...Squash!
No, nothing to do with vegetables! Squash is simply a concentrated fruit syrup, that is diluted with water. It's basically the same as Kool-Aid, except that it's a liquid rather than powder. The most popular squash flavours are orange, lemon, lemon barley, and any number of mixed fruit combinations (such as orange and pineapple, or apple and blackberry).
Alongside the squashes are cordials. Basically the same, but a little more upmarket, The most common cordial is blackcurrant, a fruit not widely known in the US. I suppose the closest thing would be something like a red grape juice, and the fruit itself looks like a blueberry. It is not a tart taste, like a blackberry, but rather rich and sweet. Unlike regular orange and lemon squash, blackcurrant cordial can be drunk hot or cold! Hot blackcurrant is a favourite during the winter months.
black currant (cassis) by kahvikisu is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Dandelion and Burdock
A strange one, I know, but this is a soda that is peculiar to the UK. Originally a mead (an alcoholic honey-wine), it dates back several hundred years, but somehow developed into the beverage we know today. Yes, it was made with fermented dandelion and burdock roots, but today, artificial flavourings are the norm.
Vimto
Another carbonated drink (although originally a cordial), Vimto is a brand name. Containing the juice of grapes, raspberries, and blackcurrants, it was once considered a health tonic. It was introduced in 1908.
Bovril
Straying from soda into definitely UN-sodalike territory, Bovril is something you either love or you hate; there really is no middle-ground!
A salty and thick (it looks like tar) meat extract, Bovril is more of a food product. Like its cousins Marmite and Vegemite (as mentioned in Men at Work's Down Under), Bovril is used in sandwiches, spread on toast, and as a soup flavouring. However, it is equally good as a hot beverage. Just dissolve a teaspoon of Bovril in boiling water, and it is a great alternative to a cup of bouillon, much loved by Americans.
Lemonade
Undoubtedly confusing to Americans, British lemonade is not made with lemons; that is "traditional" lemonade. Ordinary lemonade is simply a white soda (like Sprite or 7-Up).
Tizer
Another brand-name, Tizer is a red carbonated beverage with a taste that's hard to describe. Not that there's anything wrong with it, but there is no similar flavour anywhere! It was launched in 1924 in Manchester, and is still very popular with British kids.
Horlicks
A hot malted milk drink, Horlicks was actually invented in the United States, by the Horlick brothers (who were English). Although available here, it is infinitely more popular across the pond, where hot drinks are more common.
Irn Bru'
For Americans reading this, just try to say "iron brew" with a Scottish accent, for that's exactly what this name is! In fact, when it was introduced in Scotland in 1901, it was called Iron Brew, but a change in laws (in 1946) the removal of the word "brew" from the name (see the photo below). So, being it was Scottish - it is often referred to as "Scotland's other national drink" (after Scotch whisky)- it seemed an obvious choice.
It is an orange-coloured soda (like Tizer, possessing a unique flavour), and is still the top-selling soft drink north of the border.
Barr's Irn Bru by Jordanhill School D&T Dept is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Lucozade
I left this one to last, as if you think some of the above beverages are odd, then Lucozade defies categorisation!
Introduced by a Newcastle chemist in 1927 as Glucozade (The "G" was dropped two years later), it was supposed to help people fight off colds and other common ailments. In an age where all kinds of beverages were considered "tonics", the health claims were based on the energy-giving sugars in the drink, and today, it is just considered an "energy" drink.
Traditional Lucozade is a thick, sweet, and EXTREMELY sticky substance, and although perhaps an acquired taste, it really isn't that offensive. The modern-day variations are like any other soda.
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