coke

Cheerwine is still around and kicking, although you can only find Diet Cheerwine in the Carolinas.

Oh Colleen, would you say, "I want a regular diet Coke"? Just wondering.

RC (Royal Crown) Cola might have narrowed it down to a region for you, but Cheerwine should have nailed it. I think it's still being produced down there.

If you want to get very specific, think Blenheim Ginger Ale. You used to have to drive to Blenhein, SC to find it. It was "discovered" in the 80's and is now available nationwide, even in a diet version. Sad...

skipvia, all you had to do was say Cheerwine and we'da known what state you was from. ;)

I believe that strictly speaking soda has sodium bicarb to make the fizz (hence the name, yes?) and that there is a water that is just aerated, but I am not sure what it is called.

Oh come now, c_b, do you still expect conversations to stay on-topic around here? More to the point, do you want them to? :-P

Because I hijacked the discussion some time ago (purely unintentionally). See below.

Tonic is vile. Seltzer, at least American seltzer, is way gassier than the nice mineral water con gasso that I enjoyed in Italy. Though as a rule, I asked for aqua minerale naturale and not con gasso, the bubbles were far smaller, making the drink far easier to enjoy, because one doesn't become a volcanic eructation machine.

Wait... why is this on the coke page?!

It's especially good with ice cream and a bit of chocolate syrup. :-D

Oh. How uncultured I am. ;-) So are we basically talking about seltzer then? I've enjoyed flavored seltzers in the past, but I don't think I'd like it plain. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad.

No! Tonic is not soda (carbonated) water. Tonic is carbed water made bitter by the addition of quinine and (usually but detrimentally) sweetened. You'd have to be a bit loopy to drink it without gin.

Soda water is just water with gas, and this is fine on its own. I find it great for hangovers.

I met an American once who referred to all carbonated drinks as "coke". When I was a kid we had the generic term pop, but that's gone out of fashion in the UK now, while remaining fairly current in Canada where I live.

Edit: rt beat me to it.

Well, not exactly tonic. I believe tonic has quinine added, while carbonated water is just...well, carbonated water. At least around here.

I like it, but don't drink it much. Besides, the bubbles in the carbonated water I drank overseas were much smaller and less likely to blow out your sinuses than the bubbles in what you get in the States.

If the waiter doesn't ask, you'll get "gas" by default. We learned to always specify beforehand because, like uselessness, I think drinking carbonated water is grotty.

You mean like tonic? People drink that straight? Gross.

In Italy (and probably other European countries) when you ask for water, you'll get the return question, "Gas?" Meaning, do you want carbonated or non-carbonated ("still") water?

But at first I thought the waiter was asking a rather personal question.

As in, "I want a regular coke"? How quaint. ;-)

You say "regular."

Branding being what it is nowadays, the synonymous relationship has disappeared. I was referring to a time when your only choices were Coke, Pepsi, RC Cola, and Cheerwine, all made from syrup and seltzer at the counter. I'm so very old...

How do you order a Coca-Cola Classic without the hassle of repeating yourself?

This term was synonymous with soda where I grew up (SC). If you asked for a coke at a drug store soda fountain you'd be asked "what kind?"