SODA SCIENCE: The Harcourt Theory of Flavor

Here's the latest dispatch from Kris Harcourt, Aussie entrepreneur extraordinaire, who posits a scientific connection among three of the most popular sodas out there:

Only 3 sodas in the marketplace (that I can think of) are unique and original flavors...Coke, Mountain Dew, and Dr. Pepper. Everything else is a plagiarism of pre-existing flavors from nature, usually fruit-derived. Coke and Mountain Dew introduced something completely original that are derivatives of nothing that came before them. As for Dr. Pepper, given that it was created by a pharmacist means it definitely makes the list of "invented in a lab."

I have previously suggested that root beer was another sui generis taste, but my homonymic homie Harcourt argues that root beer is based on the sarsaparilla root, which comes from nature, not from a lab. What do you think? (And no, that's not a picture of Kris. It's a baby yak.)

POP OF THE DAY: Bundaberg Ginger Beer

Category: Ginger Ale
Ratings (out of 5)
Taste: 5
Fizziness Factor: 3
Bottle/Can Design: 5
Availability: 2

Tasting Notes: I never would have heard of Bundaberg if it weren't for the splendiferous Anita, my sassy Australian paramour. Anita hails from Queensland, which is not only the ideal setting for the Eddie Murphy/Arsenio Hall fishes-out-of-water-search-for-second-wives sequel Coming to Australia, but also the home of the Bundaberg brewery, maker of an enticing line of sodas that includes a Horehound Beer. The best adjective to describe Bundaberg Ginger Beer is gingeriffic. If you want something sweet and bubbly to settle your stomach on an airplane, reach for the Schweppes. If you want a drink that is so full of actual ginger root that you can't see through it, Bundaberg's your only man. It's the kind of soda that manages to taste a bit hot even when it's ice cold. I love me some ginger, so I'm a Bundaberg booster—even the bottle feels charmingly archaic, with its quirky pull-tab and suggestion to "Invert bottle before opening." If only you didn't have to schlep to Cost Plus World Market to buy some... By the by, if you're a fellow ginger enthusiast and happen to be anywhere near LA, try the gingerita at Buddha's Belly. For my money, it's the best non-soda beverage in the universe. (Total Score 15/20)

Suggested Food Pairings: Tim Tams, pad thai, a Bloomin' Onion