What Is Big Red Soda and What the Heck Does It Taste Like?

Unless you’re from the Southern U.S. (particularly Texas) you may never have heard of Big Red soda. If you’re not familiar, you might think “big red soda” is a mutant soda that might taste like cherries but might also taste like a fire engine. If you thought that, though, you’d be wrong. 

Here’s everything you didn’t know you wanted to know about Big Red soda. 

What is Big Red soda?

Popular in the South, Big Red soda is a bold red soda with a very particular flavor that many have likened to bubble gum. Described as “sweeter than cotton candy and redder than rubies,” Big Red has lived in the hearts of Texans since its 1937 creation. As Texas barbeque’s unofficial soda, it’s one of (if not the actual) last native sodas created, owned, and operated by Texans. 

What does Big Red soda taste like?

After exhaustive research and hours combing through various accounts, we have the answer to the question: What flavor is Big Red? We can confidently conclude that Big Red soda tastes like…Big Red soda. It’s pretty distinct, somewhat mysterious, but generally regarded as pretty darn tasty. It’s been described as tasting “red,” and “louder” than Coca-Cola or Dr Pepper. Though the red color might inspire expectations of cherry or strawberry, the actual flavor is much closer to bubble gum, lemon, orange, and vanilla. Its individual flavor makes it a key ingredient in a cocktail called a Texas Sunrise, which is Big Red and tequila. 

Is Big Red cream soda?

Yes. Ish. Big Red does have the characteristic vanilla flavor of a cream soda, but is also flavored with orange and lemon oils. You know, exactly the flavors that make for a jarring disconnect between the flavor and the cherry-red color. Don’t be fooled! It’s the dye. 

If Big Red’s take on cream soda isn’t really your jam, you can find other flavors like Big Blue, Big Red Zero Sugar, Big Peach, and Big Pineapple. 

Does Big Red soda have caffeine?

Those who find themselves especially chipper after a couple swigs of Big Red can distribute the blame between a sugar rush, a gentle caffeine jolt, and the inexplicable desire to line dance into the Texas sunset. At 36mg in a 12 ounce can, the caffeine content of Big Red is the lower middle range for sodas. It’s just smidge higher than the classic Coca-Cola, which comes in at 34mg, about half of Mountain Dew Zero Sugar’s 68mg, and nothing compared to the 156mg of Panera’s Charged Lemonade. 

Who makes Big Red soda?

Initially invented in a Waco lab, Big Red is produced and distributed by a number of independent bottlers like Keurig Dr Pepper, CCE, and Pepsi Bottling Group under license from Big Red Inc. Big Red Inc. is based in Austin, Texas, so while you can find the drink outside of the Lonestar State, its Texas roots still run deep. 

Is Big Red soda discontinued?

Southerners and curious beverage fanatics rejoice, you can very much still find Big Red! It hasn’t been called by its original name “Sun Tang Red Cream Soda” since the change to “Sun Tang Big Red Cream Soda” in 1959, and again to “Big Red” in 1969, but the product still lives on. We can’t say the same for some retired flavors like Big Orange, Big Manzana, and Big Punch.