A woman discovered that Big Red’s flavor isn’t just bubblegum, strawberry, or even “red.” It’s something else entirely.
In a video with over 36,000 views, Marissa (@marissalately), a social media influencer and mother from Lubbock, shared how Big Red’s flavor profile is a combination of orange, lemon, and vanilla.
What is Big Red?
Big Red is one of the most popular soda brands from Waco, Texas. It was created in 1937 by three men and named “Sun Tang Red Cream Soda.” Harold Jansing, the president of a bottling plant in San Antonio, heard some golf caddies refer to the drink as “Big Red.” As a result, it was renamed. The soda is one of the only red cream drinks in the U.S.
Furthermore, Big Red is found across the Southern United States. It originally gained popularity in Kentucky in the early ‘70s, all the way into the ‘80s as a southern staple after it left the Texas market.
Marrissa was right. The original Big Red contains orange and lemon essential oils with vanilla flavoring. There are other flavors like Big Blue that have a different flavor profile as well. However, Big Red is usually the trickiest for people to identify and name.
The internet weighs in
Additionally, on Reddit, many people agreed that the flavor profile ultimately does taste like bubblegum despite being a cream soda. U/BronzeAgeBaby wrote, “I agree that it mostly tastes like bubblegum.”
Then other commenters on TikTok thought it was less complex. @Soleil simply stated, “I thought it was just cream soda with red40.”
Marissa responded to other commenters who thought she didn’t recognize the red cream base. She told them, “I never said it wasn’t cream soda. I said it’s not strawberry, cherry, or bubblegum. People always think it’s one of those flavors because of the color.”
Commenters like @LMR were still confused by the fizzy soft drink, who said, “I thought it was cotton candy??”
@marissalately #onthisday a video I posted about @DrinkBigRed’s flavor combination and people were big mad. Telling me I was wrong that it’s bubble gum or strawberry. Sorry guys. I forgot where I read it but it’s true. #bigred #soda #drpepper #texas #dirtysoda #creamsoda #strawberrysoda ♬ original sound – Marissa Lately
The Mary Sue has reached out to Marissa and Keurig Dr. Pepper for comment.
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