“We actually have Starry,” informed the counter clerk. It was early spring, and I was craving a lemon-lime soft drink. I had initially requested Sprite, but was surprised to learn that this Pepsi establishment only carried Sierra Mist. However, to my disappointment, they didn’t have Sierra Mist either. It turns out, Pepsi had recently discontinued their 22-year-old lemon-lime brand and introduced a new one called Starry. Without much of a choice, I decided to try Starry. Despite its novelty, it tasted like your run-of-the-mill lemon-lime soda, nothing extraordinary.
But this got me thinking, why is the combination of lemon and lime considered so ordinary? Lemons and limes both have a tangy, citrusy flavor, yet very few food or beverage products combine them. It’s uncommon to squeeze both lemons and limes onto your tacos or incorporate them into key-lime-and-lemon pies. And do Sprite, 7up, Sierra Mist, or Starry truly taste like a fusion of these fruits? Or is “lymon,” as Coca-Cola has advertised Sprite, just a marketing gimmick that has deceived us all?
In my quest for answers, I delved into the history of citrus and soda. I discovered that lemon-lime is not merely a flavor, but an archetype—a vibrant remedy to heat and sluggishness delivered through the effervescent medium of carbonation. In fact, this lemon-lime essence has been present since the inception of carbonated water in the 18th century. It’s almost like a hidden ingredient in the soda machine.
In the fall of 1929, Charles Leiper Grigg experienced failure with his orange soda, Howdy, when it was overshadowed by Orange Crush. However, his next creation, 7up, became a tremendous success. From the beginning, it boasted a lemon-lime flavor—a combination that Grigg would come to dominate. So, in a way, Sprite, Sierra Mist, and Starry are all descendants of Grigg’s innovation.
The timing was ideal for innovation. The 1920s witnessed advancements in bottling technology, reliable caps, and modern refrigeration, making soda a viable packaged good for the first time. Aspiring soft drink designers of the Jazz Age recognized the potential profitability of fizzy beverages and competed to create the next big thing. Highlighting the therapeutic properties of these drinks was a natural selling point. Fizzy mineral waters had long been deemed curative, with mineral springs serving as original spas. Corner shops began infusing them with medicinal ingredients. That’s why John Pemberton incorporated stimulants like cocaine and kola nut into Coca-Cola, first served in 1886. Pepsi was named with the belief that it provided relief for dyspepsia. And Grigg’s drink, originally called Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Soda, featured mood-enhancing lithium, continuing this tradition.
But what about the other half of Grigg’s concoction—the lemon-lime flavor? Its bright and sharp essence dates back at least to 1772 when English chemist Joseph Priestley published the first influential manual on carbonated water. Priestley aimed to improve water consumed at sea by imparting it with “fixed air,” believing it would prevent scurvy and counteract the ill effects of dampness, poor discipline, and noxious diets. While the benefits of citrus fruit in preventing scurvy were recognized, it took about a century for the scientific connection between citrus, vitamin C, and acidic flavors to be established, according to food historian Ken Albala.
During that century, soda’s popularity soared. Pharmacies and soda jerks concocted fizzy water and flavorings as delectable delights and remedies for common ailments. Lemonades were especially popular, along with other flavors derived from roots, spices, and fruits. Lemon and lime were occasionally paired together in carbonated water at these pharmacies and in many locally distributed bottled sodas already on the market when Grigg struck gold with 7up.
But why? “No idea!” exclaimed Tristan Donovan, author of Fizz: How Soda Shook Up the World. The combination of these flavors seemed to have always been around. Remarkably, as commonplace as it is today, lemon-lime has historically been an exception. Lemon and lime are similar in that they are sour, small-bodied citrus fruits with yellow-green rinds. However, these two fruits rarely appear together in the extensive history of human gastronomy. Try to think of a classic dish that features both lemons and limes—challenge accepted. Even in mixology, lemon and lime are commonly used as independent ingredients—a gimlet leans towards lime, while a Tom Collins revolves around lemon.
Culinary scientist and packaged-food consultant Ali Bouzari suggested that certain Iranian and Peruvian cuisines may incorporate both lemons and limes, but this is an exception rather than the norm. In fact, lemon and lime are not frequently combined in many cuisines where both fruits are abundant.
At least in terms of natural lemon and lime, that is. Artificial fruit flavorings have been popular since Grigg’s time, and lime may have been easier to find as a flavoring rather than an actual fruit back then. Some early “lime” sodas were essentially lemon-based, with the name “lime” chosen for its perceived sophistication. Genuine lime flavorings may have resulted in unpleasant-tasting sodas. To this day, producing a lemon taste in syrups or extracts is simpler than replicating the distinct flavor of lime. Bouzari shared that out of a hundred lime samples, approximately 80 smell like cleaning products—an aggressively funky scent. It’s plausible that a skilled soda flavorist seeking novelty may have added lemon to conceal the off-putting taste of fake lime, although this theory remains speculative.
Perhaps Grigg’s choice of flavor was an afterthought. The primary attraction of his product could have been its added psychoactive drug, lithium. (7up’s early slogan touted, “takes the ‘ouch’ out of grouch”). It’s conceivable that Grigg, influenced by his previous orange soda failure, simply chose lemon and lime to amplify the alliteration in “Lithiated Lemon-Lime.” Unfortunately, due to a lack of data on the early years, we cannot be certain. Rachael Nadeau Johnson, collections manager at the Dr. Pepper Museum, provided some insight, suggesting that Grigg may have added lithium as a last-minute decision.
Regardless, Grigg’s exceptional timing played a significant role. The refreshing taste of lemons in lemonade complemented the tangy flavor of limes in gin rickeys, and the inclusion of lithium added an uplifting element. America needed that boost as the stock market crashed and the country plunged into the Great Depression. A cold bottle of 7up, with its bright acidity, offered a momentary respite during those challenging times.
Refreshing and revitalizing is what soda purveyors aim to offer. To succeed, a sugar-sweetened soda must not only taste good but also persuade consumers to choose it over various comparable options available in the market. While product design is crucial, branding and marketing are equally vital. It requires hitting the right notes on all fronts, as Gary Hemphill, managing director of research at the Beverage Marketing Corporation, emphasizes.
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