The soft drink invented by the Civil War.

major bill

Brev. Brig. Gen'l
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Dr. John Vernor was a well-known druggist living in Detroit at the start of the Civil War. Vernor also had a soda at his soda shop on Woodward Avenue. When John left for the Civil War in 1862, he put some of his soda in some oak barrels before he left. When Vernor returned after the end of the war he tried the soda to see how it had faired during his long absence. To his surprise the aging in oak barrels had improved the soda.

Vernor knew he had a winner. After making more and aging it in oak barrels he started selling it in 1866. For generations Vernor's Ginger Ale has been a popular drink in Michigan. When many Michiganders ask for ginger ale they mean Vernor's Ginger Ale.

For those who have never tried it, Vernor's is hard to describe because the aging process. It does not taste like other ginger ales.
 
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Thanks for the history; didn't know any of that. I got introduced to Vernors as a teen when I spent two summers in Michigan with the family of some friends who owned property there. Back then it was only available regionally. These days I can get it in cans locally (although it's not generally available here and I've not seen it elsewhere out my way).

Makes a great mix for a little whiskey.
 
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The problem being the "history" of Vernors may be a myth. John Vernor may or may not have been attempting to duplicate a type of Irish ginger ale made in Dublin before the war. The storage of the flavors in an oak barrel during the Civil War may have never happened. John Vernor did serve as a Hospital Steward and then Lieutenant in the 4th Michigan Cavalry. Vernor did sell soda out of a Detroit soda shop after the war, but he may have not finished up with the finale version of Vernors until 1880s.

Still this is an interesting story and a true story if you believe the version told by members of the Detroit Historical Society.

Woody the gnome is the mascot of Vernors and this gnome has been said to be an Irish gnome, but always just looked like a heavy bearded gnome with reddish hair to me. In fact to me Woody's hat with feather kind of looks like a German mountain climbing gnome.
 
This sounds like it might be good to try. What does it taste like. The taste is everything. As I live here in Missouri. I don't think they sell it here, but they might. I will hunt for it and have a taste test. I can't do the whiskey thing anymore, so it will be a pure taste test. Many sodas, beers, other drinks have an almost mythical beginning it might be more legend than fact.
 
As a youngster in the early 1960's, my friends and I used to ride our bikes down to the Vernors plant on Woodward at least once a month during the summer, where they would give us a free cup of Vernors and then we would sit for a while and watch the Vernors being bottled for sale. Also, there's nothing better (as a kid) on a hot summer day than a Boston Cooler -- a large glass of Vernors containing a couple of scoops of vanilla ice cream, a long spoon and a straw.
 
As a youngster in the early 1960's, my friends and I used to ride our bikes down to the Vernors plant on Woodward at least once a month during the summer, where they would give us a free cup of Vernors and then we would sit for a while and watch the Vernors being bottled for sale. Also, there's nothing better (as a kid) on a hot summer day than a Boston Cooler -- a large glass of Vernors containing a couple of scoops of vanilla ice cream, a long spoon and a straw.

I am on a diet and this is just too tempting.
 
verners-ginger-ale-woody-sign.png
As a youngster in the early 1960's, my friends and I used to ride our bikes down to the Vernors plant on Woodward at least once a month during the summer, where they would give us a free cup of Vernors and then we would sit for a while and watch the Vernors being bottled for sale. Also, there's nothing better (as a kid) on a hot summer day than a Boston Cooler -- a large glass of Vernors containing a couple of scoops of vanilla ice cream, a long spoon and a straw.

This drink is often called a Boston Cooler. For those who have not tried Vernor's it tastes almost like a combination of sweet aged ginger ale combined with vanilla soda. Vernor's has a vanilla smell that adds to the vanilla ice cream taste in a Boston Cooler. Vernor's also in very carbonated and makes a nice foam in the Boston Cooler.
 
Dr. John Vernor was a well-known druggist living in Detroit at the start of the Civil War. Vernor also had a soda at his soda shop on Woodward Avenue. When John left for the Civil War in 1862, he put some of his soda in some oak barrels before he left. When Vernor returned after the end of the war he tried the soda to see how it had faired during his long absence. To his surprise the aging in oak barrels had improved the soda.

Vernor knew he had a winner. After making more and aging it in oak barrels he started selling it in 1866. For generations Vernor's Ginger Ale has been a popular drink in Michigan. When many Michiganders ask for ginger ale they mean Vernor's Ginger Ale.

For those who have never tried it, Vernor's is hard to describe because the aging process. It does not taste like other ginger ales.
It's by far the best. Very interesting. Thank you for posting.
 
.

The problem being the "history" of Vernors may be a myth. John Vernor may or may not have been attempting to duplicate a type of Irish ginger ale made in Dublin before the war. The storage of the flavors in an oak barrel during the Civil War may have never happened. John Vernor did serve as a Hospital Steward and then Lieutenant in the 4th Michigan Cavalry. Vernor did sell soda out of a Detroit soda shop after the war, but he may have not finished up with the finale version of Vernors until 1880s.

Still this is an interesting story and a true story if you believe the version told by members of the Detroit Historical Society.

Woody the gnome is the mascot of Vernors and this gnome has been said to be an Irish gnome, but always just looked like a heavy bearded gnome with reddish hair to me. In fact to me Woody's hat with feather kind of looks like a German mountain climbing gnome.
This story was written a year and half a go, Vernor's 150 Anniversary, and sheds light on the "myth". I grew up drinking it in Cleveland, especially when I was sick. The photos are interesting:
http://www.hourdetroit.com/Hour-Detroit/June-2016/A-Ginger-Tale/
 
Dr. John Vernor was a well-known druggist living in Detroit at the start of the Civil War. Vernor also had a soda at his soda shop on Woodward Avenue. When John left for the Civil War in 1862, he put some of his soda in some oak barrels before he left. When Vernor returned after the end of the war he tried the soda to see how it had faired during his long absence. To his surprise the aging in oak barrels had improved the soda.

Vernor knew he had a winner. After making more and aging it in oak barrels he started selling it in 1866. For generations Vernor's Ginger Ale has been a popular drink in Michigan. When many Michiganders ask for ginger ale they mean Vernor's Ginger Ale.

For those who have never tried it, Vernor's is hard to describe because the aging process. It does not taste like other ginger ales.
Interesting. Though I've drank Vernors- it was a favorite of my maternal grandmother- I never knew of the CW connection. So often inventions and discoveries are due to accident....
 
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This drink is often called a Boston Cooler. For those who have not tried Vernor's it tastes almost like a combination of sweet aged ginger ale combined with vanilla soda. Vernor's has a vanilla smell that adds to the vanilla ice cream taste in a Boston Cooler. Vernor's also in very carbonated and makes a nice foam in the Boston Cooler.
This reminds me of sitting on the porch with my grandfather, who originally was from Michigan, drinking a Boston cooler at the end of a hot summer day.

I agree with @major bill that the taste of Vernors is unique and it can't really be described unless you've had it.
 
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