Southern Sips
Cool off on the water with easy-to-make beverages inspired by the Southeast's legendary soda brands and hometown flavors.
No adventure on or alongside the water is complete without something to quench your thirst. With a colorful, flavorful region like the Southeast there are many inspiring ways that you can craft something delicious that honors classic tastes from home.
Countdown to Colas
Though both are iconic soda options across the globe, both Coca Cola and Pepsi originate from the Southeast, Coke from Atlanta, Georgia and Pepsi from New Bern, North Carolina. It’s fairly effortless to combine your preferred additives and mixers for a tasty docktail, but we think you’ll like these to stir up for your next boat outing.
For those with a proclivity for Coca Cola (particularly those who revel in Diet Coke, why not try a Spicy Diet Coke? A play on the now viral concoction, this drink recipe couldn’t be simpler: pour a half ounce of limeade, splash in a bit of both pickled jalapeño and dill pickle juice, and give it a quick stir. Then pour in a cane of fridge-cold Coke or Diet Coke over the mixture. Adjust the amount of pickled juices based on taste, and feel free to spice things up more with an ounce of vodka — if you’re not driving the boat, that is.
Pepsi lovers, have no fear, we’ve got you represented here as well with a variation on Difford Guide’s Beautiful Beth, we have what we call the Bikini Betty. Combine 1 fluid ounce of both white and coconut rums with a half ounce of both lemon juice and triple sec liqueur into a shake glass and shake with ice. Strain into a glass with crushed ice, pour 1.5 ounces of Pepsi over the ice, and serve!
Stay Cheery
Another staple cola crafted in the South originally is North Carolina’s Cheerwine, beloved by locals for its tart cherry flavor and soft bubbles. Cheerwine showcases many ways to enjoy the soda with their own recipes, from crockpot barbecue pork to homemade Cheerwine ice cream. One recipe that stands out for particularly warm days out on the water is a Cheerwine Bourbon Slushy, if you’ve got the time to prep ahead of time. Simply pour 2 bottles of Cheerwine into ice cube trays and freeze overnight. Then when ready to serve, take 2 cups of these ice cubes and throw into a blender with 2 ounces of your choice of bourbon, and blend until its slush. Garnish with a squeeze of lime and a lime wedge if ya’ feeling fancy.
Speaking of fancy, for those who like an upgraded soda experience with the Cheerwine Dirty Soda. Pour 12 ounces of Cheerwine into a tall glass of ice and add 2 shots espresso, then top with your choice of creamer or milk. For a boozy twist, toss in a half ounce of coffee liqueur. You can find the full readout of these Cheerwine recipes and others can check out cheerwine.com.
Cola photo by Blake Wisz.
Coke photo by Hamed Mohtashami Pouya.
Cheerwine photos courtesy of Cheerwine.