I have declared North Carolina the best state for beverages, at least on the East Coast.
Its the home of Cheerwine, Sundrop and West Jefferson Dr Pepper.
You can find an amazing variety of soda in glass. Cheerwine and Sundrop in almost any type of package.
There are still some small Pepsi and Coke bottlers.
Fast Food places and mini marts have sodas on fountain that you do not see anywhere else.
The Coke bottler in Charlotte has some unique packages that may or may not roll out nationally.
It is the birthplace of Pepsi.
3rd tier seems easy to find.
And many more reasons I have yet to come up with.

It always amazes me what kind of fizzy goodness is in North Carolina. They have so much there that isn't available here. Sure, Texas has Dublin Dr Pepper, but we barely get Sundrop, or Cheerwine, or anything from Monarch (I liked Dr. Wells and Bubble Up). All the sodas i've gotten in trade from North Carolina have been great. And i've run out of Texas stuff to trade, so I probably won't get to try anything else from there.

I would have to agree. Just having west jeff makes them a winner in my book. Anything you want comes outta that place and tastes good too. Up in my neck of the woods its a cultural wasteland as far a soda goes. If it wasn't for the Mexican Coke and Pepsi I do not know what I would drink.

How do you get Dr. Wells and Bubble Up down there? WHere do they make it location wise and in what type of packaging?

I can add another reason why our soda scene has always been interesting: family owned bottlers. The Vannoys at Dr Pepper West Jefferson, the Harrisons at CCBCC, the Ritchie brothers at Cheerwine/Carolina Beverage, the Minges family with Pepsi down east, and others ... they're all carrying on long traditions in businesses started by their family. They don't try to be all things for all people. They stick with what they know and try to make it better. That is a refreshing thing to find in this day & age.

Sure, I am prejudiced towards NC but I would say that Alabama deserves serious consideration too. I have only been through the northern part of the state and I saw a really impressive selection there. Buffalo Rock and Big Springs don't follow the mold of any "ordinary" Pepsi or Coke bottler plus they have a very visible 3rd and 4th tier. When I have the chance I would like to explore more of that state.

Originally posted by KanKing:
How do you get Dr. Wells and Bubble Up down there? WHere do they make it location wise and in what type of packaging?

Our local Monarch products come from Paul's Beverages, New Castle PA. 20oz and 2L of all their brands. No cans or glass. Distributed by 4th tier guys whose main business is beer.

Family-owned bottlers are the key. Dublin, TX Dr Pepper bottler has been run by the same family for 113 years. All the big corporations have been wanting to buy them out, but they won't sell. They're more than happy to keep putting out Dr Pepper made with Imperial Pure Cane Sugar. And it's slowly started to change other bottler's minds about soda with sugar. Odessa, TX's DP bottler has started making Dr Pepper with sugar again. I hope the idea spreads.

If NC is one of the best places for soda, how come I can never find the biggest name in root beer....Barq's!!! Or even Big Red!!! I have to drive to Va Beach for the Barq's and Danville, VA for the Big Red!!! Mistic is even VERY scarce over here and almost non-existant in grocery stores! NC sucks...and not in the good way!!!

Danville is almost North Carolina

If NC is the best... Missouri is the worst. There is nothing original here.