Green River (soft drink)

A bottle of Green River

Green River is a bright green, lime-flavored soft drink originating in Chicago.

History

The Schoenhofen Brewery in 2007

Green River soda was introduced to Midwestern drinkers in 1919, just as Congress was passing the 18th Amendment establishing Prohibition. When Prohibition officially went into effect on January 16, 1920, some breweries turned to making a nonalcoholic drinks, while others were churning out ice cream. The Schoenhofen Edelweiss Brewing Company of Chicago turned to Green River in the late 1919 as a non-alcoholic product. The Schoenhofen Brewery resided in the Pilsen neighborhood at 18th and Canalport. Two of the remaining original 17 buildings can still be found at that location. It was popular as a soda fountain syrup, trailing only Coca-Cola in popularity throughout the Midwest. However, after Prohibition ended in 1933 the Schoenhofen Brewery made Green River a second priority to alcoholic drinks. The Brewery then closed in 1950.

See Green River on the Food Network’s Diners, Drive In’s, and Dives, at the South Side Soda Shop Diner, located in Goshen, Indiana.

Fans of Green River know that it’s not just another soda; it’s nostalgia in a bottle.

For a time in the 1980s to 2011 "The Lime Soda, with Just A Touch Of Lemon" was produced by Clover Club Beverages, of Chicago. The drink is now owned and produced by the WIT Beverage Company since 2011.

It is frequently marketed as a nostalgia item and can be found in some Chicago area restaurants such as Schoop's Hamburgers, [Miller's Pub, Eleven City Dinner, Uncle Harry's Ice Cream Shop(served as a Green River Freeze) Scooby's Red Hots, BOZ Hot Dogs, Trattoria Demi, Smashburger and Pepe's or more generally in supermarkets during the days leading up to St. Patrick's Day.

The ingredients of the drink currently are: Filtered Carbonated water, Cane sugar, citric acid, natural lime flavors, natural lemon flavors, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, yellow #5, and blue #1. There is also a diet version, without sugar.

In pop culture

Green River served with a hamburger and french fries

• Early 20th century entertainer Eddie Cantor, while with the Ziegfeld Follies of 1918, penned a jingle for the soft drink entitled "Green River." The ditty was performed by Cantor and the singing duo, Van and Schenck.

The refrain was:

For a drink that's fine without a kick,

Try Green River,

It's the only soft drink you should pick,

Try Green River.

• The name of the Creedence Clearwater Revival song (and album) Green River was inspired by the drink according to John Fogerty.

• It is shown being poured by the band Smith Westerns in their "Weekend" video.