Alternative to alcoholic beverages
Alternatives to alcoholic beverages began to appear in the mid nineteenth century. These included fruit juices, such as root beer and Welch’s Grape Juice, which was invented for temperance minster who chose not to use wine in their religious services.
When soft drinks appeared in the late nineteenth century, they were adopted by the temperance movement, as were soda fountains, which were intended as replacements for bars and taverns.
Early softrinks were produce by druggists and were considered medicinal. Hence Coca-Cola and Pepsi-Cola were created by medical professionals who operated drug stores.
In 1927, Edwin Perkins, head of the Perkins Products Company of Hastings Nebraska, invented Kool-Aid, a powdered fruit flavored beverage that was sold in paper packets, thus reducing expenses.
Customers were only required to combine the powder with water and sugar.
During the early twentieth century, thousands of citrus orchards were planted in California and Florida, and when the medical establishment discovered the importance of vitamin C that was contained in citrus fruits, the consumption of orange dramatically increased.
Frozen orange juice became popular during the 1940s and powdered orange drinks, such as Tang were popular in the 1950s.
Coffee was the most common beverage consumed in the United States until the 1960s, when soft drinks became American beverages of choice.
Alternative to alcoholic beverages