RC Cola

Many people today probably do not know what RC stands for, but here's the story, borrowed heavily from my earlier post on Nehi. In 1905, a pharmacist named Claude Hatcher founded the Union Bottling Works in Columbus, Georgia. Claude's company focused primarily on the production of his sodas Chero-Cola and Royal Crown Ginger Ale. Due to the popularity of Chero-Cola, the company changed its name to the Chero-Cola Company in 1912. 

By 1924, Chero-Cola Co. released a line of flavored sodas under the name Nehi. The two major myths about the root of this name boil down to their calling the competition only "knee-high" when compared to their drink. In 1928, the company changed it's name again to the Nehi Corporation.

Claude Hatcher died in 1933 and the new president of the company, H.R. Mott led the development of a new cola drink and using Hatcher's old brand name, called it Royal Crown Cola. Never ceasing to ride the waves of popularity, Nehi, changed its name again in 1955 to the Royal Crown Company. Today the company is owned by and under management of the Dr Pepper Snapple Group.

Even though it's now part of a large conglomerate I still hold a warm spot for RC because it's such an underdog in the cola market compared to Coca-Cola and Pepsi. RC Cola is closer to Pepsi in flavor than Coca-Cola. By that I mean I don't find it as sweet, more of a crisp bitterness to it. I also enjoy it's level of carbonation. Funny to say, but as often as I've had RC, I can't remember ever having tasted Diet RC, but you're sure to see it on this blog eventually. If drink a good deal of cola, mix things up and pick up some RC next time. Or if you're donating blood, like I'm apt to do at times, get a free taste there since they often have it next to the snacks for donors.

Nehi Grape

In 1905, a pharmacist named Claude Hatcher founded the Union Bottling Works in Columbus, Georgia. Claude's company focused primarily on the production of his sodas Chero-Cola and Royal Crown Ginger Ale. Due to the popularity of Chero-Cola, the company changed its name to the Chero-Cola Company in 1912. 

By 1924, Chero-Cola Co released a line of flavored sodas under the name Nehi. While the name conjures something of an asian origin to my mind, lore holds that it had a more folksy beginning. There is more than one story, but the two major myths basically boil down to calling the competition "knee-high" in how they compared to their drink. The Nehi line up at the time included orange, grape, peach, and root beer. By 1928, Nehi drinks were outselling Chero-Cola and so the company again changed names to the Nehi Corporation. 

Nehi suffered from the Great Depression like most other companies and operated at a loss in 1932. When Claude Hatcher died in 1933, the new president of the company became H.R. Mott. H.R. Mott led the development of a new cola beverage and borrowing a concept from Hatcher, named the drink Royal Crown Cola. Never ceasing to ride waves of popularity the Nehi Co. changed its name again in 1955 to the Royal Crown Company. The company was later brought under the umbrella of Snapple, which was later acquired by Cadbury Schweppes Inc. which spun it off to the control of by the Dr Pepper Snapple Group. Although Nehi can still be found today in some flavor variations, I doubt it is possible to still find it in glass bottles.

Perhaps Nehi is most well known from M*A*S*H, the television series which ran from 1972-1983 about an army surgical group in Korea. The character "Radar" O'Reilly was obsessed with Grape Nehi on the show. 

This bottle has a nearly non-existant level of carbonation, but a pleasant sugary, grape aroma. It has a sweet grape flavor like most modern American fruit-flavored sodas but isn't quite as overly rich as, say, a Welch's or the older Crush Grape which can sometimes make you sick by the end of a bottle.

Sun Drop

Charles Lazier created the original Sun Drop recipe in St. Louis, MO in 1928, which his son, Charles Jr. developed into the Sun Drop soda that made it's debut in 1930. The beverage was known for having a distinct citrus flavor and a hefty dose of caffeine. Also known as Sun Drop Golden Cola or Golden Girl Cola, the Crush brand purchased Sun Drop in 1970. Crush was later bought by Proctor & Gamble, then sold off to Cadbury Schweppes which later spun off the Dr Pepper Snapple Group that also makes Dr Pepper, Crush, Hires, Nehi, A&W, Stewart's, Diet Rite and Squirt.

Sun Drop has only a light citrus scent and light, tiny-bubbled carbonation. The "pulp" is so minor as to be very hard to see, but noticeable when the bottle is up-turned. The flavor is not too in-distinct from that of Ski. This is that hard to describe blend of citrus flavors that isn't exactly grapefruit, lemon or lime, just a refreshing blend of citrus-nous.