Dr Pepper Was First Advertised As A Hot Drink In The 1960s

Whether or not we like to admit it, most people are either a Pepsi person or a Coke person. However, there are a select few of us who are neither, and we fall into an entirely different category: team Dr Pepper. Famous for its spicy twist on classic fizz, Dr Pepper is technically not a cola or a root beer, so it's something distinctly of its own. This means that when it's heated, it becomes something more like a hot cider than a soda.

At one point, hot Dr Pepper was a popular beverage during the holiday season. During the 1960s, marketing teams came up with the idea to advertise Dr Pepper as a heated beverage to combat the drop in sales of cold drinks during the frigid winter months. The concept was a quick fad that soon faded away with other pop-culture trends, but it remains a favorite in some areas of the South.

Just because hot Dr Pepper has long been stashed away in a time capsule doesn't mean you can't give it a go. It could be great for a retro-themed holiday party, or even just to warm up on a brisk winter day. It's surprisingly easy to achieve — the vintage recipe recommends simply simmering some Dr Pepper over the stove until it reaches 180 degrees Fahrenheit, and then pouring it over a slice of lemon.

Since the 1960s, plenty of Dr Pepper flavors have been added to the repertoire like cherry, cherry vanilla, strawberries and cream, and cream soda, so these are all fair game to heat up. In fact, the company eventually created the "Schuss-Boomer," named after a skier, which was a variation that paired the drink with rum. Somehow, the addition of heat can allow all of those classic Dr Pepper spices to shine, and you're left with a toasty holiday drink that might just be your next go-to.