Cream soda

For other uses, see Cream soda (disambiguation).

File:Creamsoda 3ltr.jpg

3 litre cream soda from Ireland

Cream soda is a sweet carbonated soft drink. It varies from country to country, but its most usual property is its vanilla flavoring. Its name originated, at least in the United Kingdom, from "ice cream soda" as it was traditionally served with a dollop of ice cream floating in it.

International variations

North America

A can of Jones cream soda

The first patent for Cream Soda was granted in Canada to James William Black of Berwick, Nova Scotia on July 5, 1886. The recipe had whipped egg whites, sugar, lime juice, lemons, citric acid, flavouring, and bicarbonate of soda. Today, Canadian cream soda is often pink and has a unique taste somewhat reminiscent of grenadine. But clear versions of cream soda can also be found in Canada. In Quebec pink cream soda is very rare or non-existent. The first patent for cream soda in the United States was granted to Francis John Higgins in Chicago. He later sold his company to Hires Root Beer, who wanted his recipe for cream soda. In the U.S. market, cream soda is often clear or colored light brown and vanilla-flavored, but pink, red, and blue are also relatively common. In addition, in some places in the U.S. where the drink is made on location, especially in cafes, cream soda consists of soda water, vanilla syrup, and cream or half and half.

Popular brands include:

• A&W Vanilla Cream Soda (contains caffeine)
• Barq's Red Creme Soda
• Big Red
• Boylan's Creme Vanilla
• Briar's Premium Cream Soda
• Big Shot Cream Soda (New Orleans area)
• Canfield's Swiss Creme (mainly in the Chicago area)
• Dr. Brown's (mainly in the New York City area, but also kosher delicatessens across the country)
• Faygo (mainly in Michigan and surrounding states, but also urban eateries across the country, e.g. Ezells)
• Fletcher Street Brewing Company's Cream Soda (mainly in Michigan)
• Foxon Park (mainly in Connecticut)
• Henry Weinhard's Cream Soda
• IBC
• Jones Soda
• Mug Cream Soda
• Route 66 Sodas Cream Soda (New Route 66 Flavor)
• Shasta Creme Soda
• Stewart's
• Vess (Old St. Louis variety that is a deep pink)
• Virgil's Cream Soda
• White Rock Beverages
• SodaStream Cream Soda Syrup

Canada

• Cott Cream Soda
• Crush (Canada only)
• Deepak Jamaican Style Cream Soda (Canada)
• Grace Cream Soda (Canada) – "Genuine Caribbean taste"
• Jones Soda
• Kiri Cream Soda
• Mr. Goudas Snappy Pop Cream Soda (Canada)
• The Pop Shoppe (Canada)

Caribbean and Latin America

Cream soda is usually served as a "red pop", particularly Fanta's Red Cream Soda.

• DG Sof Drink Cream Soda (Jamaica)
• Prisco Mundet (Mexico) – red, generally only available in the Mexico City area
• Séjourné Cream Soda - made from cocoa creme (Haiti)
• Solo Beverage Company (Trinidad)

Australia

In Australia, cream soda is generally known as creamy soda or creaming soda by current manufacturers,and is pink, red or brown. Less commonly, there is a bright yellow type of creamy soda, an example of which is produced by Crows Nest Soft Drinks, or Hartz. The most common manufacturer of creamy soda in Australia is arguably Kirks or River Port, a soft drink manufacturer with a variety of other products. As of 2005, Kirks creamy soda is made and distributed by Coca Cola. Up until the mid 1990s, Kirks also produced Snow Cap, which was essentially the vanilla flavored brown version of the drink. The name "Snow Cap" was created to differentiate the pink and brown versions of the drink. Snow Cap is no longer produced. Cadbury Schweppes market Creaming Soda as part of their 'Schweppes Traditional' line of soft drinks. Until recently it was deep red in all states except Victoria where it was brown, but now both varieties are offered. South Australian soft drink manufacturer Woodroofe produces "Sno-Top", a brown creamy soda drink. A second South Australian soft drink and cordial manufacturer Bickford's markets a deep red colored creamy soda. Golden circle is also a popular brand of creamy soda

New Zealand

This is known as Creaming soda, Ice cream soda, Chill drink or cream soda, though the flavor changes are negligible. It is usually clear or a white opaque. It is one of the many flavors sold by Foxton Fizz. It is also one of the many carbonated drink-flavors offered by Golden Circle.

Europe

Another variety is one referred to as Italian cream soda. This is usually a mixture of carbonated water and Half and half or cream combined with vanilla syrup. Ratios vary widely, but the taste is usually that of sweetened, flavored milk.

United Kingdom

In the UK, cream soda was traditionally served with a dessert-spoonful of vanilla ice cream floating on the top, but this has now become a rarity in recent years. It is vanilla-flavored, slightly glutinous and has a uniquely thick, "soft" and long-lasting foam. Both A.G. Barr and DG Jamaica manufacture their own brands of cream soda, and most supermarkets sell it under their respective own brands.

Netherlands

Has only one brand called Frizz and is caramel-colored.

Asia

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Schweppes Cream Soda

In Japan, "cream soda" is a term used for an ice cream float made with melon-flavored soda topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

In Hong Kong, the Swire Coca Cola Company markets a yellow Schweppes Cream Soda as well as a yellow Schweppes Grapefruit Soda, some people enjoy Cream Soda in a 1:1 ratio with fresh milk.

In India, two brands of cream soda are Cottons and Bijoli. Pakistan's popular brand is Pakola Ice Cream Soda ([باكولا] Error: {{Lang}}: unrecognized language tag: Urdu (help), Bākōlā), which is green in color. In Malaysia the F&N or Fraser and Neave brand makes a clear Ice Cream Soda. Elephant Brand Cream Soda is considered to be a very popular soft drink in Sri Lanka.

Africa

In South Africa and Zimbabwe, Cream soda is sold under the label Sparletta Creme Soda, a product of the Coca-Cola company. It is green in color, however unlike other Cream Sodas, it does not have just a vanilla taste and is highly sweetened. In South Africa, Creme Soda is often referred to as the "Green Ambulance" (predominantly by students) as it is believed to assist with hangovers.