What is dirty soda? And why has it been reaching fizzying heights of popularity on TikTok?
Dalgona coffee might have been the viral drink sensation of 2020 and creamy lemonade set Instagram feeds alight last summer but, as we approach mid-2022, there’s a new drink in town and it goes by the name of dirty soda.
Dirty soda is a non-alcoholic, fizzy, creamy and sweet iced beverage, which consists of a sparkling soft drink spiked with flavoured syrups, fruit and cream or coconut cream.
It has been around for a while, having originated in the US state of Utah more than a decade ago. Nicole Tanner, founder and owner of Swig, one of the state’s leading soda fountain chains and “home of the dirty soda” (so the company’s website says), opened the first Swig in St George, Utah, in 2010 with the intention of providing “a drive-through, Starbucks-style option for fountain or sparkling drinks”.
Although Swig proved popular from the outset, Tanner says orders for one item in particular quickly outstripped all others. “We offered a drink made with coconut syrup and Dr Pepper, which people began calling a dirty Dr Pepper, just because it sounded fun,” she explains. From those tropical-tasting beginnings, a statewide infatuation with “dirtying up” drinks took hold.
While Swig is considered the biggest hitter in the dirty soda world (Tanner owns the state and federal trademarks for the term “dirty” when used in conjunction with soft drinks, fountain drinks and add-ins, and there are Swig outlets across Arizona, Idaho, Oklahoma and Texas), a number of other chains and stores in Utah also serve similarly customised fountain drinks. Dirty soda is regarded as far more than a drink in Utah; it’s a way of life firmly ingrained in popular food and drink culture. Picking up a “sodie” is a daily ritual for many and is often, Tanner says, regarded as “the best part of someone’s day”. And yet, 12 years post-inception, how come it’s only now that the state’s special drink has suddenly hit the international soda-slurping mainstream?
The short answer to that is the influence of American singer-songwriter and Gen Z favourite, Olivia Rodrigo, who uploaded a post of herself last December touting an oversize Swig cup on Instagram.
Rodrigo’s millions of followers were quick to take note; fast forward a few months and the #dirtysoda hashtag has racked up about 3.7 million views on TikTok. The platform also has an ever-growing collection of videos documenting users either heading to their favourite soda fountain chain, or delivering a how-to guide for recreating the drink (it definitely helps that these bespoke sodas looks great on the ‘gram – think plumes of milky-cream swirling into fizzing rainbow-hued liquids as ice cubes clink appealingly).
While the UAE awaits the opening of its first designated dirty soda spot (Tanner says that national and international franchise plans for Swig are in motion and that Dubai is very much on her radar), those keen
Dirty soda originated more than a decade ago and was made popular recently by Olivia Rodrigo
to be in on the thirst-quenching action will have to settle for stirring up their own mocktail-like concoctions at home.
Should you be inclined to do so, ease your way in with a take on the Swig original (the Dr Pepper and coconut syrup combo), or follow Tanner’s recommendation and recreate her favourite drink – a mix of Diet Coke, sugar-free coconut syrup, fresh lime and coconut cream.
Alternatively, you can experiment with your own creations, following the simple formula that is: soda plus syrup, optional fruit and a cream element.
Plenty of ice is essential and if you can source it, cylindrical, smooth-sided pebble ice is the way to go.
As summer approaches and the mercury rises, top-of-our list refreshing drinks to try are Sprite or lemonade with strawberry puree, fresh mint leaves and coconut cream; ginger ale with muddled mango, pineapple syrup and cream; and Mountain Dew with peach juice, pomegranate syrup, fresh pomegranate arils and yet more coconut cream.