America's Oldest Soda Is A Crisp And Refreshing Ginger Ale

It's hard to imagine a time before soda. Soft drinks, as they're called to distinguish them from "hard" alcoholic drinks, have a ubiquitous presence in American culture. In fact, the United States has one of the highest rates of soda consumption worldwide, with the average American projected to drink almost 33 gallons in 2024, per Statista. Given its enormous popularity today, you might assume Coca-Cola was the first soft drink to hit the U.S. market. Though the brand and its unique bottles have a rich history that dates back to the 19th century, it can't claim the title of America's oldest commercially marketed soda. That distinction belongs to Vernors, a ginger ale soft drink that originated in Michigan in 1866.

Back in the early 19th century, following the invention of carbonated water, soda in the U.S. was largely relegated to the domain of pharmacists and their soda fountains. Pharmacies sold soda water mixed with botanicals and drugs for medicinal purposes, eventually branching out into flavoring for pleasure's sake. One such pharmacist was James Vernor, who reportedly came up with a ginger syrup formula while attempting to replicate a soft drink from Ireland (via Metropolitan News-Enterprise). After being called to serve in the Civil War, he stored the syrup in an oak barrel, returning in 1865 to find that the aging process had improved the syrup's flavor. (At least, supposedly, as one of Vernor's family members disputed this early production story, according to the Detroit Historical Society.) After returning to Detroit, Vernor began making and selling his ginger ale at his pharmacy in 1866, before expanding to other markets in 1880.

The late 19th century was an explosive time for the soft drink industry in the U.S., so while evidence may point to Vernors being the country's oldest soda brand, it emerged around the same time as competitors like the aforementioned Coca-Cola and Dr Pepper. In fact, on its website, Dr Pepper claims to be "the oldest major soft drink in America," first sold in 1885, and has kept its recipe of 23 flavors a secret for all those years.

That might help explain why, although Vernors is still around today, it never gained major traction outside of the Michigan market. After all, James Vernor did not invent ginger ale, which is perhaps the most popular soda to sip on while flying. The classic soft drink was instead first manufactured in Ireland in the 1850s and then most famously reimagined as dry-style ginger ale by Canadian pharmacist and Canada Dry founder John McLaughlin in 1907. 

Still, Vernors gained a loyal fandom for its distinctively sweet, barrel-aged, vanilla flavor and remains a favorite of Detroit locals. The brand even has its own ice cream float drink specific to the Motor City, although it's ironically called a Boston Cooler, a name The Vernors Company copyrighted in 1967, per the Detroit Historical Society. Today, the Vernors brand is owned by beverage giant Keurig Dr Pepper and anyone hoping for a taste can order the nation's "Original Ginger Soda" online.