Dr. Brown’s Cel-ray Celery Soda Review

March 27, 2012

When it comes to flavoring soda, roots and fruits are the most often used flavors. Vegetables aren’t really something we think when it comes to carbonated drinks. That is why you might be surprised that there is a celery soda and that this celery soda has been around longer anyone who is reading this. Dr. Brown’s first made their celery tonic in 1868! It took a few more decades to get the name “Cel-ray”. Suripisely there have been other celery soda, but this is believed to be the only one that is still made.

The ingredient list for this drink reads like this: carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, citric acid, extract of celery seed with other natural flavors, sodium benzoate and caramel color. The celery flavor comes from an extract made from celery seeds.

It took me a long time to finally try this soda. I saw in many times before, but never wanted to fork over the money for a 6-pack. Recently I found someone selling single cans, making the perfect opportunity to try it without the commitment of a 6-pack.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this drink. I am not all that fond of celery in the raw state. When I popped open the can I was greeted with something that distinctively smelled like celery. I sipped it and my tongue was greeted with the taste of sweet celery. It was actually surprising like good. Similar to a ginger ale. It was similar drinking experience to drinking ginger ale but instead celery.

Where to Buy
The drink is more popular in New York City and any place that has a high Jewish population. It is a kosher drink. I find that Dr. Brown’s sodas are easier to find during the Passover time of year. Here are some stores I can confirm were carrying the drink:

Busch’s (southeast Michigan)
Produce Station (Ann Arbor, MI)
Horrock’s (Lansing, MI)

Let me know if you have any more stores to add to my list.

You can also purchase it online through Amazon’s website

Celery| Dr. Brown's| Kosher| Pop| Soda

Beverages

Dr. Brown’s Cream Soda

March 12, 2010

by Eric Samuelson 0 comments

Last week, I got to review Dr. Brown’s Black Cherry Soda. This week I thought I would give their cream soda a try. I got a 6-pack of cans on sale this week at Busch’s in Saline, MI. The cans are dark brown with a picture of the Statue of Liberty in the middle. The can claims that this is the original cream soda and that it’s a “flavor favorite for generations”. I did some research and I could not find any proof that they are the original cream soda, but it doesn’t mean they aren’t.

This is everything you would expect from a cream soda. It’s creamy with the perfect amount of carbonation. I enjoy it very much. I gave it 4 stars, because I don’t think it’s as good as the cream soda made by Sprecher’s (click here for that review). Still for a good cream soda this is what the doctor ordered.

Cream Soda| Dr. Brown's| Pop| Soda

Beverages

Dr. Brown’s Black Cherry Soda

March 2, 2010

by Eric Samuelson 1 comment

This is part of a series of posts on juices and unique drinks that I have come across. Everyone knows the Pepsis and Cokes of this world and many sites cover the wines and beers, but I am bringing to you the rest of the beverage world.

Last week while at Busch’s grocery store in Saline, MI, at one of the end caps of an aisle I found a section of different products that were listed as being kosher for passover (I myself am not Jewish). One of the things on the shelves were bottles of Dr. Brown’s Black Cherry soda. I have seen the Dr. Brown’s brand before but only in a 6-pack of cans. The bottles were for individual sale for $1.39 for 1 liter. So naturally I grabbed a bottle.

Dr. Brown’s has a long history. They have been serving up drinks since 1869! They started in New York Jewish delis. There is a picture on the bottle of the Central Park Carousel. Their Cel-Ray Tonic which contained celery seeds was popular before Coca-Cola became kosher. The bottle says that now Dr. Brown’s is distributed by Canada Dry Bottling Company.

Upon reading the ingredient I noticed something interesting. After carbonated water, it says that it contains sugar and/or high fructose corn syrup. So either I am getting all sugar, all corn syrup, or some kind of combination between the two. My tongue doesn’t have the ability to taste exactly what I was getting in terms of sugar. Maybe if I have another bottle I might taste a difference, I don’t know. Any regular Dr. Brown drinkers out there, want to weight in (leave a comment below).

I like this drink a lot better than regular store brand black cherry. It was lightly carbonated, which I like. It also has a more natural tasting cherry flavor. What I didn’t like is there seemed to be kind of medicine like aftertaste. I guess that is what I should expect from a drink made by a doctor. I am curious if the aftertaste is different depending on how the drink is sweetened. But it wouldn’t stop me from having this again, it just limits the number of stars I gave this drink.