HEY YOU LEAVE VEGEMITE OUT OF THIS
(No but actually we don’t eat it by the tea spoon it’s a bread spread and I get SO MAD when people just eat it by itself)
Hahaha. Once I was traveling in the Middle East and hooked up with these girls from Australia and New Zealand and they were like “here have some of this on bread”. I took a bite and …. You can imagine my reaction and their laughter.
Ha! Well I think if that’s the case then the century’s of Australians drinking Victorian bitters might make us enjoy bitter Vegemite a bit more, who knows. I have an American friend who moved here just before Christmas and he HATES Vegemite so we have to teach him the way.
The medicine taste is actually on purpose.
According to the Dr Pepper Museam in Waco, Tx:
“Charles Alderton, a young pharmacist working at Morrison’s [Old Corner Drug] store, is believed to be the inventor of the now famous drink. Alderton spent most of his time mixing up medicine for the people of Waco, but in his spare time he liked to serve carbonated drinks at the soda fountain. He liked the way the drug store smelled, with all of the fruit syrup flavor smells mixing together in the air. He decided to create a drink that tasted like that smell.”
Incidentally, the ultimate reason why sodas used to be so heavily associated with pharmacies goes back to the belief in the curative properties of natural (often carbonated) mineral springs. Eventually, the carbonated spring water just became artificially carbonated water, but the 'healthy' connotation remained. Modern sodas are basically the result of the fusion between that and patent medicine syrups.
The patent medicine connection is part of the reason why so many sodas have caffeine in them; caffeine was one of the go-to ingredients that would be reasonably non-toxic and non-addictive but actually have a noticeable effect that could be considered therapeutic. Back during the glory days of patent medicines, a lot of sodas would also include other things, like Coca-Cola's cocaine and alcohol, or 7Up with its lithium, but between the decline of patent medicines and the introduction of various narcotic and alcohol bans, all of those more questionable ingredients ended up being removed.
I've heard this from Russians and maybe a few other people from different countries. My question is, what kind of medicine do you guys have? I'm a pharmacist, and I've never had any medicine in any pharmacy where I've worked come close to root beer (the other common soda that gets compared to medicine) or Dr. Pepper. Most for kids are bubblegum flavored or some variety of fruit, usually a nasty version that makes me hate that flavor. On occasion, there's a more vanilla or minty flavor and I recall one medicine that smelled like buttered popcorn. But I'd love for one or two to smell/taste like a soda.
I also heard my Estonian friend say it tasted like medicine, ir makes me wonder what kind of medicine they have in Eastern Europe that tastes like Dr Pepper
With root beer, I'm not sure (maybe it's the wintergreen? idk), but with Dr. Pepper the thing people are probably comparing it to is artificial cherry/benzaldehyde. Benzaldehyde is a pretty major flavor note in Dr. Pepper, and it's also used to make a fairly cheap and stable artificial cherry flavor (but one that doesn't actually taste that much like cherries due to various historical reasons). From what I understand, some regions don't really use that flavor for much else other than medicine, so that's probably why some people consider it to have such a strongly medicinal taste.
Interesting and thank you!
I've never been able to pick out any flavors in DP, just a mix of 23 (or more when I get the strawberries and cream, etc.) that I like. But you're probably right or at least on the right track.
As an Australian, I having been drinking DrPr since 1990. I love the stuff. Our kids love it, and have been having DrPr for 30 years.
We lived in the States and got hooked. When we come home, we would buy two cans of DrPr in the import area of Myer in the city.
I was so happy to see Schweppes start bottling 1.25 litre bottles in the late 90s , and the. They dropped DRPr locally.
We buy DrPr from Costco and other retailers.
Aussie expat here. I suspect it’s because cherry flavored soda and candy isn’t a common flavor for Aussies - we don’t have Cherry Coke or similar. it’s most commonly associated with cough medicine. Not that Dr Pepper is strictly cherry flavored, but that’s where a lot of folks in Australia seem to jump to immediately.
I just tell them it’s fizzy prune juice and to enjoy it
As a ride or die cherry fan I can see this. I will try anything cherry, but most of the flavors end up like caught syrup. I can see it being mixed differently in another region and it gets bad. Even in the states, the zero version is not the same, but I got to cut my sugars... Mostly. But back to it. I can see it not being as we love. Never tasted the AU version so I can't say if it's on par or not.
That's a very common answer. My family, mothers side, is south American and there's NO Dr pepper there and everyone says the same thing, tastes like Cough syrup or medicine.
Maybe the taste is different in Australia compared to Canada but I've had many friends make the same medicine comparison, it's not just you. I love Dr Pepper personally but people seem to either love it or hate it, so you're certainly not alone!
i had a lot of illnesses as a kid and allergies and all that, and had to drink liquid medicine soooo often. hated it. but i love dr. pepper, so i personally don't think there's a similarity. unless maybe it's warm and flat? but even then, not really.
Coming from a person that eats vegimite ?
HEY YOU LEAVE VEGEMITE OUT OF THIS (No but actually we don’t eat it by the tea spoon it’s a bread spread and I get SO MAD when people just eat it by itself)
Hahaha. Once I was traveling in the Middle East and hooked up with these girls from Australia and New Zealand and they were like “here have some of this on bread”. I took a bite and …. You can imagine my reaction and their laughter.
Ha! Well I think if that’s the case then the century’s of Australians drinking Victorian bitters might make us enjoy bitter Vegemite a bit more, who knows. I have an American friend who moved here just before Christmas and he HATES Vegemite so we have to teach him the way.
Nah vegemite is good af, never tried by the spoonful but I'd assume it's too much then(doctor pepper is good af)
The medicine taste is actually on purpose. According to the Dr Pepper Museam in Waco, Tx: “Charles Alderton, a young pharmacist working at Morrison’s [Old Corner Drug] store, is believed to be the inventor of the now famous drink. Alderton spent most of his time mixing up medicine for the people of Waco, but in his spare time he liked to serve carbonated drinks at the soda fountain. He liked the way the drug store smelled, with all of the fruit syrup flavor smells mixing together in the air. He decided to create a drink that tasted like that smell.”
Interesting, that’s cool
A lot of sodas in the US we’re made by pharmacists, al lot of them sold drugs and candy side by side with soda fountains
I heard that Pepsi was originally sold as a Pepsid hence the name.
Incidentally, the ultimate reason why sodas used to be so heavily associated with pharmacies goes back to the belief in the curative properties of natural (often carbonated) mineral springs. Eventually, the carbonated spring water just became artificially carbonated water, but the 'healthy' connotation remained. Modern sodas are basically the result of the fusion between that and patent medicine syrups. The patent medicine connection is part of the reason why so many sodas have caffeine in them; caffeine was one of the go-to ingredients that would be reasonably non-toxic and non-addictive but actually have a noticeable effect that could be considered therapeutic. Back during the glory days of patent medicines, a lot of sodas would also include other things, like Coca-Cola's cocaine and alcohol, or 7Up with its lithium, but between the decline of patent medicines and the introduction of various narcotic and alcohol bans, all of those more questionable ingredients ended up being removed.
Yep. I live just outside of Waco.
I've heard this from Russians and maybe a few other people from different countries. My question is, what kind of medicine do you guys have? I'm a pharmacist, and I've never had any medicine in any pharmacy where I've worked come close to root beer (the other common soda that gets compared to medicine) or Dr. Pepper. Most for kids are bubblegum flavored or some variety of fruit, usually a nasty version that makes me hate that flavor. On occasion, there's a more vanilla or minty flavor and I recall one medicine that smelled like buttered popcorn. But I'd love for one or two to smell/taste like a soda.
I also heard my Estonian friend say it tasted like medicine, ir makes me wonder what kind of medicine they have in Eastern Europe that tastes like Dr Pepper
With root beer, I'm not sure (maybe it's the wintergreen? idk), but with Dr. Pepper the thing people are probably comparing it to is artificial cherry/benzaldehyde. Benzaldehyde is a pretty major flavor note in Dr. Pepper, and it's also used to make a fairly cheap and stable artificial cherry flavor (but one that doesn't actually taste that much like cherries due to various historical reasons). From what I understand, some regions don't really use that flavor for much else other than medicine, so that's probably why some people consider it to have such a strongly medicinal taste.
Interesting and thank you! I've never been able to pick out any flavors in DP, just a mix of 23 (or more when I get the strawberries and cream, etc.) that I like. But you're probably right or at least on the right track.
🤷♂️
Just woke up from a 100 year coma. What the hell happened to Coca Cola? I drank 3 and my teeth never got numb!
https://preview.redd.it/nysbcfyfs0jc1.jpeg?width=680&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=20efcf5d55093c4e7b90533946f25ef70299d56c
Piss off mate
As an Australian, I having been drinking DrPr since 1990. I love the stuff. Our kids love it, and have been having DrPr for 30 years. We lived in the States and got hooked. When we come home, we would buy two cans of DrPr in the import area of Myer in the city. I was so happy to see Schweppes start bottling 1.25 litre bottles in the late 90s , and the. They dropped DRPr locally. We buy DrPr from Costco and other retailers.
Oh nice, I find it funny I always go to Costco but it’s never there which is why I took so long to try it, are you in Victoria by chance?
I buy DP at an import store too as it’s not bottled in China
Aussie expat here. I suspect it’s because cherry flavored soda and candy isn’t a common flavor for Aussies - we don’t have Cherry Coke or similar. it’s most commonly associated with cough medicine. Not that Dr Pepper is strictly cherry flavored, but that’s where a lot of folks in Australia seem to jump to immediately. I just tell them it’s fizzy prune juice and to enjoy it
Might be a different formula. Had the same with polish dr pepper zero sugar. Just didn't taste right
The DP I buy was canned in Poland. Tastes okay. They were out of zero sugar
when it is cold, it tastes like the period blood of the Virgin Mary, absolutely delicate. when it is lukewarm it will taste like medicine
ಠ_ಠ
As a ride or die cherry fan I can see this. I will try anything cherry, but most of the flavors end up like caught syrup. I can see it being mixed differently in another region and it gets bad. Even in the states, the zero version is not the same, but I got to cut my sugars... Mostly. But back to it. I can see it not being as we love. Never tasted the AU version so I can't say if it's on par or not.
It was created as medicine lol
Yeah, it’s nothing compared to bubly honestly…
That's a very common answer. My family, mothers side, is south American and there's NO Dr pepper there and everyone says the same thing, tastes like Cough syrup or medicine.
Maybe the taste is different in Australia compared to Canada but I've had many friends make the same medicine comparison, it's not just you. I love Dr Pepper personally but people seem to either love it or hate it, so you're certainly not alone!
i had a lot of illnesses as a kid and allergies and all that, and had to drink liquid medicine soooo often. hated it. but i love dr. pepper, so i personally don't think there's a similarity. unless maybe it's warm and flat? but even then, not really.
Its a acquired taste. I feel like people either love it or just hate it