, a locally made espresso soda that comes in 6 or 8 oz glass bottles. Don't get piggy and drink 3 bottles back to back cuz you'll get an over caffeinated case of the jitters or at least I do.

When in CT I must have a bottle of Foxon Park's White Birch to go with Pepe's summer tomato or clam pie. Makes me know I'm alive.

 

[superme80]

Zevia

 

[sunshinehighway]

Boylan, red birch beer specifically, is my favorite. Johnnie Ryan soda is great but harder to find around here.
I'm a big fan of Mexican sodas too. Luckily it grocery store has a good selection. Pineapple and grapefruit, i think it's Jarritos.
I really don't drink much soda so when I do I think to make sure it's the good stuff.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Yes! We love trying specialty sodas and I’ll occasionally pay extra for favorites I really enjoy. Juaritos was a brand I really liked when I used to go to Mexico on business. I used to get it at the Mexican market, that sadly closed. It’s now available in a couple local restaurants & groceries. IBC Root Beer is another good one (among the more common brands).

 

[Hikergirl]

Yes! We love trying specialty sodas and I’ll occasionally pay extra for favorites I really enjoy. Juaritos was a brand I really liked when I used to go to Mexico on business. I used to get it at the Mexican market, that sadly closed. It’s now available in a couple local restaurants & groceries. IBC Root Beer is another good one (among the more common brands).

My ds loves Juaritos. We can find it in several places here plus our favorite restaurant serves it.

I don't know what makes a soda premium, but I love Stewart's cream soda every once in awhile.

 

[MetalMasterC]

Many wouldn't consider it "premium." I do. I am an avid TaB drinker.

(What constitutes "premium" anyway?)

 

[bcla]

My ds loves Juaritos. We can find it in several places here plus our favorite restaurant serves it.

I don't know what makes a soda premium, but I love Stewart's cream soda every once in awhile.

I was struggling with a topic title. It was really thinking of that A&W restaurant root beer, but then I remember bottled beverages that are little bit more expensive. Someone mentioned "specialty" and I think that's probably a better description.

 

[L&Lfan]

Whenever I'm down south I go to Bi-Lo and buy some Cheerwine and Mr Pibb.

 

[bcla]

Many wouldn't consider it "premium." I do. I am an avid TaB drinker.

(What constitutes "premium" anyway?)

Yeah, again I was struggling for the right phrase. I’m really thinking more like the soft drink equivalent of a craft beer.

Strangely enough, last year I was at an Anheuser-Busch brewery on their paid tour. I say paid, because I was on free tour during their open house, and no alcohol was served. But they had a series of alcoholic soft drinks - the Best Damn brand. My kid was upset that they wouldn’t serve their cream soda to minors.