C is for Cheerwine
[chir wahyn]
I’ll make a confession to y’all.
I have never actually had a Cheerwine.
Of course, I know all about them – they’re truly iconic to Southern culture – the “Nectar of North Carolina” as it were; but yeah, somehow or another, I’ve never actually consumed one of the fizzy, black-cherry “Legends.”
Not that Cheerwine’s gonna lose any sleep over my lack of commitment. According to the owners, the Carolina Beverage Corporation of Salisbury, North Carolina, even without my meager contribution, they’ve managed to become the nation’s “the oldest continuing soft drink company still run by the same family.”
For ages, you could only get Cheerwine inside the Carolinas, or smuggled out a case or a four pack at a time, like Coors beers of long ago slipped out of Texarkana by the “Bandit.”
But to celebrate their 100th year of production in 2017, Cheerwine has partnered with Pepsi Bottling Company to distribute their elixir throughout the entire United States of America.
Their slogan: “Born in the South. Raised in a Glass.”
Of course, while you can raise a Cheerwine as a toast, the beverage itself has no alcohol. It was named because of its “wine red” color and that “cheery” feeling you “get” from drinking one.
However…
Insiders (that is, a former college roommate whose name I won’t disclose) have revealed that the lack of alcohol in Cheerwine can be easily remedied by mixing your cheery cherry soda with a little Captain Morgan Spiced rum, to make a drink called a “Captain Cheerwine,” or the “Whining Pirate.”
Hmm. I’m seriously wondering how I managed to miss this one. I was pretty open minded about aquatic-themed mixed drinks when I was in college.
Oh well, if boozin’ up your bubbles is not your thang, you could still get a sugar rush.
In 2010, Cheerwine began a collaboration with fellow North Carolina-based Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, to produce a limited run “cheerwine-cream filled” variety.
I’m trying to imagine what a cheerwine-cream filled doughnut would taste like. I think I’ll limit that to my imagination.
Unless you’d like to pair it with a “Pirate.”
Know this, though: Even if the soft drink reaches all 50 states, there’s one thing we can claim about our Cheerwine that the rest of the country cannot. It tastes like home. It tastes like North Carolina. – Jimmy Thomlin
Drunk on Life 
Never heard of it. I have to admit, it looks refreshing.
“Let no man pull you low enough to hate him” Martin Luther King, Jr.
#AtoZChallenge CIVIL RIGHTS Movement
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It sounds better to me now that it did back in college. 🙂
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I have never heard of it either, but now want to try it. I will have to keep my eyes peeled for its national release!
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If you have a Whole Foods, they are supposedly carrying it, but it may be a regional thing based on demand. I’ll bet Amazon has it though – I know that they carry Ting from Jamaica, which is one of my favorite sodas ever!
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Yummy! I love black cherry stuff! Maybe it’ll make it up this way. 🙂
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Do you guys have Whole Foods? They’re carrying it now. I’m going to find one today…I don’t drink sodas anymore but I’ll make an exception. 🙂
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I don’t think there are any very near me. Bummer! Yeah, I don’t drink soda either anymore but like you said, for a treat I might make an exception!
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Great name. Great look to it. Thanks for providing my first glimpse ever of the fabled Cheerwine, Kimi. FYI, the drink name Whiny Pirate is pretty precious. 🙂
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Isn’t that awesome?! As many folks as I knew from NC while I was at UGA, you’d think I would have experienced a Cheerwine or a Whiney Pirate, but no. There was a time at a party that we ended up with a bottle of Admiral Nelson Spiced Rum (the generic of Captain Morgans) and I remember the theme of the evening was, “An Admiral beats a Captain!” (but little else.) 🙂
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I had never heard of it but will be on the look out as the year continues…..and Bandit brought the
Coors back to Atlanta from Texarkana. That is as far East as it was available at the time.
Perspectives at Life & Faith in Caneyhead
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Oops, thanks Barbara. I’ll fix that.
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I had heard about it and finally found it on our trip to GA. last year and bought myself a couple of bottles. While it was good, but a little too cherry for me… maybe adding the booze would have made it better.
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I was going to try one today but we had some rough weather so I stayed home – maybe tomorrow. I’ll let you know about both options 🙂
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Well! Next time we’re in Highlands NC I’m sippin’ me some Cheerwine!
Sent from my iPad
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Hey Auntee – thanks for stopping by! I’m surprised I’ve never tried Cheerwine – I’ve certainly been around it. I’m gonna check with Wholefoods – they’re supposed to carry it.
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