The Treasure Valley is fizzing with new chain dirty soda shops, thanks to the dirty soda mecca of Utah. Both our large Mormon and ex-Mormon populations are into the bubbles, but as Meg Walter of Deseret News explains, dirty soda is just plain having a moment, regardless of religious affiliation.
What do you think it is about dirty sodas that has made them so popular?
“They taste wonderful. They are so delicious. There is nothing better on a July afternoon than a 32 ounce Diet Coke with some zesty lime and a hit of coconut. Like, it's so refreshing, it's the perfect pick me up. And then, of course, a lot of people in our culture who are Latter-day Saints don't drink coffee, so they prefer their caffeine cold, and that's where they're going. They're getting sodas instead.”
What is the most unusual thing that you've seen as an option to put in these sodas?
“One time my husband came home and he had a Mountain Dew, like a full sugar Mountain Dew, which already by itself is insane to me because it was 44 ounces, and then had these — I don't know how to describe them, but you know how there's boba, but boba is just tapioca — these are crunchy candy balls that he had added in. And then he added cranberry as well, which sounds so gross to me. But he said it was so good and I'm so happy for him that he has a place to live his best life in that way because, I'm not buying sweet tarts for you to pop in your soda, but good for you.”
As more sodas come out with flavor variations, do you think that the soda shops are recreating it equally, or making it better?
“Oh, it's always better from the soda shop. Like the can is good, it's really good, but there's something about the soda on ice in a styrofoam cup with the shot of the flavor that just makes it superior.”
