Pop: Part Two, More Sampling
And More Sugar
As promised, the next and final (for now) part of the pop series. The expert1 panel is still around, though one member has been swapped out, and another added. There are no more pops from Rocket Fizz; the below pops came from Cracker Barrel, Kroger, and Dollar Tree.
A few notes:
Only pops that originated in or are currently made in the Old Northwest count. So no Dr Pepper.
A lot of pops meet the above criteria. If your favorite isn’t on here, check out part one of this series. If you still don't find it, tell me, and I'll see if I can get it.
Try as I might, I couldn't get Jolly Soda, as was requested in the last article. I also couldn't find any brands from Minnesota.
I’m from Michigan. So is (almost) everyone in my panel. While I'd like to say we're impartial—we aren't.
None of these brands (or the stores I purchased them from) are sponsors, nor are any of the links to the pops affiliate links.
Without further delay, here we go.
Illinois/Indiana
Dad’s Root Beer
Dad’s Root Beer was started by Barney Berns and Ely Klapman in Chicago, Illinois, in 1937. They spread throughout the Midwest, then the US, then the world. At one point only A&W sold more root beer. And, according to their website, they were the first pop company to sell their drinks in a six pack. The brand has been sold a few times, and today is owned by Hedinger Brands, LLC and is based in Indiana.
What The Panel Thought
R. I like it—but it's not better than A&W. Tastes like it has butterscotch in it.
S. It's good. I think it's a little better than A&W.
J. Very good. Definitely Better than A&W.
W. It could have a stronger root beer flavor.
A. It doesn't have a strong root flavor. It doesn't really have a lot of carbonation in it. Tastes flat.
What I Thought
It has a spicy (clove, maybe?), liquorice taste. Low fizz. Not my favorite root beer, but a good drink.
Rankings
R. 5/10
S. 8/10
J. 9/10
W. 7/10
A. 6/10
W.E. 8/10
Michigan
Frostie Strawberry Lemonade
Frostie started as a root beer company out of Maryland. The brand changed hands a few times, and at one point were owned by the Monarch Beverage Company, which also owned Dad's Root Beer. Today the brand is owned by Detroit based Intrastate Distributors, Inc. (IDI). I picked this flavor one, because it’s different, and two, it was at Dollar Tree for a buck twenty-five.
What The Panel Thought
R. I could drink it.
S. It's like 7 UP and lemonade had a baby.
J. Tastes like Mountain Dew lemonade. It's solid enough.
W. It has more fizz than the last one. Has an aftertaste.
G. I do like the fizz to it. Doesn't taste real bad.
What I Thought
The more I drank it, the more I liked it. Good fizz. Strong strawberry lemonade flavor.
Rankings
R. 3/10
S. 8/0
J. 7/10
W. 5/10
G. 6/10
W.E. 7/10
Towne Club Honolulu Blue Cream Soda
Towne Club started in Detroit in the 1960s. They’re also owned by IDI.
Cream soda is usually clear, but this one is Honolulu Blue. Why? Because that's the color of the Detroit Lions NFL (National Football Leauge) team. Detroit (and lower Michigan in general) takes the Lions very, very seriously—even when they're awful. Thankfully, this year they're good (9-1 at the time of writing). But that's off topic.
What The Panel Thought
This pop is so good I got two bottles of it. Both got drank before the panel could be convened…
What I Thought
Thankfully, I drank one of the bottles. It tastes like a cream soda with a hint of blue raspberry flavor. The blue color is a plus—unless you're a Bears, Packers, or Vikings fan.
Rankings
R. ???
S. ???
J. ???
W. ???
A. ???
W.E. 9/10
Wisconsin
Sprecher Orange Dream
Sprecher started in 1984 as a craft brewery. They’re still one—the oldest in Milwaukee. They got into the pop game, becoming most famous for their made-with-honey root beer. They also acquired Green River, which you can read about in Pop: Part One. This is another flavor I got at Dollar Tree.
What The Panel Thought
R. Tastes like flat Orange Crush.
S. Probably the only time I'll drink it. I won't buy it again.
J. It tastes like ibuprofen.
W. I won't get this at Dollar Tree.
G. Kinda flat.
What I Thought
It did taste like orange flavored medicine. Had no fizz—though that may have been because it sat in a warehouse too long. Sprecher makes good pop, but they really missed the mark with this flavor. No wonder it ended up at Dollar Tree. Buy the brand, skip the flavor.
Rankings
R. 8/10
S.1/10
J. 5/10
W. 1/10
G. 6/10
W.E. 1/10
Have you tried any of the above?
Coming Soon To Substack
December will have three—yes, three articles. The White Hurricane of 1913, War In The Old Northwest: Part One, and Home Alone.
Thank you for reading. If you’d like to support The Old Northwest, you may do so below.
Sources and Further Reading
By expert, I mean people who like pop.
What, no Verners? No better Ginger Ale.
More pops I've never seen before - such a wide selection! Always fun to see how people describe it.
Makes me curious - how common would you say it is for people to switch up flavors? Do you look for a wide selection in stores or just stick to 1-2 main favorites when choosing on a day-to-day basis?