As Robert points out, Cherry Coke has finally returned to Australia after an absence of many years. Pretty surprising, since I’m fairly certain we’ve always had Cherry Coke in the US. Haven’t we? I can remember loading it in the pop machines at our local IGA in high school. The Snook thinks it’s because the American “cherry” flavour is too strong and almond-like for international palates. I haven’t tried the new Australian version yet, but apparently it’s been modified somewhat from the original. One of the Snook’s co-workers e-mailed Coke Australia last week to complain about it “not being cherry enough”, and he got this as a reply:
“The decision to introduce “Cherry Coke” to the Australian beverage market was made after extensive research coupled with strong consumer feedback. Coca-Cola Amatil tested various “Cherry Coke” formulations from around the world before choosing the German formulation for “Cherry Coke”. This variety has a much subtler cherry flavour than the American version.”
So there you have it. Evidently the American cherry flavoring is just too hardcore for the rest of the world. I’m going to have to try this soon and compare.
16 responses
People here are scared of the Cherry coke – they think it is going to be like Dr Pepper, which a lot of people have an aversion to apparently. i don’t know why, i love dr pepper, sarsaparilla and cherry coke.
it would be interesting to know if you think it is weaker, kris. i’m too damned happy it’s back!
the only time i’ve ever had cherry coke was when i swapped my chocolate dip snack thingy (can’t remember what the proper name is) and box of ribena for a can during recess back in primary 5. i didn’t like cherry coke, and i was hungry all afternoon to boot. heh.
diet vanilla coke – now there’s something i’d like to see imported into singapore! we’ve got the lemon stuff now, i’m hoping that vanilla coke is coming soon.
I just tried some of the vanilla pepsi, its better than vanilla coke but that may just be because I like pepsi more than coke.
Don’t judge cherry or vanilla coke/pepsi, until you have tried the real deal. 😉 The best way to know if you like either is to buy the flavoring and add it in yourself. There are several restaurants here in the U.S. that still add the cherry or vanilla to order. If you want to go wild, try mixing vanilla and cherry together!
I was just saying to Regan that the Cherry Coke here isn’t cherry enough – i can’t taste it! He also said that it’s better when you add the flavouring yourself anyway, so Kari is probably right too!
I remember Cherry Pepsi though .. unless i dreamed it
I don’t like this Cherry Coke stuff (is it just me or does it smell alcoholic, like cheap bourbon?). Think I’ll stick with the Vanilla kind.
I sure they dont have them everywhere but if you have a 7-11 near ya they have lemon,cherry,vanilla flavor that you can add to any fountain soda. I honestly saw a kid putting all three flavors in a Dr. Pepper.
I still haven’t tried it. I think the “add-your-own-syrup” trend hasn’t quite hit Australia yet. (Although I did see some Atkins vanilla syrup at the health food store recently. I wonder if that would work?) Have you guys ever tried Mr. Pibb? I think it’s supposed to be Coke’s version of Dr. Pepper. We used to have it in the dining hall at college and I drank it religiously. Sooo good.
Mr. Pibb is niiice. I like it better than Dr. Pepper, almost. Too bad they don’t seem to make a diet version.
And the Atkins vanilla syrup does work with regular Coke. It tastes pretty darn good, and I prefer it to “real” Vanilla Coke. I add the syrup to plain seltzer water, too, for a quick and easy vanilla soda. There are other Splenda-based diet syrup flavours, too, but I’ve yet to find a cherry one. Sigh.
As far as I remember is Mr. Pibb and Dr. Pepper are the same except for one key ingredient which is prune juice extract. I think Mr. Pibb is the superior product of the two, plus doesn’t have to silly “Be a Pepper” campaign behind it that while made it far more successful, made me want to deck anybody who sung a single bar from the commercial.
When ever I go to the Cafe 50’s diner, I always order a cherry coke which is coke w/cherry syrup and is the only way to have a Cherry Coke as far as I’m concerned.
But which one has the prune juice??
isn’t it Dr. Pepper that has the prune juice? that’s why it’s such a great hangover cure: sugar, caffeine, and…
and may god bless miss niebler (aka mrs. hennessy, but better known as the girl with the sharpest elbows in three states—i should know) who introduced me to Dr. P on the day after Jenny Allen-now-Sullivan’s wedding. i seriously had never tried it until that very morning.
and all the angels in heaven sang the praises of its glory. 😉
I managed to get hold of a small bottle of American Cherry Coke a few years ago — and I disliked it. It tasted like Coke with cough medicine mixed into it. I was surprised to see Cherry Coke on my supermarket shelves (Canberra) recently, but took courage and bought a bottle, anyway. I was pleasantly surprised. I don’t mind the German version that we’re getting here, and I’ll probably buy it again.
Then again, I don’t know what Americans see in root beer, either. I tried some one day, and it tastes like mouthwash to me. And I can’t say that Dr Pepper is to my taste, either.
cherry coke is my favorite soda, so i dunno about the rest of yah, but i hope it’s ALL over the friggin’ world and everybody has to drink it. vanilla coke is okay too. wild cherry pepsi is pretty much the only type of pepsi that i’ll ever drink. dr. pepper is okay root beer is good occasionally. yeah.
does anyone know anywhere I can buy cherry coke syrup to add to regular coke?
I buy cherry grenadine at my local grocery store….it works well for me!