James Scott's Glass Bottle Soda Ranking

My classmates may know me as an expert food critic with the finest of taste buds, but one thing they may not know about me is that I’m a Glass Bottle Soda Connoisseur. Soda is an okay beverage to be consumed with meals, but Glass Bottle Soda is its own entity. Consuming Glass Bottle Soda with anything else is a sin; it must be experienced to its fullest. For my uninitiated classmates I will be breaking down the top ten Glass Bottle Sodas and where you can find them locally.

#10: Glass Bottle (duh) Dr Pepper

Dr Pepper was created in Waco, Texas in 1885. This makes it the oldest surviving Soda brand in the United States beating Coca-Cola by just one year. The main appeal of Glass Bottle Soda is that it’s generally made using real sugar rather than HFCS (High Fructose Corn Syrup). Dr Pepper has the bite of Coca-Cola with extra plum flavor. It would be ranked higher, but it is not a huge improvement on regular canned Dr Pepper. Don’t get me wrong, it is better, just not by much.

Where to Buy: Giant, Sam’s Club, Williamsport Surplus Outlet

#9: Mandarin Jarritos

Jarritos is a Mexican based soda brand that delivers refreshing fruit sodas. I myself am not much of a Fruit soda fan preferring Root, Ginger, and Birch Beer, but I can’t deny the deliciousness that is Jarritos Mandarin soda. The most faithful orange soda that I’ve ever had, it tastes just like biting into a sugared up, carbonated, orange. Mexican soda is renowned for its natural ingredients and holds up to the form for a great Glass Bottle Soda by using real cane sugar.

#8: Vernor’s Ginger Ale

Vernors ginger ale originates in Michigan. Created in the year 1866, it is the oldest ginger ale brand in the United States. Vernors was purchased by Dr. Pepper and is now owned as a subsidiary of Dr Pepper and Snapple. Vernors is a great tasting Ginger soda that lacks the bite of some other glass bottle ginger sodas. It makes up for the lack of bite with a rich, creamy, frothy, flavor that is smoother than butter. Vernors can frequently be seen on the set of popular American sitcom Parks and Recreation.

Where to buy: Weis Markets, Wengers

#7: Frostie Root Beer

It may be Christmas nostalgia speaking to me, but most Root Beers do not reach the flavor combinations of Frostie Root Beer. It is a bare bones soda, but much like the infamous Coca-Cola, proportions are everything. Frostie reigns supreme, and quickly rises in popularity during the holidays.

Where to Buy: Country Cupboard, Walmart

#6 Outrageous Ginger Brew

Cowards beware, Outrageous Ginger Brew is not for the faint of heart, it has enough Ginger to make Carrot Top look like a brunette. Outrageous Ginger Brew is a beverage by Natural Brew and an outlier; it has Sugar as the third ingredient, very rare in a soda pop. This soda works very well with very little, coming in with only five ingredients. Outrageous Ginger Brown will leave your throat burning, but your heart warming.

#5 Pennsylvania Dutch Birch Beer

Birch Beer, in my experience, is a niche. Loved by some, hated by others. Bottled in Williamsport, PA (REPRESENT!) PDBB is a fantastic beverage that is best drunk after a hard long day of work. It is an incredibly unique flavor that is hard to master, this Birch Beer reigns supreme above all others, and beats most Root and Ginger beers hands down.

#4 Virgil’s Root Beer

Virgil’s Root Beer is the best root beer there is, it uses the absolute best ingredients including anise, licorice, vanilla, cinnamon, clove, sweet birch, molasses and more. These traditional flavors will remind you of being in a Candy Shop during one’s youth. All of these flavors blend well, and surprisingly, don’t clash at all. Virgil’s Root Beer is renowned for its quality and is sold at many organic and quality ingredient stores.

Where to buy: Natural Food and Garden Store

#3 Mexican Coke

I know what you’re thinking “Mexican Coke? That’s not Soda.” This Coke is perfectly legal, but not easy to come by at reasonable prices. This Coca-Cola is manufactured in Mexico and uses real cane sugar, and you can tell. One doesn’t drink regular American Coke after the deliciousness that is Mexican coke.

Where to Buy: Sam’s Club or ask my Uncle Bobby.

#2 Maine Root Blueberry Soda

As I said before, I am not a fan of fruit sodas, but is no ordinary fruit soda;it is like eating fresh blueberries off of the bush. It is incredibly hard to come by.My parents buy it while they visit my brother in college (Maine). However, a local restaurant that is a champion of glass bottle sodas serves it.

Where to Buy: Mercado Burrito or Talk to my parents.

#1 Manhattan Special Pure Espresso Original Soda

Another amazing soda that is incredibly hard to come by: Manhattan Special Pure Espresso Original Soda is levels above the competition. It pulls off an amazing combination of Bitterness and Sweetness, and they keep each other in check. This soda comes in a twelve ounce bottle, rather than twenty, which makes you savor it even more. This is my only criticism of the soda. The use of real brewed coffee, and pure cane sugar makes this soda that Magnum Opus of the human race.

Where to Buy: Mercado Burrito

#Soda #Pop #SodaPop #GlassBottle