I know there is no exact date and I am sure it varied by region. But when did HFCS begin to show up in soft drinks and when was the change-over mostly complete?

It was during 1980 that Coke started blending cane sugar with corn syrup for their fountain drinks, after a few years it was 100% HFCS. Bottled/canned soda followed a year or two behind the fountain mix. Pepsi started the same process beginning around 1983. I think by 1985/86 they both were 100% corn sludge.

andy

Thanks Android for the info - that is about what I thought. This is why I like (and pay dearly for) the West Jefferson products. Their Mt. Dew tastes like how it used to taste when I was in Middle School (graduated HS in '87). Used to love Dr. Pepper - until high school. Tried it some over the years and wondered why I used to drink the crap. Picked up some WJ Dr. Pepper last week and discovered why I used to drink it - bring on the real sugar!

Thanks Android! That's just what I was looking for.

Dr. Galaga, I am probably the exact same age as you. I graduated high school the same year. I remember drinking Dr Pepper ever since I was old enough to drink anything. Even as a kid, I remember going up to Virginia and tasting subtle differences from region to region. I quit making my yearly or twice yearly trip up that way after 1986, and did not get up that way for another 11 years. By the late-80's I remember the Dr Pepper here not tasting as good as it did. A little heavier and a little more syrup'y. We held on to buying glass as long as it was here, but I can't remember the exact date it left for good. I am thinking around 1990. It just seemed to progressively get worse. I blamed it on the area and the plastic bottles, and thought the whole mid-Atlantic probably still had the good stuff.

It was not until about 5 years ago that I discovered Dublin DP. And found out what had really happened to my beloved Dr Pepper 15 or so years before. But being as expensive as it was to get a case of 8 ounce bottles to my doorstep, it was more a novelty than anything else. When I heard about WJ DP on bevnet, I knew I had to have some of it. Since bringing home the 15 cases of it last week, I have touched none of the crap we have here. I am trying to make it last, but I can't. I just don't want to drink the other.