Where Can I Find Vernors Ginger Ale?
Vernors Ginger Ale can be found throughout Michigan, some areas around Michigan, specialty beverage retailers, and the occasional grocery store in other states. For those who do not live in these areas, it can be ordered online.
Vernors Ginger Ale is famous for its very carbonated, very sweet flavor. It is also used by some to cure hangovers and sore throats. This soda was invented in 1866 by James Vernor, a pharmacist practicing in Detroit. He was trying to create a drink that calmed upset stomachs. After experimenting with a vanilla and ginger concoction, he placed the mixture in an oak cask and went off to fight in the Civil War in 1862. Upon returning four years later, he discovered the fermented mixture had taken on the added flavor of aging oak. For years he only served it at the soda fountain located in his pharmacy. As demand grew, he sold the drink to other soda fountains and soon opened up a bottling company. His son, James Vernor, took over upon his father’s death. The family eventually sold the drink in 1966 to an investment group, which in turn sold the beverage to American Consumer Products. It was sold to A&W Beverages and later to Dr Pepper Snapple Group, the current owner.
