I am glad someone started this thread as it means l don’t have to, but did consider the idea a few times over the last couple of years.
I was a driver in 1976 for Loys. The warehouse was in Thomastown and l had to load the truck twice a week. My round was East Malvern, except for Saturday when l was sent to Fern Tree Gully, where l hired a kid to help me, when he asked for a job. My favourite Australian guitarist Kevin Borich was on my Saturday round and l would leave him free mixers and sometimes chat if he was awake that early. I lasted 10 months, just long enough to save $3000 so l could travel overseas for a year.
As to the drinks? I gave up Coke about 60 years ago, when a single can would have me burping 20 - 30 times. Even as a kid l knew at the time that it was unnatural and couldn’t be good for me. I also avoided using Coke as a mixer in different drinks.
As for other drinks, l have developed a list of what l call serious soft drinks?
Sarsparilla is the Rolls Royce of softies, l refuse to call it root beer, and no one should drink A & W, an American brand that somehow always manages to have a flat and largely tasteless product, but then when have the Yanks ever had great taste? The best and strongest Sars l have ever had was in Bangkok, but l can’t recall the name right now, and it wasn’t available in many places. It was in Thailand that l discovered Lipton’s Ice Peach Tea was great when mixed with Sang Som (Two Oranges) a local rum. They complemented each other nicely and made for a drink that was easy to quaff down.
On my first trip to Vietnam in 1993 l was pleasantly surprised to find Schweppes Bitter Lemon, with quinine. I used to drink it in Melb, but it had been pulled from their line in the late 1970s. I didn’t always drink it with gin, but it was my preferred mixer with it. Nha Trang in Vietnam was also where l found a range of local fruit flavoured soft drinks. My favourites were Soursop and Lychee. I never saw them anywhere else. They were in tiny bottles, about the same size as the smallest Coke bottles. That was in 1993, by 1995 on my second trip, they were gone, most probably bought out by a big multinational, l don’t remember how much they were, probably no more than 5 - 10 cents. This was at a time when Coke was a $1 a can, more expensive than a 500 ml of Russian Vodka, l ■■■■ you not.
In China l found a couple of non-alcoholic brands of Pineapple beer. The flavour was decent, and cost about 50 cents a can.
Then l moved to Sumatra where l was able to get a regular supply of Green Sands, which is brewed apple juice, with a squeeze of lemon, non-alcholic again and very refreshing. It can be found in some Asain grocery stores around town.
Back in Oz l like Lemon, Lime and Bitters, or a Sars if we are out. My wife is Muslim, and l have given up alcohol for her, since she gave up cigarettes for me, not that l asked her to. At home we have cordial, either melon or rose water, or Ribena. In Indonesia we have Marquisa syrup (cordial) which is a local passionfruit. Speaking of passionfruit, l prefer good old Cottee’s Passiona.
I might have more to add at a later date, but this is enough for now.
. Soft drink thread just got good.