17 Uncommon Soda Brands You Haven't Heard Of

Americans consume 13 billion gallons of soft drinks annually. However, prior to the mid-1800s, the variety was far more limited, with popular soda flavors like cola, orange, grape, root beer, strawberry, and lemon-lime leading the way.

Times have certainly changed! Some of the drinks mentioned below are still being produced, while others have sadly faded into history, now only available in the great soda fountain in the sky.

1. DraCola

DraCola was a cola drink created for 'Halloween fans of all ages' by Transylvania Imports. Don't worry, it doesn't taste like blood. Instead, it’s a regular cola-flavored soda.

2. Aphrodite

A deep cherry red soda with a fruit punch taste, Aphrodite was discontinued after a short run. Each bottle featured a quote from a legendary movie star, like Mae West, and its cheeky slogan 'Get Some Tonight.' This drink made its debut in 2002 but disappeared within a few years.

3. OK Soda

This soda didn’t have the most memorable taste, but it certainly had a memorable marketing campaign. Targeting the too-cool-for-anything Generation X in the early 1990s, OK Soda embraced minimalist art and negative advertising to promote the product. However, the Gen X crowd wasn’t swayed by the gimmicks or the average cola drink, and soon, OK Soda became a thing of the past.

4. Celo Polka Cola

Introduced in 1991 by the Sauk City, Wisconsin-based Celo Bottling Company, Celo Polka Cola was designed to promote polka music and dancing. Whether it succeeded in that mission is still debated, but you can buy this cola-flavored drink online and judge for yourself.

5. Whooppee Soda

Known as 'The Bottled Joy,' Whooppee Soda was a ginger ale-flavored drink that featured the innovative 'Tilt-Top Cap.' One of the highlights of this early-20th-century beverage was a contest where consumers could win up to $500 in prizes by submitting the best stories of their 'saddest, most injurious or embarrassing experience in taking off the... bottle crown cap.'

6. Dr. Enuf

Since 1949, the Tri-City Beverage Corporation has been producing Dr. Enuf, a 'vitamin-enriched lemon-lime soft drink' created by Charles Gordon. In its early days, Dr. Enuf was marketed as a cure for 'untold misery' caused by aches, stomach troubles, and general fatigue. Although still made by the original manufacturer, it's no longer found on most grocery store shelves.

Our list of lesser-known soda brands continues with Leninade on the next page.

Obscure Soda Pop Brands, 7-17

From Hemp Soda to Pickle Juice 'Sport,' the remaining brands on our list of obscure sodas cover a wide range of unique flavors.

7. Leninade

With catchy slogans like 'A taste worth standing in line for' and 'A drink for the masses!', it's clear that humor was part of the appeal for this 'Simple Soviet Style Soda.' Produced by the Lenin Company, its fruity flavor was loved by both communists and non-communists alike – so much so that you can still find it online today.

8. Hemp Soda

Ah, the mid-1990s – when alternative music was at its peak and hemp-based products were gaining popularity. This 'herbal' soda was introduced in 1996 and featured a bold hemp leaf on the can. You can still order this drink online from its maker, 'Designer Food.'

9. Nesbitt's Orange Soda

Founded in 1938 in Los Angeles, the Nesbitt Orange Soda Company produced its iconic orange soda for four decades. This classic drink features real orange zest that settles at the bottom, and it’s still available for purchase online and in select stores.

10. Brain Wash Blue

If you're struggling to identify the flavor of this soda, you're not alone. Jalapeño oil is not a common ingredient in most soft drinks, which could explain why this small-batch creation from Skeleteens never gained widespread popularity. If you're feeling adventurous, you can find it online.

11. Tab Clear

If you weren't paying attention in 1993, you missed Tab Clear. Coca-Cola jumped onto the clear-cola craze (think Crystal Pepsi), but within less than a year of its debut, Tab Clear was discontinued. However, the original Tab is still around and going strong.

12. Flathead Lake Monster

The North American Beverage Company introduced this boutique soda line, naming it after a legendary creature thought to reside in Flathead Lake, Montana. Flavors like Huckleberry and Wild White Grape are among the options. While its limited availability has kept it under the radar, it has garnered a dedicated following.

13. Gay Energy Cola Drink

In an effort to target a specific market segment, POWER Drinks, S.L. created this energy drink some years ago. If you happen upon a can, you might want to hold onto it as a collector’s item, since it is no longer being produced.

14. Pickle Juice "Sport"

Created by Golden Beverages, Inc., this soda is not only the same color as pickle juice, but it also tastes just like it—carbonated pickle juice, to be exact. Despite its unique flavor, both the Original and Sport variants have struggled in sales, making it a rare find in stores, although it can still be purchased online.

15. Orbitz

Clearly Canadian, known for its flavored sparkling waters, decided to take a bold leap. Likely inspired by Japanese bubble tea, Orbitz drinks were filled with gelatin balls floating in semi-colloidal, fruit-flavored water. While they resembled lava lamps, the taste was memorable—though not in the best way.

16. Nuky Rose Soda

This pale pink soda from Florida's Nuky Corporation has the distinct aroma and taste of perfume, thanks to its unique ingredient—rose petals.

17. Abali "Yogurt Original Flavor" Soda

While carbonated dairy drinks may seem unusual in the Western world, yogurt sodas are a staple in the Middle East, especially in countries like Iran and Afghanistan. These sodas are often naturally carbonated due to the process of fermentation.

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS:

Helen Davies, Marjorie Dorfman, Mary Fons, Deborah Hawkins, Martin Hintz, Linnea Lundgren, David Priess, Julia Clark Robinson, Paul Seaburn, Heidi Stevens, and Steve Theunissen