Coke, Pepsi, Dr. Pepper, and Sprite dominate the American soda market. And they’re classics for a reason — it’s hard to go wrong with a fresh cracked Sprite or nice marinated Diet Coke. But if you’re looking to branch out, there’s a whole world of sodas out there beyond the basics. America is home to hundreds of unique regional soft drink brands, offering every flavor of carbonated beverage you could possibly desire (and some you definitely don’t), from grapefruit to cherry to bubble gum. Here’s a roundup of the weirdest and most wonderful regional sodas of America.
Texas: Big Red
Big Red is a cream soda invented in Waco, Texas in 1937. I’ve never had the pleasure of tasting it myself, but the flavor has been described as akin to carbonated Juicy Fruit chewing gum, red berries with undertones of cotton candy, and, alternatively, effervescent Robitussin. (When it comes to soda, taste is subjective.) Big Red can be used in ice cream floats to make a “pink cow,” or mixed with tequila to make “Big Red Margaritas.” Big Red is also a longtime staple of Juneteenth celebrations in Texas, where red food represents power, sacrifice, and transformation.
Tennessee: Dr. Enuf
Dr. Enuf is a vitamin-fortified lemon-lime soda distributed by the Tri-Cities Beverage Company of Johnson City, Tennessee since 1949. It was originally touted as a miracle tonic with the ability to relieve “untold misery” from various ailments. Basically, it was an OG functional beverage. Although Dr. Enuf no longer makes such sweeping promises, it is still fortified with thiamine and niacin. I have sampled Dr. Enuf on a few occasions, and found it pretty tasty — some describe the flavor as a mix of ginger ale and Mountain Dew, while others compare the taste to battery acid. Dr. Enuf is available across much of the Southeast, and it’s also on the menu at Pal’s, an *iconic* Tennessee fast-food chain (IYKYK).
Arizona: Squirt
Squirt is a grapefruit flavored soft drink invented in Phoenix, Arizona in 1938. As a grapefruit lover, this sounds like the perfect refreshing beverage for the Arizona heat. But much like grapefruit, the flavor of squirt is divisive. Some love its “balanced grapefruit tartness and refreshing citrus taste,” while others write it off as “disgusting.” Squirt is a popular cocktail mixer, and is often used in palomas.
Maine: Moxie
Moxie is a root beer-like concoction created in 1876 in Lowell, Massachusetts. It is now popular across the Northeast, particularly in Maine. From what I can tell the flavor is akin to a bitter root beer with strong notes of anise and other botanicals. Some describe it as “a mix of root beer and mouthwash,” or, less delicately, “cat piss.” And yet, Maine loves Moxie. There’s even an annual Moxie festival. I would say it’s an acquired taste, but Stephen King (perhaps the most famous Mainer) wrote this of “Moxie, that weirdest of soft drinks,” in his novel 11/22/63: “The world’s population divided naturally (and probably by genetic inheritance) into two groups: the tiny but blessed elect who prized Moxie above all other potables . . . and everybody else.”
North Carolina: Cheerwine
Cheerwine is a unique wild cherry flavored soda invented in 1917 in Salisbury, North Carolina. According to company lore, Cheerwine was created as a lower sugar soda in response to WWI sugar shortages, and was named for its “burgundy-red color and cheery disposition.” (To be clear, it does not contain any actual wine.) As a North Carolinian, I can verify that Cheerwine is beloved in its home state. It’s a key ingredient in many BBQ sauce recipes, and Cheerwine cakes, ice creams, and slushies abound. Cheerwine is available across the Southeast, and, interestingly, in Norway.