5 Vintage Sodas No One Remembers Anymore

Since the first glass of potable carbonated water was achieved in 1767, sodas have been steadily gaining popularity over the years. The mid to late 1800s were filled with new innovations in flavored carbonated waters including the first ginger ale, a couple of different cola drinks, and an extremely off-putting recipe for cream soda. In this day and age, it's clear to see that sodas have certainly come a long way. With so many new beverages arriving on the market practically daily, it's worth taking a look back at some of the vintage sodas of the distant and not-so-distant past. Among the list of forgotten favorites and polarizing pops are such sodas as Bubble Up, Tab, Jolt Cola, Slice, and Aspen Soda. 

In its infancy, the intent behind soda was less as a dessert drink and more with the goal of creating a medicinal beverage. The real reason root beer was invented was first to include additives in water that would make it safe to drink and second to create a non-alcoholic alternative to beer. Current versions of soda lean much more into the novelty factor than their vintage predecessors, though there's still a trace of some original tastes that can be found in every sip. Some of these vintage sodas are long gone, others are still on the market or bracing for a triumphant return, but regardless, all of them are worthy of their place in a long and proud history of sparkling drinkables.

Predating 7UP by a decade, the lemon-lime soda known as Bubble Up is a forgotten favorite with a refreshing citrus profile. Served in bright green glass bottles, Bubble Up still bears its signature vintage visage, though its availability is considerably more limited than in its heyday. Included among the list of ingredients are pure cane sugar and flavors derived from the oils of lemons and limes, which give this soda a uniquely authentic taste. Fans of the drink cheer its crispness and flavor, calling it "a better Sprite."

Owned now by the makers of Dad's Root Beer since 2007, Bubble Up is still a hit among dedicated fans, though awareness of the soda seems to have waned over the years. With as many corn syrup-laden lemon-lime soda brands available, Bubble Up still has a leg up on the competition in the way of flavor. What's more, you can buy a 12-pack of Bubble Up on Amazon or seek it out from local vintage soda purveyors to try it for yourself.

Dreamed up by the Coca-Cola company in the early 1960s nearly two decades ahead of Diet Coke's blasting on the scene in 1982, TaB was previously the leading diet soda in the United States. With distinct notes of artificial citrus flavor and a sort of cola-esque taste described by fans as "[R]egular Pepsi that had been left in a hot car for a couple of days" and, "carbonated flat soda," it's a wonder what the appeal was in the glory days of TaB. Despite solid marketing efforts and plenty of snappy slogans and commercials, it seemed that the soda simply couldn't compete with the new kid on the block, Diet Coke.

The low-calorie drink was originally sweetened using then newly discovered artificial sweeteners known as cyclamates, though this came to an end with their 1969 U.S. ban. Following this was a brief stint with saccharin sweetener, although that was found to be carcinogenic, leading to TaB cans having to sport warning labels to alert consumers. With the introduction of an aspartame substance called "Nutrasweet" in 1984, it seemed like TaB could possibly regain its footing; however, Coca-Cola's 2020 discontinuation of TaB seemed a merciful end to a, by then, middling soda. With a still sincere cult following and some hardcore fans having stockpiled for the TaB apocalypse, this soda might be gone for good, yet still fondly remembered by a handful of devotees

With a fierce-sounding name, Jolt Cola is billed as, "The original American Energy Drink." Conceived in 1985 by Joseph Rapp and his son C.J., the drink was a shining example of decadent intensity. The Rapps viewed soda as a treat and opined that it should be made accordingly. Rather than bow to the trend of reducing real ingredients, they opted to create a beverage that, per its original slogan, contained "all the sugar and twice the caffeine." Piggybacking off of relationships with beer distributors and using sensationalist tactics to market their drink, Jolt found prominence in the early 1990s. Branding the beverage as an antidote to "weaker" colas, this supercharged vintage soda was an ideal choice for computer programmers, leading it to be thought of as a proto-energy drink.

The taste of this amped-up cola was akin to most others of its time, albeit noticeably sweeter from the real sugar. The heightened amount of caffeine in the beverage is what paved the way for such modern giants as Red Bull, which eventually overtook Jolt in popularity. Jolt filed for bankruptcy in 2009 but was made available again in Dollar General stores for a fleeting couple of years in the late 2010s before disappearing again from the public eye. An announcement at the end of 2024 sparked some hope for Jolt aficionados, indicating that, in collaboration with energy drink brand Redcon1, Jolt would be making a triumphant return to shelves in 2025.

On the opposite side of the soda spectrum –- swinging wildly in the other direction of Jolt Cola, for that matter -– is the humble and simplified Slice soda. Released in its original lemon-lime flavor in 1984, Slice was intended as a competitor to similarly-flavored giants of the time, 7UP and Sprite. Branded as a healthier alternative to other sodas being peddled at the time, what set Slice apart was the fact that the vintage soda actually contained 10% juice. This PepsiCo creation took hold of the market and, by 1986, began adding more varieties to the lineup including cherry cola, orange, and apple flavors. Unfortunately, by the '90s, the fruit juice element that made Slice a stand-out was completely eliminated from the soda, thus giving it little distinction from any other offering available. Around 2010, the beverages were nowhere to be found in stores.

Fans of Slice look back on the fun fruit flavors and pseudo-healthful inclusion of juice with wistful nostalgia, though a recent announcement has indicated the Slice will be making an upcoming return to shelves, albeit in a brand new format. Having acquired the Slice brand, Suja Life intends to reinvent the soda and bring it back to stores in 2025. Promising a newer version of the "healthy soda" containing probiotics, prebiotics & postbiotics, this definitely won't be the Slice of yesteryear and some fans are dubious at best. Only time will tell if this is a sip in the right direction.

For a fleeting four-year run between 1978 and 1982 –- and prior to PepsiCo's second attempt at an apple-flavored soda with Slice in 1986 –- Aspen soda reigned supreme before fading into obscurity. With marketing imagery that recalled cold, crisp mountainside enjoyment, it's worth wondering why Aspen never truly took off. It would seem that the taste didn't quite satisfy, nor did PepsiCo's marketing efforts, which were clearly attempting to target a more sophisticated demographic.

In a manner similar to that of McDonald's ill-fated Arch Deluxe, the overly posh commercials seemed to miss the mark by attempting to cater to non-soda drinkers. Even newspaper ads touting buy-one-get-one-free deals simply didn't appeal to would-be customers. It seemed that "just a snap of apple" wasn't quite enough to satisfy soda drinkers of the time, and the product was discontinued just four years after its initial appearance. While Slice debuted in the mid-'80s and eventually included an apple soda in its repertoire, Aspen is long forgotten. With such sodas as Manzanita Sol Apple Soda currently available and thriving, Aspen's failure might have simply been trying to get in front of the wrong audience with a less-than-stellar product.