Can ‘Craft’ Do for Soda What It Did for Beer?

So. . . who came up with this douchebaggery?

 

I can tell you now that "craft soda" is a pretty risky business idea. Regular brand-name pops like coke and pepsi are good enough how they are that I don't think people would pay more for a fancier version. I think craft beer has been so successful because they took a product that many people did not care for, were getting tired of, or only drank for the alcohol and made new versions that tasted completely different and delicious. I just don't think it's possible with something that's already pretty cheap and tasty like pop.

 

I am a beer snob all day long, but I choose my battles. Diet soda works for me and the macro sodas are fine.

 

In my market at least two craft brewers distribute soda, Abita and Tommyknocker. Both sell relatively well in my store, obviously not as well as Coke or Pepsi but enough sales to justify their place on the shelf. My personal favorite is Tommyknocker Almond Cream Soda. It's no Pliny, but good nonetheless.

 

The "craft" sodas that I have had are not that significantly better than the mass produced. Craft beet, on the other hand, is significantly better. That's the difference.

 

Jones has done decently for a while, and here in NYC, Boylans seems to be pretty common. I think there is room for craft soda to survive, but I can't imagine you'll ever have the diversity or market share that craft beer has achieved.

 

I was into craft soda as a kid. Used to mix every pop on the fountain. Very scientific, very cutting-edge.

But seriously, I think part of the allure to craft beer, for me at least, is that it is actually "crafted" with a few natural ingredients that really work together and change to become the final product. The other part is that it makes you drunk.

 

How about all the root beers breweries are making?

I just had Victory Root Beer last week and it was very good! not sure id pay 6 pk beer prices for it, but if it was somewhat cheap, I'd buy it.

 

IMO, the closer parallel is hard cider. It's eerily similar, right down to the faux branded pseudo ciders being pitched by the big guys.

 

Soda does not have alcohol. I think it will always have its place on the shelves, but at the same time will always be somewhat of a novelty.

 

Damn! No wonder it was taking forever to get a buzz!

 

I agree. See what happened when Coke tried to change their formula and offer a "craft" substitute. Consumers revolted, Coke offered the obligatory "Mea culpa", and we all got "Coca-Cola Classic" as a result. Branching outside of what the consumer knows isn't always a good idea.

 

Absolutely agree.. and you hit on how it worked in that the craft characteristics were different enough to let consumers know it was "better tasting."

As to your "better soda" question, Pepsi and Coke have attempted to tap into that "craft" area with offering "Vanilla Coke" which didn't really work.. and some did work... like the nostalgic following that Surge gets.

 

Man, considering how much some people complain about how the big brewers try to keep their small competitors down, I can only imagine the level of complaining there would be if craft soda ever became a thing. Because the kind of stuff A-B does pales in comparison to the kind of stuff that Coca-cola would do.

 

Sprecher root beer is the best I've ever had. Dominion root beer is pretty good too, but Sprecher is the best.

 

They make hands down the best cream soda too. Their ginger ale isn't bad either. I actually think they are better at making soda than beer.

 

Fuck soda.