America's Oldest Soft Drink Was Born In This Michigan City - Tasting Table

"fongbeerredhot/Shutterstock There are plenty of American soft drink brands old enough to be iconic, from Dr. Pepper, introduced in 1885, to Coca-Cola, born in 1886. But it's the regional brands with the most treasured legacies - older, storied sodas are points of pride for generations who grow up enjoying them. Such is the case with Vernors ginger ale, the country's oldest soda that's still around, established in Motor City, USA. Detroiters have long celebrated this beloved soda - or "pop" as the locals would say."

"Sodas were once thought of as health tonics, dating back to the 18th century when a carbonation method was invented. From the mid-1700s to the mid-1800s, soda evolved with the introduction of glass bottled soft drinks and different flavors derived from the wellness-driven ingredients various doctors and producers saw as helpful remedies to assorted maladies. Ginger was one of these, as it was seen as an aid for malaria and gastrointestinal ailments."

"Ginger ales were invented in Ireland around the early 1860s, and a Detroit drug store clerk named James Vernor was inspired to create his own. It's debated whether Vernor created a syrup of vanilla and ginger in a wooden barrel, left to serve in the Civil War, and returned home to a deliciously aged concoction with wood notes not unlike bourbon - truth or legend, vanilla is what sets Vernors ginger ale apart to this day with its resulting blend of cream soda sweetness"

Vernors ginger ale originated in Detroit in the 19th century and is the oldest American soda still produced. Ginger was historically used as a medicinal flavor, and ginger ales first appeared in Ireland in the early 1860s. James Vernor, a Detroit drugstore clerk, developed a vanilla-and-ginger syrup that reportedly aged in a wooden barrel, producing woody and vanilla notes alongside ginger spice. Vernors was first served at Vernor's pharmacy, later sold more widely, and originally offered as separate syrup and carbonated water so the inventor could ensure proper preparation and preserve the drink's unique flavor.

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