What Is Cream Soda?

Cream soda is a delicious soft drink that lives somewhere in the same zip code as cola, root beer, and Dr Pepper. But it has a flavor all its own. The origins of cream soda date back all the way to 1852, when it was introduced as a suitable “temperance drink” for those who had to abstain from the demon alcohol under the newly enforced “Maine Law.” Prohibition was overturned in 1934, but luckily cream soda didn’t go away. With dozens of cream soda brands to choose from, we can enjoy sipping a bottle of the sweet stuff whenever we want, and can swig a beer in between without the threat of being thrown in a Depression-era jailhouse with cattle rustlers and loan sharks. Thank goodness!

What is in cream soda?

While the different brands put their own secret spin on the recipe, cream soda, in its simplest form, can be whittled down to carbonated soda water, vanilla extract, and your preferred sweetener. You can even make it at home if you have all those things. Bottle it, come up with a logo and company name, and take the soft drink world by storm. Just don’t forget it was me who got you there. I expect ten percent on the back end, once I look up what “getting a percentage on the back end” means.

Early recipes for cream soda, or “ice cream soda” as one patent called it, included such varying ingredients as egg whites, lime juice, pineapple extract, and lemons. The tried and true classic method is the one that stuck, however, and we can now enjoy our cream soda without those pesky citrus and/or hen fruits getting in the way of that quintessential test we know and love.

It’s worth noting that, in most of Canada, cream soda is colored pink. So don’t think you need an eye exam while on your soft drink tasting tour of North America. Although, on second thought, you might as well visit as many doctors as you can while you’re in the country…health care’s free up there, take advantage of it.

Does cream soda have caffeine?

Though cream soda’s high sugar content can certainly contribute to a feeling of get-up-and-go, it does not have any caffeine in it. Sadly, it’s not a suitable replacement for your morning coffee. Although, you might go ahead and try it hot! It worked for Dr. Pepper!

What flavor is cream soda? And what does cream soda taste like?

Cream soda is generally flavored with vanilla, and is based on the taste of a classic ice cream float, channeling the pleasant combination of root beer and vanilla ice cream.

Cream soda may be the undisputed champ of “oh yeah! I forgot about that one!” soft drinks, but once that memory is jogged, and you’re glugging down a frosty bottle of the good stuff, it’ll never slip your mind again.