Why Cincinnati's Legendary Nectar Soda Is So Pink

Though we can't say for certain who invented nectar syrup, we do know that the flavor has been loved in New Orleans and Cincinnati for over a century. Nectar soda can be traced back to the late 1870s, but its history is hazy. Apothecaries, soda fountains, and confectioners throughout the United States have been whipping up beverages for consumers using the flavoring for decades. The rise of soda fountains helped popularize the flavor, and while many fizzy soda drinks started with 19th century pharmacists and were said to hold cures for customers, others, like those made with nectar syrup, were simply treats to enjoy. The pink color of the syrup is said to represent almond flowers and is achieved using either red food coloring or grenadine.

While almond blossoms are white, bitter almond flowers are pinkish in color. These pastel pink sodas offer tasting notes of vanilla and almond, and the syrup has earned the title of "The Drink of the Gods," as the bitter almond helps round out the sweetness of vanilla. Some describe the taste as being reminiscent of pound cake. Sodas made with this syrupy nectar combine the sweet pink syrup with ice cream, whipped cream, and soda water. You can either make these recipes according to the color you desire or the taste of the drink. In New Orleans, the syrup has also been mixed with sweetened condensed milk to make a drink called Ping-Pong, and you can still find nectar syrup served at stands serving snow cone-like snowballs.

Several different pharmacists and confectioners have been linked with pouring the first nectar soda, but a common theory is that confectioner John Mullane developed the drink after visiting a Canadian candy maker. In both Cincinnati and New Orleans, it has been theorized that this flavor was preferred by French Acadians who traveled between Quebec City and New Orleans. But, regardless of its precise origin, nectar syrup soon became a favorite from Indiana to Los Angeles. Nectar sodas have remained fixtures on Aglamesis Brothers' menu since 1908, and Graeter's, a Cincinnati ice cream and chocolate shop that opened in 1870, is also frequently linked with the drink order. Graeter's even combines flavors, like serving peach ice cream with the nectar syrup. ​

Nectar syrup has gone through several recipe iterations over the decades. First, it was made with milk or half-and-half, bitter almond and vanilla extracts, and red food coloring, but some have since replaced milk products with dairy-free syrups that don't require refrigeration. You can easily make your own nectar syrup at home to try in food and drink recipes by combining sugar, water, almond and vanilla extracts, and grenadine. Your homemade nectar can be used to flavor ice cream or cocktails, or you can easily splash your creation into pancake batter, mix it into a batch of cupcakes, or stir a spoonful into bowls of morning oatmeal and yogurt for added sweetness and color.