Looking for something new to sip? Reader’s Digest and Taste of Home have created a list of the best drinks in each state, and some of the options might surprise you.
There’s something for everyone from Buffalo Rock Ginger Ale in Alabama to a boozy Sloshie in Wyoming, the list has something for everyone.
The pick for Mississippi is a household name that can be found in stores and restaurants nationwide. But it was created in the Magnolia State more than a century ago.
What’s the best drink in Mississippi?
“Edward C. Barq’s 1898 root beer formula, crafted in an unassuming white house in Biloxi, Mississippi, stood out from the pack because of its use of sarsaparilla instead of sassafras. These days, what gives regular Barq’s its bite is the caffeine content — 22 milligrams for each can, while most American root beer brands are naturally caffeine free,” Reader’s Digest wrote.
Coca-Cola wasn’t created in Mississippi. That happened in 1892 in Atlanta, Georgia. But the first Coca-Cola bottling plant was established in Vicksburg in the 1890s.
While both drinks are popular across the country today, neither are the state beverage. That honor goes to milk.
Bonnie Bolden is the Deep South Connect reporter for Mississippi with Gannett/USA Today. Email her at bbolden@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Best drink in Mississippi: Try a popular soda pop made in your state