If you were alive and parched in the '90s, you remember the decade fondly; that's because the '90s was arguably a golden age of beverages. If you were in need of a drink, there was a plethora of popular juices, energy drinks, sodas, and hybrids to choose from. For the kids of the '90s, there was Kool-Aid and Capri Sun (two different but equally beautiful forms of, essentially, fruit water); for '90s adults, there were more sophisticated options like Mistic and Zima. Of course, the '90s also offered options for kids and grown ups alike, with everything from Coca-Cola to Hi-C to Brisk Iced Tea.
It was a lawless time, really, with companies throwing fruit-flavored soft drinks and variations on the juice box at the wall to see what would stick. The '90s were a glorious time for any beverage connoisseur, one we wish we could go back to. But until time travel is invented, we'll have to settle for revisiting the decade with this list of the best '90s drinks.
Snapple Elements
Maker: Dr. Pepper Snapple Group
Discontinued: Mid-2000s
Earth (grape-cranberry), Rain (agave-cactus), Sun (starfruit-orange), and Fire (dragonfruit) were the original lineup of Snapple Elements flavors, available for a limited time as bottled beverages under Snapple Co. The line was later expanded to include other elements, some of which came in cans rather than the classic Snapple glass bottles. Just seeing the packaging is enough to invoke buying a bottle and biking around the neighborhood with your friends, and those who remember the refreshing flavors have created a petition to bring the line back! Snapple has yet to comment on the nostalgia-induced demands from those who remember.
Sobe
Maker: PepsiCo
Discontinued: N/A
Sobe beverages were birthed in 1995, invoking imagery of ocean waves and “surf’s up” finger wags. The fruit juices and teas still have the lizard on the bottle to make us feel laid back, and the flavor combinations remain cooler than ever.
Snapple
Maker: Dr. Pepper Snapple Group
Discontinued: N/A
As arbiters of taste, the fine people at Snapple have gone through many phases of innovation in the beverage world-—they’ve experimented with the elements as flavors, “Snapple Pie” (pie-flavored juice drinks that had a short run in the early 2000s), and even had product placement on a few episodes of Friends, where seemingly every time the fridge was opened in Monica’s apartment, someone was pulling the juice drink out of it.
Mistic
Maker: Dr. Pepper Snapple Group
Discontinued: N/A
This beverage is relatively mysterious in its history and existence. Though it is still available online in bulk and at select stores across the country, the most glaring effect it’s had on present culture is the ongoing Mandela Effect conversations surrounding it; some insist that it once was spelled “Mystic” in the ‘90s, while others remember Mistic as a wine cooler, rather than a non-alcoholic juice drink, and still others remember it being discontinued.
AriZona
Maker: Arizona Beverage Company
Discontinued: N/A
AriZona has been around since 1992, with tall cans of juice or tea remaining solidly priced at 99 cents the entire time. While other beverages have gone through waves of trial and error, AriZona has remained committed to providing us with big beverage taste for less than a dollar. They’ve even come out with sparkling and still vapor water varieties and expanded to snacks in recent years, proving that the drugstore staple is here to stay.
All Sport
Maker: PepsiCo
Discontinued: N/A
All Sport is a sports drink by PepsiCo engineered to be direct competition for Gatorade. It originally was lightly carbonated, but was quickly swapped out for a still version. Though a few flavors have received the chopping block (Dragonfruit, Mandarin Orange, and Strawberry Starfruit), All Sport remains a beverage option for anyone whose thirst needs quenching.
Ty Nant Blue
Maker: Pietro Biscaldi Luigi Export-Import
Discontinued: N/A
Anyone who watched Frasier with regularity recognizes this notorious blue bottle. The beverage was featured on a number of other hit shows through the ‘90s and early 2000s, including Friends, The Big Bang Theory, and Ugly Betty.
Pepsi Tropical Chill
While reading Twitter tonight, be sure to time travel back to 1991 & enjoy a Pepsi Tropical Chill pic.twitter.com/6XfEn3sXxC
— A.G. Pasquella (@agpasquella) January 7, 2017
Maker: PepsiCo
Discontinued: 1991
Like most beverage companies in the ‘90s, Pepsi experimented with a lot of flavors for their cola beverage throughout the decade. This particular flavor was released as a trio alongside Strawberry Burst and Raging Razzberry. We were younger then, and willing to try anything.
Welch's Sparkling White Grape
Forget a new years kiss I got a bottle of Welch's sparkling white grape!!!!! #NoRegrets pic.twitter.com/ONaGW04oKG
— Evan Stack (@Evan_Stack1) January 1, 2015
Maker: National Grape Cooperative Organization
Discontinued: N/A
This beverage made an appearance at any seemingly important child-oriented gathering in the ‘90s. From First Communions to New Year’s Eve parties, kids were able to toast right along with their parents without getting a hangover the next day.
Little Hugs Fruit Barrels
Maker: American Beverage Corporation
Discontinued: N/A
Quarter water juices, fruit barrels—whatever you prefer calling them, these were the quintessential drink for kids who were just being kids. These drinks have been around for decades, and have remained a nod to nostalgia and childhood, no matter your age.
Sherbet Punch
Maker: Someone’s mother
Discontinued: Never
The measurements seem to vary depending on where you grew up, but sherbet punch was a staple at open houses, school dances, and any other social gathering where alcohol was discouraged. The sugary recipe of rainbow sherbet, pineapple juice, and lemon-lime soda is a hit with many age ranges, but holds a special place in our hearts. This beverage is possibly the only one on this list that can’t die out, because the word of mouth recipe is a simple three ingredients where brand loyalty plays no part.
Crystal Light
Maker: Kraft
Discontinued: N/A
The ‘80s and ‘90s saw a boom in diet fads, and Crystal Light quickly became more popular because of it. There were few low-calorie, sugar-free options that only required mix to turn a bottle or glass of water into lemonade or fruit punch, so Crystal Light had its time to shine. Crystal Light has recently expanded to include artificial tea flavors, and even created squeezable liquid containers for on-the-go drinking.
Hi-C Orange Lavaburst
Maker: Coca-Cola
Discontinued: N/A
Hi-C Orange Lavaburst was not only a staple for the ‘90s in general, but also for McDonald’s specifically. The fast food chain phased out the beverage in 2017, sparking outrage from customers nationwide. Luckily, the beverage was not exclusive to McDonald's and is still available at local retailers.
Clearly Canadian
Maker: Clearly Food and Beverage Company
Discontinued: 2009, 2017 comeback
If you yell loud enough, some companies listen. Popular sparkling drink Clearly Canadian took over the ‘90s and scored product placement on several popular shows including Sex and the City, Seinfeld, and Friends. After disappearing from American stores for almost a decade, Clearly Canadian is back to join the ranks of flavored sparkling water.
OK Soda
Maker: Coca-Cola
Discontinued: 1995
Like PepsiCo, Coca-Cola decided to take a few alternative cola routes during the ‘90s. OK Soda came on the heels of Coke II, which is often referred to as one of Coca-Cola’s biggest marketing failures. With OK Soda, Coke made a “graveyard” flavor, ”graveyard” being when multiple flavors at the fountain machine are mixed together to create one unique and multilayered beverage. The marketing was based on emulating and appealing to cynical Gen Xers, and honestly was just too far ahead of its time.
Tab
Maker: Coca-Cola
Discontinued: N/A
Several variations on the diet cola were made throughout the ‘80s and mid ‘90s, as a departure from the original formula. Though sales have dipped considerably following the introduction of Diet Coke, Tab continues to have a diet cola cult following that keeps it afloat just enough to prevent it from being discontinued.
Fresca
Maker: Coca-Cola
Discontinued: N/A
Fresca has had more revampings than most soft drinks, including complete packaging overhauls and changes in target markets. Most recently, Coca-Cola aimed its sights at selling the grapefruit-lime flavored soda to millennials who may not have tried the drink themselves, but heard about it from their parents during the ’90s and late ‘80s.
Welch's Grape Soda
Maker: National Grape Cooperative Organization
Discontinued: 2011, due to relaunch
Welch’s has cornered the market with grape-flavored drinks, and rightfully so: They offer a wealth of grape-centric products, ranging from jams and jellies to juices with the fruit. An online petition begged for the soda’s return after it was discontinued in 2011, and multiple sources have reported that the carbonated concord grape beverage is due to make a nationwide return sometime soon.
Clamato
Maker: Motts
Discontinued: N/A
The combination of clam and tomato juice hit a peak in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, and continues to shine as a mixer for bloody marys and, primarily, as a component to a michelada. Though the idea of the clam and tomato juice combination is sure to wrinkle a few noses, the taste has withstood decades and proven to be one of the most important mixers for savory tomato drinks.
7Up
Maker: Keurig Dr. Pepper
Discontinued: N/A
The ‘90s and early 2000s were not only an important time for colas; lemon-lime sodas were also in abundance, with the different taste and marketing style of each allowing for differentiation in the category. Spin-offs of the original haven’t proved permanent (memorably dnL, with the name and label meant to play on the appearance of the upside-down 7Up logo, and the green color, clear bottle, and strong lime flavor meant to be the polar opposite of the classic). Despite that, 7Up had a great run in the ‘90s and early 2000s, with the cheeky slogan “Make 7Up Yours.”
Coca-Cola
Maker: Coca-Cola
Discontinued: N/A
Coca-Cola reigned supreme in the ‘90s with consumption and advertisements. With PepsiCo as a direct rival in taste, Coca-Cola was consistently trying to assert itself as the superior cola. Advertisements tapped into pop culture moments and used celebrities and catchy theme songs in their ads more than any other brand. They continue to top cola sales and cement their ominous “Always” tagline today.
Fudgsicle Chocolate Soda
Maker: Popsicle
Discontinued: Mid ‘90s
While the existence of this chocolate soda seems wiped from nearly everyone’s memory, Google photos offer proof of its existence. Introduced during the chocolate drink craze of the ‘90s, trusted chocolate treat Fudgsicle was available for a limited time in a carbonated, drinkable version.
Brisk Iced Tea
Maker: Pepsi-Lipton
Discontinued: N/A
In the late ‘90s, Brisk marketed themselves as an iced tea that would really wake you up. The commercials featured exhausted, large-headed claymation versions of celebrities who were immediately invigorated after gulping down Brisk Iced Tea.
Mr. Pibb
Maker: Coca-Cola
Discontinued: 2011
Though recency bias would have you believe that Pibb Xtra is a better reformulation of—or the same thing as—Mr. Pibb, I’m here to say otherwise. While Mr. Pibb was created as a direct competitor to Dr. Pepper, its reformulation post-2011 (now called Pibb Xtra) has cinnamon flavor and is simply marketed as a “spicy cherry flavor.” The new recipe is less dimensional, as opposed to the previous formula, which directly mimicked Dr. Pepper’s notorious 21-flavor combination.