A Refreshingly Delicious Beverage

A Truly Michigan Treat

It's probably been possible to get ginger ale at McDonald's for years. I never really looked into it before because I don't generally drink ginger ale unless I'm enjoying a coney dog at Lafayette Coney in Detroit. And when I'm there I always drink Vernors because it's a classic Detroit ale.

Near Grand Rapids yesterday I made a major discovery: McDonald's is now selling the refreshingly delicious Vernors in that market. I haven't noticed the sign anywhere else and I'm not even sure that Vernors will go all that well with McDonald's Big Macs, but it's an interesting development.

One of the nation’s oldest soft drinks, Vernors Ginger Ale was first served to the public in 1866. The drink was created by Detroit pharmacist James Vernor, a well-respected pharmacist with a reputation for meticulous care with his prescriptions.

Like most pharmacists of his time, Dr. Vernor also ran a soda fountain adjacent to his Woodward Avenue pharmacy. The doctor was working on a medicinal tonic of vanilla and spices, with the addition of ginger to calm the stomach, when he was called to fight in the Civil War. He left the blend in an oak cask and went off to fight in the Civil War in 1862. When Vernor returned from the war, he opened the barrel and was surprised by its delicious contents. The beverage had a zesty, sweet, gingery flavor that was accentuated by the wood’s aging process. (taken from the following source: http://detroithistorical.org/learn/encyclopedia-of-detroit/vernors-ginger-ale)

One great treat you can make yourself is called a Boston Cooler. A Boston Cooler is a blend of vanilla ice cream and Vernors. It's called a Boston Cooler because of the street in Detroit it was created on, not because of the city in Massachusettes.

All–in–all, Vernors Ginger Ale is a wonderful treat. And it's pure Michigan!