The Real Reason Why Mountain Dew Was Invented

What’s in a bottle of Mountain Dew? History, baby. So much history that those who drink it can feel its stories, its roots, coursing through their veins! Of course that might have to do with sugar or that it’s got about 150% of the caffeine of a coke. We choose to think it’s history. But where did Mountain Dew come from and why was Mountain Dew invented? Here’s the story. 

As popular as this syrupy beverage has become with sweet-toothed consumers of all ages, its origins are not entirely PG. As it turns out, the Dew we’ve come to know and love started out with a specific purpose. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. We went down a whole bunch of rabbit holes to deliver answers to all the questions you’ve had (and some you never thought to ask) about Mountain Dew.

What’s with the name?

According to Smithsonian Magazine, today, “Mountain Dew’s name might seem like it is supposed to evoke pristine alpine conditions where the soda fuels feats of extreme athletic prowess.” But historically, Mountain Dew’s name might have triggered fewer pictures of hiking and more memories of hangovers. “Mountain dew” is an old Scotch-Irish slang term for whiskey, specifically mountain-brewed moonshine, appropriately named because it was made at night to hide smoke from the stills during Prohibition. So, yeah. Mountain Dew was named after booze. 

Why was Mountain Dew invented?

If you can believe it, Baja Blast wasn’t the original endgame. The story goes that the purpose of Mountain Dew was first and foremost to make moonshine more palatable. It’s since served as the basis for a lot of other flavored products, but initially, it was a citrus soda meant to help moonshine taste a little less like you just made a mistake. 

Was Mountain Dew invented for whiskey?

Mountain Dew was originally a mixer, but not for just any whiskey—we’re talking moonshine of all manner. Whiskey is aged in oak to soften out those harsh alcohol flavors and actually taste good. Moonshine, on the other hand, is historically a bit more severe. When liquor sales were illegal, homemade, under-the-cover-of-night moonshine was available. Given moonshine’s can-strip-the-paint-off-a-car taste, it stands to reason that drinkers would call upon an aggressively sweet, citrusy elixir to help down their drinks. 

Where was Mountain Dew invented?

There are a whole lot of parts and people involved in the history of Mountain Dew, but according to the brand, it was first marketed in Marion, Virginia; Knoxville, Tennessee, and Johnson City, Tennessee. The original formula was created by William “Billy” Jones with the Tip Corp. in Marion, Virginia. The original concept and name was created by Ally and Barney Hartman in Knoxville, Tennessee. And the original bottling was done in Johnson City, Tennessee by the Tri-City Beverage Co. 

When was Mountain Dew invented? 

Though the exact date is unclear, Mountain Dew was invented sometime between 1940 and 1948, which was the year the trademark was filed with the U.S. Patent Office. In the ‘60s, when Pepsi-Cola acquired brand and production rights, it was distributed more widely across the U.S. 

How did Mountain Dew come to be what it is today?

After years of playing second-fiddle as a mixer and capitalizing on hillbilly centric marketing, Pepsi decided to do away with the Dew’s original look in 1973. Luckily, this also meant dropping the uncomfortable slogan of “Ya-hooo! It’ll tickle your innards.” The new look was meant to appeal to younger, outdoorsy folk. And the rest is history