Currently the second most popular soda in the United States, Dr Pepper has a long and flavorful history, but not many people know the story those 23 flavors tell.
In Waco, Texas 1885, a pharmacist by the name of Charles Alderton liked the smell of the drug store he worked at. He decided that he’d try and recreate that smell into the flavor of a soda. The mixed fruity drink was a hit with customers and was given the name “Dr. Pepper” by the owner of the pharmacy. Later in 1904, Dr. Pepper was introduced to the taste buds of millions at the St. Louis World Fair which turned it into a national icon. Skipping ahead a few decades, in 1950, Dr. Pepper dropped the period and became “Dr Pepper,” a slight change, but an important one for branding and recognition. In 1995, Dr Pepper was bought by Cadbury Schweppes, a large candy and soda company. Then in 2008, they branched off into a new company called the Dr Pepper Snapple Group which was later bought by Keurig Dr Pepper just ten years later. Nowadays, Dr Pepper is the second highest-selling soda in the United States, just below Coca-Cola and recently passing Pepsi’s popularity in 2023.
Now, let’s delve into more details about the flavors of Dr Pepper. Many people would tell you that Dr Pepper is a cola, others might tell you it’s more similar to root beer, you might even get some arguing that Dr Pepper is a fruit flavored soda, but according to the FDA it’s in a category of its own called a “pepper soda.” The Dr Pepper recipe is unknown to the public, but is said to be kept in two halves in separate vaults, but that doesn’t mean we can’t guess what those 23 delectable flavors are. Many people believe Dr Pepper contains prune juice, as it has a similar flavor, though Dr Pepper has since denied adding any prunes. Other flavors people suspect is inside Dr Pepper include cherry juice, cola, licorice, vanilla, almond, caramel, and many others. LHS Sophomore Mac Griffis had this to say about the taste of Dr Pepper; “it’s very unique. It’s not like other sodas. It brings a new flavor. Tastes like pepper.”
Next we’ll do a history of a few of the most interesting Dr Pepper flavors. 1983, Caffeine-free Dr Pepper was released after the success of their diet version, Pepper Free. In 2002, Dr Pepper Red Fusion was released as a cherry flavored beverage, but after disappointing sales it was discontinued two years later. In the same year as Red Fusion’s failure, Dr Pepper Cherry Vanilla was released. Once the new and improved Cherry Dr Pepper was made in 2009, Cherry Vanilla became a regional rarity. In 2006, Dr Pepper Berries & Cream was introduced and quickly discontinued. Then in 2022 it was rereleased for a limited time. At the same time as Cherry Dr Pepper, a limited edition Heritage Dr Pepper was made using real sugar instead of the new high fructose corn syrup. A year later, Dr Pepper Made with Real Sugar replaced Heritage as a permanent variety. Dr Pepper Vanilla Float was introduced in 2011 and has been continuously rereleased at times. In 2019 and 2022, Dr Pepper Dark Berry was made to promote the movies Spider-Man: Far from Home and Jurassic Park: Dominion. A cream flavored version was released in 2020, called Dr Pepper & Cream Soda. Planned to be a limited valentine edition, Dr Pepper Strawberries and Cream was made in 2023, but has since become a permanent edition. In 2024, Dr Pepper Creamy Coconut was made for a limited edition summer flavor. And now modern day, 2025. At the beginning of the year we got Dr Pepper Blackberry, which is said to be the newest permanent flavor. Many people had negative opinions of this newest variant of Dr Pepper, such as LHS Junior Keleigh Bannach, stating, “it’s gross, it tastes like a rotten blackberry that’s very diluted.”
Dr Pepper has a flavorful history, some of said flavors definitely being better than others, but there’s no doubt about the profound impact of Dr Pepper in pop culture. So next time you grab a drink at McDonald’s or choose a soda at a backyard barbeque, maybe pick up a Dr Pepper.
