15 Cult Sodas That Make the Best Dirty Sodas (Faygo, Big Red, Cheerwine and More)

Coke and Sprite are fine. Fine! But if you really want to have fun with dirty soda, go find the sodas your friends from other states won't shut up about. The cherry soda from North Carolina. The red cream soda from Texas. The pop from Detroit that comes in about a hundred flavors.

These regional and cult sodas already have big personalities. Add a syrup and a pour of cream and they get even better. Every build below is for a 24 oz cup full of pebble ice: syrup first, about 12 oz soda, cream on top.

1. Faygo Rock & Rye

Detroit's Faygo comes in a rainbow of flavors, but Rock & Rye is the cult favorite. It tastes like cherry and vanilla cream soda had a baby. Don't fight it. Lean in.

Make it dirty: ½ oz vanilla syrup, 1 oz half-and-half and a maraschino cherry. It tastes like a cherry milkshake with bubbles.

2. Faygo Redpop

Bright red, strawberry-ish and loud. Redpop wants to be a dessert.

Make it dirty: 1 oz coconut syrup and 1 oz coconut cream. Strawberry plus coconut is pure summer. Add a squeeze of lime to keep it from getting too sweet.

3. Faygo Cotton Candy

Yes, it really exists, and yes, it's very pink. Keep this one for birthday parties.

Make it dirty: ½ oz vanilla syrup, 1 oz whipped cream on top and rainbow sprinkles. Skip the lime. This is not the time for restraint.

4. Jarritos Mandarin

Mexico's Jarritos comes in tons of fruit flavors and has a softer fizz than American soda. Mandarin is the fan favorite, and it makes the best creamsicle you've ever had.

Make it dirty: 1 oz vanilla syrup and 1½ oz half-and-half. We have a whole list of Jarritos dirty soda recipes if you want to try every flavor.

5. Big Red

Big Red is a red cream soda from Texas. It tastes a little like bubblegum and a little like vanilla, and people who grew up with it love it fiercely.

Make it dirty: ¾ oz coconut syrup, ½ oz lime and 1 oz coconut cream. The coconut tames the sweetness and turns it tropical.

6. Cheerwine

North Carolina's Cheerwine is a deep, dark cherry soda. Despite the name, it has no wine in it at all.

Make it dirty: 1 oz vanilla syrup, ½ oz lime and 1 oz heavy cream. It turns a gorgeous dusty rose and tastes like cherry pie.

7. Moxie

Moxie, from New England, is famous for its bitter, earthy root flavor. It's the most acquired taste on this list.

Make it dirty: 1 oz brown sugar syrup and 1½ oz heavy cream. The sugar and cream soften the bite. If you didn't love Moxie before, this might change your mind.

8. Inca Kola

Peru's golden Inca Kola tastes like lemon verbena and bubblegum. It's sunny and a little strange in the best way.

Make it dirty: 1 oz passion fruit syrup and 1 oz coconut cream. It turns into a tropical sunset.

9. Vernors

Vernors is a bold, extra-gingery ginger ale from Michigan. It has more bite and vanilla than the ginger ale you're used to.

Make it dirty: 1 oz peach syrup and 1 oz vanilla cream. Spicy and soft at the same time. Our Dirty Ginger Ale uses the same idea.

10. Sun Drop

Sun Drop is a cloudy citrus soda with a lot of fans in the South. It's sweeter and softer than Mountain Dew.

Make it dirty: ¾ oz mango syrup, ½ oz lime and 1 oz coconut cream. Think of it as a golden piña colada.

11. Squirt

Squirt is a grapefruit soda that's tart, light and a little bitter.

Make it dirty: 1 oz strawberry syrup, a pinch of chili-lime salt on the rim and 1 oz coconut milk. Pink, tart and a little spicy.

12. Mexican Coke

Cane sugar, glass bottle, cleaner taste. It's the easiest "fancy" upgrade you can make.

Make it dirty: 1 oz coconut syrup, ½ oz lime and 1½ oz coconut cream. The classic, but softer. See our post on dirty Coke recipes.

13. Ramune

This Japanese soda comes in a bottle sealed with a glass marble. The original flavor tastes like lemon-lime bubblegum, and there are plenty of fruit flavors too.

Make it dirty: ½ oz lychee or melon syrup and 1 oz coconut milk. Light, sweet and so fun to open.

14. IBC or Barq's Root Beer

Old-school root beers with real bite. IBC comes in a heavy glass bottle that feels like a soda shop.

Make it dirty: 1 oz vanilla syrup, a drizzle of caramel and 1½ oz heavy cream. That's a float you can sip. Try our Root Beer Float.

15. Olipop or Poppi

The "healthy" prebiotic sodas come in nostalgic flavors. Olipop's include Vintage Cola, Strawberry Vanilla and Classic Root Beer. They're lower in sugar, so you can be a little dirtier with less guilt.

Make it dirty: ½ oz sugar-free coconut syrup and 1 oz unsweetened coconut milk. Our Prebiotic Dirty Cola shows you how.

Where to find cult sodas

Most big grocery stores carry Jarritos and Mexican Coke in the international aisle. For the regional ones, check World Market, Cost Plus, Cracker Barrel's store or a local candy and soda shop. Many of them also come in variety packs online, which is the easiest way to try a bunch at once and host a tasting night.

FAQ

What is the best soda for a dirty soda?

Dr Pepper is the classic, but any soda works. Regional sodas like Faygo Rock & Rye, Cheerwine and Big Red already have bold flavors, so they need only a little syrup and cream.

Can you make a dirty soda with Faygo?

Yes. Faygo Rock & Rye with vanilla syrup and half-and-half is a fan favorite. Redpop with coconut syrup and coconut cream is another good one.

Is Cheerwine good in a dirty soda?

Very. Cheerwine is a rich cherry soda, so vanilla syrup, a squeeze of lime and heavy cream turn it into something like cherry pie.

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Pick three from this list, set up a little soda bar and make your friends vote. That's a party.