it comes in pints?

"From the days of my misspent youth..."

You with your tall tales of yore: we all know they didn't have soda that long ago.

My friends in college who were from SW Ohio loved Squirt and Big Red. I've never seen Big Red (except when they brought them from home), and when I visited a small town in Western PA, I saw a sign outside a store for Squirt. Does it taste like grapefruit?

I wouldn't say grapefruit exactly. Maybe it is, but I like Squirt, don't much like grapefruit.

If you've tried 7-Up and Mountain Dew, one might describe the citrus/tartness of Squirt as Squirt:Mountain Dew as Mountain Dew:7-Up.

Not a perfect example but it will give you some idea. I've never tried the Ruby Red Squirt so I have no idea what it tastes like.

You missed a bottle of Brownie chocolate soda, which drink was far superior to that second rate Yoohoo. The other bottles I recognize, one of the few tangible benefits of growing older.

I grew up out west, but went to college in Indiana, and everyone there was crazy about Big Red. I finally tried it, and found it cloyingly sweet. Coming from a sweet tooth like me, that's bad.

Squirt is indeed flavored with grapefruit, and I think it tastes like grapefruit, only sweeter. I find it tarter AND more truly thirst quenching than either Dew OR 7-Up.

As for Ken's whining about Cherry, Chocolate, and Vanilla, my mom can remember al of those AND lemon being added to Coke back in the 50's and 60's. Me, I still love ordering Chocolate Cokes at the local retro burger joint.

And don't forget Crush -- Orange, Grape, AND Strawberry.

I remember Crush. Also Nehi, though I never actually had one.

But chocolate soda is still a crime.

Squirt isn't still around? I remember drinking it as a kid - it was citrus, kind of grapefruity, but not as bitter as grapefruit.

I also used to live in Central Illinois, where you could still (sometimes) find an old soda called Green River. It was....I can't really describe it but it was bright green. That was the main attraction. I found it kind of overly sweet. (And the last time I drank one, I drank it JUST BEFORE coming down with the Norwalk virus, so I couldn't stand the sight of them any more).

I'm not a big pop drinker but if I'm choosing one, I either like Vernor's (which you cannot find in the part of the world where I live) or the Archer Farms Ginger Beer, which is actually a lot like Vernor's. Of "clear" sodas, my current favorite is Sierra Mist.

I do wish it was easier to find the cane-sugar-made sodas; they are definitely better. I've had a few from smaller manufacturers (and the Archer Farms uses cane sugar).

I remember peach Nehi. I can taste it right now.

And R.C. which may still be around for all I know.

Mmmm.... coke with chocolate sauce added.... mmmmm.....

YOU ARE THE DEVIL!!!!!

I can live with that.

R.C. is indeed still around, and I come across it occasionally.

We have Vernor's in the store here in Oregon, but it's in aluminum cans, and doesn't taste anything like the wonderful stuff my Michigan friends introduced me to. They also showed me that, when bottled in glass, Vernor's actually ages nicely. My best friend will be cracking open a 30-year-old bottle at his wedding.

As for cane sugar soda pops, my favorite is Blue Sky -- all natural flavorings as well.

Remember Shasta colas too? I haven't been through Oakland for a few years but last time I was, the sign from the old Shasta bottling plant still stood. I know the plant closed years ago but the sign was still up.

Canada Dry is another old favorite, but I don't know if they are still around.

Oh, they're around, my friend.

The thing about Vernor's is that hint of vanilla -- like a cross between a spicy ginger ale and a cream soda.

Speaking of which, if you like rich, sweet root beer, try Henry Weinhard's sometime -- they use honey and vanilla in their recipe.

Oh, yeah, we also still have Shasta too. I remember that as a kid. On a poor pastor's salary, we always took Shasta when we went on vacation -- you could buy a case for the same price as a 6-pack or two of name brand pop.

They still make Shasta - it's much higher on the citrus than I remember and tastes rather odd.

On Long Island, we had Hoffman's sodas growing up. You got it in quart glass bottles, which you then returned to the retailer upon emptying. They then gave you another supply to take home, in large plastic trays; sort of a cross between baker's bread racks and milk crates.

I had a Grape Nehi once in central Texas, when the family was there avoiding (ahem) Hurricane Allen.