Sprecher Brewery makes a rich, golden-colored Cream Soda with notes of vanilla and caramelized honey. Its one of the bestselling sodas at the brewery with a dedicated midwestern fanbase and a growing national presence. Its also one of my personal favorites and a fixture of my childhood.
Theres something special about cream soda, but also something very unusual about it. If I wrote that first paragraph about cola, pretty much everyone on earth would have the same ideas about the drink as I do. But I wrote it about cream soda, and that opens up a world of controversy.
If youre an Ohioan, you may be asking yourself, “isnt cream soda red?” Canadians are probably wondering why our cream soda isnt pink and bubblegum flavored. South Africans and Japanese people, if they are reading this at all, are shocked at a cream soda that isnt bright green and fruity. Australians, on the other hand, were expecting something a little browner.
Unlike pretty much every other soda flavor, from country to country and even state to state, cream soda can look and taste completely different. So what is cream soda?
To make a cream soda: Combine syrup, cream, and carbonated water in an 8-ounce glass. Taste and add more syrup, cream, or carbonated water if needed.
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Sprecher Brewery makes a rich, golden-colored Cream Soda with notes of vanilla and caramelized honey. Its one of the bestselling sodas at the brewery with a dedicated midwestern fanbase and a growing national presence. Its also one of my personal favorites and a fixture of my childhood.
Theres something special about cream soda, but also something very unusual about it. If I wrote that first paragraph about cola, pretty much everyone on earth would have the same ideas about the drink as I do. But I wrote it about cream soda, and that opens up a world of controversy.
If youre an Ohioan, you may be asking yourself, “isnt cream soda red?” Canadians are probably wondering why our cream soda isnt pink and bubblegum flavored. South Africans and Japanese people, if they are reading this at all, are shocked at a cream soda that isnt bright green and fruity. Australians, on the other hand, were expecting something a little browner.
Unlike pretty much every other soda flavor, from country to country and even state to state, cream soda can look and taste completely different. So what is cream soda?
The First Cream Soda
Lets start at the start. Asking who made the first cream soda is a natural place to begin, but its also a vexed question. Bon Appetits Dan Nosowitz cites two possible origin stories.
The first known recipe for a cream soda was published in 1852 in a monthly agricultural journal called the Michigan Farmer. To me, the recipe is nothing short of horrifying: it includes cream of tartar, Epsom salt, sugar, tartaric acid, and a beaten egg. Nosowitz doubts that this formulation is related to the cream sodas we know today, and I agree. I cant imagine this idea made it very far out of small-town Michigan.
The original Cream Soda Recipe, via Google Books
The other candidate for the original cream soda, which Nosowitz favors, is a pale-tan vanilla-flavored soda called Dr. Browns cream soda. Dr. Brown developed this soda in 1868 and marketed it as a health product along with celery, black cherry, and ginger sodas. While nobody rushed to imitate his celery soda (as far as I know, anyway), Dr. Browns cream soda was quickly copied by competitors like Barqs, Jones, and A&W.
Dr. Browns Cream Soda, via eBay
Dr. Browns recipe sounds much like the cream soda flavor most Americans are familiar with these days, although the color of American cream soda does vary across brands and regions. Its plausible that Browns soda was influential in the U.S., but this story leaves a big question unanswered: If Browns recipe was heavy on vanilla flavor, why are other cream sodas so different?
This question deserves deeper investigation. After all, its a big leap to go from a tan vanilla-flavored soda to a bright pink bubblegum-flavored soda, or to a neon green fruity soda.
Nailed It! Cream Soda Recipe Version #2
FAQ
What is the actual flavor of cream soda?
Is cream soda just root beer?
What are the ingredients in cream soda?
How was original cream soda made?
What is cream of wheat made of?
By cream of wheat, are you referring to custard cream? Custard cream is cream made from milk, egg yolks, sugar, and flour. The starch in the flour acts as a coagulant to make it creamy.
What is ice cream soda made of?
At cafes, the drink is made with soda water, vanilla syrup, and cream or half and half. In Japan, “cream soda” is a term used for an ice cream float made with Melon Soda (メロンソーダ) topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream (except for Okinawa, which follows American style).
What is homemade cream soda?
Homemade Cream Soda is a super simple, nostalgic soda recipe that’s easy to make at home and is so refreshing on warm summer days. Once you know how to make your own vanilla flavored soda pop, you’ll never go back to store bought. WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE? Enter your email below & we’ll send the link to your inbox.