In a non-alcoholic world dominated by mass-produced soda cans and the same five Pepsi products featured on so many restaurant chains’ soda fountains, sometimes we’re begging for a bit of nostalgia in the form of old-fashioned longneck bottles. You know—pop the top and chug, sip a cold one through a straw or add a heap of vanilla ice cream and watch the creamy head bubble to the top of the glass. These four craft soda producers are going back to the basics, but don’t call them traditionalists. For this month’s final “Favorite Thing,” we’re digging natural, Northwest-made, small-batch takes on old-fashioned pop.
1. Crater Lake Soda (Portland)
Beginning with a family recipe for homemade root beer, Crater Lake Soda founders eventually expanded their gourmet soda lineup to include four classic flavors (minus all too common additives such as high fructose corn syrup, foam enhancers and caffeine). Each small batch of Root Beer, Orange Cream, Vanilla Cream and Lemon Lime Bitter is made with 100 percent pure cane sugar, and treated with a light dose of carbonation before making its way to local shelves.
2. Bedford’s Sodas (Port Angeles, WA)
Bedford’s words to the wise: “Remember, always enjoy your favorite Bedford’s Soda ice cold… never with ice.” Owner and founder Ed Bedford began bottling premium sodas in 1984, inspired by his father’s go-to beverage—cream soda, or “creme beer,” as he called it. Today, Bedford’s Sodas works with Mukilteo, Washington-based Orca Beverage to produce Creme Beer, Orange Creme, Root Beer, Ginger Ale and Ginger Beer, each bottled in glass and sweetened with pure cane sugar. Bedford knows best—it would be unwise to dilute such concentrated flavor with added ice.
3. BuckSnort Root Beer (Boise)
Boise-based BuckSnort Root Beer cranks out more (unique) flavors than its name might suggest. Naturally, start with the original BuckSnort Root Beer, brewed with hints of wintergreen, licorice and sassafras, then taste your way through Ginger Beer made with local Idaho honey, Vermont-sourced Maple Cream Soda, Sapsucker Red Cream Soda and the brooding Black Sheep (original root beer infused with local Dawson Taylor espresso!) No matter your pick, the boys at BuckSnort promise to brew the old-fashioned way, with real ingredients, pure cane sugar, zero artificial flavors and plenty of locally sourced flavor packed into each bottle or soda-filled keg.
4. SIP Soda Co. (Vancouver)
Besides the fact that our publication shares a name with founder Jennifer Martin’s SIP Soda Co., we can also appreciate her mission to produce sodas that are “authentic, healthy and barely sweet.” Each 12-ounce bottle incorporates herbs and a touch of cane sugar into mineralized water, evening out at a mere 25 calories per serving. Truly craft offerings including Lavender Lemon Peel, Rosemary Lime and Coriander Orange can be enjoyed straight from the bottle, as a refreshment during dinner or dessert or mixed with a splash of rum or vodka for an added kick in the pants.
